Webster University has received a $50,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund to support a new program to help increase college attendance among St. Louis city high school minorities.

The Collegiate Outreach Recruitment and Exposure (CORE) Program targets economically disadvantaged minority students in select St. Louis city high schools. CORE will encourage minority student success in higher education by exposing students and their parents to a collegiate environment; assisting students in their college academic preparation; and addressing the requirements of college applications, admission and financial aid.

Webster University will select 25 minority students from several city high schools to participate, with their parents, in two 16-week courses, the first during the student’s junior year. A key CORE Program goal is to increase parental involvement in their children’s educational experience. Therefore, participating students and their parents are required to attend all class meetings.