ACCESS College Foundation

The 2026 Give Local 757 Campaign 

Generously Supported By

Sentara Health

Who We Are:

ACCESS College Foundation is a privately funded nonprofit organization with a unique continuum of college access and success services that provide students from low- to moderate-income and historically oppressed racial and ethnic populations with the path to attend and complete higher education.  The ACCESS Program begins serving students in the seventh grade and continues throughout high school and post-secondary education.  The ACCESS Program culminates with its Scholars graduating from their certification or degree program and entering the workforce in their desired professions.  At ACCESS, our mission is to provide educational pathways leading to certification or college degree attainment and career opportunities for students, particularly those who may not otherwise have access.  ACCESS fulfills its mission by:

• Ensuring low- to moderate-income middle school students are well-informed about their options regarding post-secondary education.
• Providing high school students with preparation, guidance, and the financial assistance needed to make post-secondary education a reality.
• Supporting students while they pursue their certification or degree to help them stay in school and graduate or complete their program.
• Assisting graduates in finding a career in Hampton Roads.

Since 1988, ACCESS has assisted more than 89,000 public school students with enrolling in college and helped secure $915 million in scholarships and financial aid for these students.  Additionally, ACCESS has awarded over $17 million in our “Last-Dollar” Scholarships, bridging the gap between the amount of financial assistance received and the actual cost of attending college.  For every $1 spent on program services, ACCESS leverages $12 in financial aid and scholarships for students.  With the help of their Advisors, ACCESS Scholars stay in school with four-year Scholar retention rates of 93% and minimize their four-year undergraduate student loan debt to 35% of what other students around the country accumulate in four years of undergraduate education.  Our vision is that every desiring student in South Hampton Roads and Northampton County, VA, are given the opportunity to optimize their lives through the attainment of higher education.  

Our Student Community:

The ACCESS student community includes students from six public-school districts in South Hampton Roads and Northampton County, Virginia, and post-secondary education students from the same regions.  Our student community is predominantly low- to moderate-income, historically oppressed racial and ethnic groups, and first-generation college populations. Each of these shared identities make them less likely to enroll in and complete a certification/degree program.  These students need additional support and resources throughout middle and high school, and while enrolled in a certification or degree program to gain the skills required to graduate and achieve successful workforce entry in a skilled profession.  Currently 73% our ACCESS student community is considered low- to moderate-income.

The ACCESS Program:

Public school districts in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Northampton County, Virginia, have partnered with ACCESS to ensure that students receive the education they need to qualify for a post-secondary educational program and the financial resources they need to get them there. ACCESS has placed Advisors in 28 high-need public middle schools and 30 public high schools within our partnered school districts.  In addition, we partner with 17 Virginia colleges/universities to provide services to our Scholars in person on campus.  Our exclusive presence within these public schools and higher education institutions allows us to serve students like no other organization in the region.  ACCESS provides vital college access and success services to our student community through the following programs:

• The ACCESS Middle School Program gives 7th and 8th graders a head start understanding the necessary steps involved in attaining a post-secondary degree by providing workshops and advising sessions.
• The ACCESS High School Program increases the number of students who enroll in post-secondary institutions by guiding students through the complicated college application/admission pipeline and assisting high school seniors with college admission applications, financial aid, and scholarships.
• ACCESS Scholars participating in the ACCESS College and Career Success Program benefit from support services, including one-on-one and group counseling sessions with one of our Advisors for academic, adjustment, financial, and personal issues.  The program promotes the successful progression and completion of post-secondary education.  It also assists Scholars in college by providing career development workshops and connecting Scholars to networking, internship, and job opportunities in the community.