Press Release: January 23, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bates College, Harvard College, and the University of Richmond Join QuestBridge

Palo Alto, California (January 23, 2025) – QuestBridge is excited to announce Bates College, Harvard College, and the University of Richmond as its three newest college partners. QuestBridge’s 55 college partners are top colleges and universities dedicated to providing accessible and affordable life-changing opportunities to the best and brightest students, regardless of their financial backgrounds. Through this partnership, QuestBridge and its partners have supported tens of thousands of students to thrive in college and beyond.

Ana Rowena Mallari, Co-Founder and CEO of QuestBridge, shares, “We are thrilled to welcome Bates College, Harvard College, and the University of Richmond as our newest QuestBridge partners. These exceptional institutions provide opportunities, connections, and resources for our students to unlock their potential and excel not only on campus, but also throughout their lives. We look forward to collaborating with these outstanding colleges and celebrating the impact these Scholars will make in the years to come.”

Since 1855, Bates College has educated the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community. Located in Lewiston, the heart of Maine, Bates engages the transformative power of differences, cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action. Supported by a dedicated faculty, Bates students learn to explore broadly and deeply, to cross disciplines, and to question rigorously. “At Bates, we hold a long-standing belief in the transformative power of education along with our foundational commitments to excellence, inclusion, and access,” said Bates President Garry W. Jenkins. “Our partnership with QuestBridge furthers these commitments and strengthens our ability to empower exceptional students from all backgrounds, preparing them for lives of meaning, leadership, and impact.”

Harvard College, the undergraduate liberal arts and sciences program within Harvard University, is more than just a place to get an education—it's where students go to be transformed. Founded in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard boasts world-class faculty, groundbreaking research opportunities, and a commitment to a diverse environment of bright and talented students. “The Harvard College Office of Admissions and Financial Aid is committed to bringing the most promising students to Harvard from all socioeconomic backgrounds. We are excited to partner with QuestBridge,” said Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William Fitzsimmons. “We look forward to working together to attract the nation’s brightest students from low-income backgrounds and enhancing our efforts to provide educational opportunities to talented students everywhere.”

Located in vibrant Richmond, Virginia, every University of Richmond Spider has shared a drive for excellence and discovery since the campus’ founding in 1830. A Richmond education is defined by a total commitment to students and world-class faculty mentorship. With robust learning opportunities on campus, off campus, adjacent to the city, and globally, students direct how they engage with their studies. “At the University of Richmond, we are committed to ensuring that talented and remarkable students from all points of the family income distribution can envision themselves as Spiders. This new partnership with QuestBridge will help make a Richmond education even more accessible, enhancing our University community and the lives of our students,” said Kevin F. Hallock, President of the University of Richmond.

Bates, Harvard, and Richmond will be participating in QuestBridge programming beginning in 2025. For more information about QuestBridge's partners and programs, please visit www.questbridge.org.

About QuestBridge:

QuestBridge connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with a thriving community and transformative educational, career, and life opportunities that help propel them to lives of fulfillment, meaning, and purpose.