For the second year, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation is providing $20,000 for the Dr. Charles W. Donaldson Summer Bridge Academy.

The academy, scheduled for July 13-Aug. 2 on the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s campus, will provide an academically-intensive learning environment to help incoming freshman improve ACT scores and prepare for college.

Last year, Bank of America and other sponsors helped fund the pilot residential program at UALR in which students made huge leaps in standardized test scores.

“Bank of America continues to support the Summer Bridge Academy because we know how great of an impact it makes in our community,” said Donald J. Cook, Arkansas market president at Bank of America. “We support organizations that provide access to jobs and education because we know it’s a critical part of helping people start down a path to financial stability.”

The pilot summer bridge program showed such promise that it provided the foundation for the Charles W. Donaldson Scholars Academy, a separate entity created as part of a desegregation settlement agreement on behalf of African American students from the Pulaski County Special School District.

The intent of the Scholars Academy is to enroll students who have low standardized test scores and prepare them to enter college without the need for remediation and to graduate within four years, according to UALR Program Coordinator Amber Smith.

“Students who devote time to non-credit remedial coursework not only pay more tuition, they also lose potential income with the delay in college graduation,” Smith added.

Several recent graduates from PCSSD’s six high schools are enrolled in the Summer Bridge Academy at UALR. However, enrollment is not restricted to just PCSSD students or African American students.

“All students with low standardized test scores are encouraged to apply for the Summer Bridge program to avoid remediation courses during their freshman year,” Smith said.

Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility guides how they operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. The goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving.

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