Brenda Saucedo proudly walked across the stage in the University of St. Thomas' O'Shaughnessy Stadium and marked the major milestone of becoming the first in her immigrant family to graduate from college.
Saucedo's achievement also marked a milestone for the private St. Paul university: She and several others who walked Saturday were the first Dougherty Family College alumni to receive their bachelor's degrees. St. Thomas launched Dougherty Family College as an associate degree program within its university four years ago. The two-year program — which offers low tuition, small class sizes, paid internships and a slew of support services — is designed to help propel students who face financial and social obstacles toward a four-year degree.
"It was a no-brainer for me to attend … Dougherty Family College," said Saucedo, a family studies major. The program allowed her to complete her first two years of college debt-free.
Four years in, St. Thomas' novel approach to attracting and supporting underrepresented students has seen highs and lows. While Dougherty just saw its first alumni receive bachelor's degrees and graduated its third class of two-year students, the program has struggled with recruitment and retention during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Colleges across the country have made efforts in recent years to recruit more low-income students and cover their tuition. In February, the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents approved the creation of a tuition-free program for students whose families make $50,000 or less annually.
Dougherty has sought to serve 300 students yearly but has yet to reach the mark. A total of 168 students were enrolled this academic year, up from 107 in its inaugural 2017 class.
Students of color make up 95% of Dougherty's enrollment, according to St. Thomas.
Prospective students must demonstrate high financial need and a GPA of 2.5 or higher. Tuition is $15,000 per year compared with about $45,000 for St. Thomas undergraduates. Most Dougherty students end up paying $2,700 or less after financial aid is applied.