Salem Academy To Use $225K Cummings Foundation Grant To Establish College Success Program

SALEM, MA — The Salem Academy Charter School will use a $225,000 Cummings Foundation grant to establish a College Success Program for alumni.

The North Shore charter school is one of 150 local nonprofits that will share in $30 million of 2023 Cummings Foundation grants. Salem Academy Charter was selected from more than 630 applicants and will receive the funding over the next three years.

Funding from the Cummings Foundation will be used to establish this program to provide support and coaching for alumni to persist in graduating from college.

"This investment will make a tangible difference in the lives of our alumni by enabling us to develop and implement a comprehensive College Success Program that addresses the unique challenges students face as they transition into higher education," Salem Academy Executive Director Stephanie Callahan said.

Director of College Counseling Melissa Lassen said the program will provide in-house services to alumni so that they have one point of contact, along with the support of the college counseling department, throughout college and beyond.

"The way the local nonprofit sector perseveres, steps up, and pivots to meet the shifting needs of the community is most impressive," Cummings Foundation Executive Director Joyce Vyriotes said. "We are incredibly grateful for these tireless efforts to support people in the community and to increase equity and access to opportunities."

Cummings Foundation has now awarded $480 million to greater Boston nonprofits. The complete list of this year’s 150 grant winners, plus nearly 1,500 previous recipients, is available here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)