Access Academies

⚕️Access collegian and Boniface Scholar Mckenzie Renfroe (Lutheran North ’23) continues to explore her path to veterinary medicine. The TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY senior is majoring in animal and veterinary sciences and spent six weeks this summer in Purdue University’s Vet Up! College residential internship program.

For the first four weeks, Mckenzie experienced life at Purdue’s veterinary school through coursework, clinical skills labs, study groups, and visits that introduced her to a range of veterinary careers. She then spent the final two weeks at an animal clinic near her hometown, gaining 40 hours of veterinary experience.

“It was a really great program to participate in,” says Mckenzie. “I’m extremely grateful to have been a part of it.”

Access parents and guardians, we’d love to see you tomorrow! Join A.L.F.A. (Access Leadership for Families Alliance) for an evening of conversation and community. Appetizers will be provided.

•Date + Time: Friday, September 25, 4:30–6:30 p.m.
•Location: Bluewood Brewing, Barrel Room | 1821 Cherokee St., St. Louis

Scan the QR code on the flyer or click the link for details.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqC-aF3r0_Xci2MQlYO5PvDyeP4LdCUuhWjSnLdTPbIKUFSw/viewform

Don’t miss Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School’s ‘Each One Teach One’ Thank You Reception on Tuesday, October 20, from 5–7 p.m. Stop by to enjoy refreshments, celebrate the Each One Teach One community, and see how our incredible partner school is changing students’ lives. RSVP by October 13 using the QR code below!

🎓The number of Access scholars pursuing a college or post-secondary degree — and the list of colleges and universities they attend — continues to grow! This fall, 104 Access collegians are enrolled at 41 institutions in Missouri and across the country. We’re proud to support our entire 2026–2027 cohort as they begin a new academic year.

🏛️Move-in pictures are starting to come in from our Access collegians! Excited to see Sam Miklovic (St. Mary's South Side Catholic High School) and Josie Garcia-Cruz (St. Joseph's Academy) settling into their dorms at Saint Louis University. Wishing them both a great year!

🎓💙 When we launched our College and Career Success Program in 2018, four Access scholars were enrolled at Saint Louis University.

Today, we’re excited to announce that there are now THIRTY-ONE (!!) Access Billikens — including three pursuing degrees in the Saint Louis University: School of Education and these 10 first-year students who are just getting settled in on campus.

Please join us in welcoming the incoming Access-SLU Class of 2030!

• Ja'Mya Barnes (Rosati-Kain Academy)
• Jesus Castro-Reyes (St. John Vianney High School)
• Jeremy Cryer (St. Mary's South Side Catholic High School)
• Joseline Garcia-Cruz (St. Joseph's Academy)
• Dasia Harris (Notre Dame High School - St. Louis)
• Joshua Hicks (Christian Brothers College High School)
• Samuel Miklovic (St. Mary’s South Side Catholic High School)
• Stephanie Nava (Notre Dame High School)
• Laila Rahaman (Villa Duchesne)
• Moises Villanueva (St. Louis University High School)

🏃‍♂️Off and running! This year’s Access 2 College (A2C) Program kicked off last weekend as our 11th- and 12th-grade students and families gathered for orientation to review program expectations and explore the year’s calendar of events.

Families also connected with local colleges and organizations at our Community Fair, where they learned about scholarships, tutoring, financial literacy, volunteer opportunities, and other resources available to support their students through and beyond high school.

Thank you to the schools and organizations that joined us and shared their expertise:

• Avenues Counseling
• Great Southern Bank
• LifeWise StL
• Missouri College & Career Attainment Network - MOCAN
• Scholarship Central
• Prolific People
• Saint Louis University: School of Education
• Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC)
• St. Louis Community College – STLCC Scholars Program
• St. Louis Public Library
• Top Tutors for Us

We’re grateful for your partnership and for helping our students take their next steps toward college and career success!

✨Thank you to all of the partner high schools that joined us at Saint Louis University earlier this month for our annual High School Fair!

One of the cornerstones of the Access program is Access 2 High School (A2HS), which helps every eighth-grader identify a best-fit high school and successfully navigate the application and financial aid processes.

At the fair, representatives (including Access scholar Yareli Martinez from St. Joseph's Academy and Washington University in St. Louis!) from each school met with our newest cohort of students and their families, answering questions and helping them explore the many options they will have for the next chapter of their education.

We are grateful to:

• Althoff Catholic High School
• Bishop DuBourg High School
• CBC High School - St. Louis, MO
• Chaminade College Preparatory School St. Louis
• Lutheran North
• Notre Dame High School - St. Louis
• Principia School
• Saint Louis Priory School
• Rosati-Kain Academy
• St. John Vianney High School
• St. Joseph's Academy
• St. Mary's South Side Catholic High School
• Ursuline Academy Saint Louis

Your attendance gave our students a strong start to an exciting year. We can’t wait to see where it leads.

🏛️As August comes to a close, Access scholars are settling into colleges around the Midwest and across the country. Congratulations to the new collegians from our partner, Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School. We wish them every success as they begin this exciting new journey!

🎓 Our celebration of Access' recent college graduates continues! Today, we’re proud to recognize Mariah Gilard and Madison Washington—both alumnae of Cardinal Ritter College Prep and St. Louis Catholic Academy.

• Mariah graduated from Lincoln University - Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Health Promotion. She plans to work as a nutritionist before returning to school to become an OB-GYN ultrasound technician.

• Madison, meanwhile, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Saint Louis University. She is working as a paralegal while pursuing a Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) with a specialization in Global Policy at Northwestern University. After completing her master’s degree, she plans to attend Howard University's School of Law.

Congratulations to both of these remarkable Access scholars! We wish Mariah and Madison continued success as they pursue their education and launch their careers.