Dougherty Family College aims for its scholars, who graduate from the two-year college with an associate degree, to continue their academic journey for a bachelor's degree at a four-year institution, such as the main campus of the University of St. Thomas.
With 95% of the scholars identifying as a person of color, many of them the first in their families to attend college, DFC hires counselors who share similar backgrounds. College Transfer Counselor Amanda Yang and College Persistence Counselor Katia Colón-LaCroix, both women of color, are the Dougherty Family College staff members who support the DFC scholars on their transfer journey to a bachelor's degree.
Brittany Martinez '23 AA, a DFC Excellence Scholarship recipient who is continuing at St. Thomas in the fall to study education, says "because of the support here, and that someone believes I can go to college is what drives me to keep going."
