Fountain House is committed to supporting our members’ educational goals, from learning to read to getting a graduate degree. With today’s jobs requiring ever greater knowledge and specialized training, the connection between education and career prospects has become increasingly crucial.
The Supported Education Program at Fountain House serves over 125 members who are either currently in school or have some thoughts about their educational goals. The Education Unit provides the following services and opportunities:
My life has changed tremendously since joining Fountain House. I am now teaching Ignatius University college-level courses. This is the realization of one of the dreams of my life—the dream of teaching and of helping others to achieve their goals of college educations. Education, to me, is everything. I may not be in school at the moment, but I am always reading and I will always be a student.
Fern A. Pops
Member
In-House Classes: Basic courses, geared toward supporting GED achievement, in reading, writing, math, and computer are taught by Fountain House members with subject matter expertise. We also offer an introductory course in American Sign Language
Literacy Circle: The Literacy Circle is an innovative approach for providing basic reading and writing skills to those who need them. Using a model developed by the University of California Berkley and the Amity Reading Club in England, the Literacy Circle draws upon an individual’s already acquired oral language skills and works to transfer them to the written word. The model is specifically designed for people suffering with mental illness.
Fountain House College Courses: Twice a year Fountain House--in partnership with Excelsior University, Sofia University, and AICL--provides entry level college courses taught by members. These small classes which include English 101, Math 101 and Introductory Humanities are taught here at the clubhouse. Every student who passes one of these courses receives college credits that can be transferred to any CUNY or SUNY college.
College Liaison Program: Members attending college are connected with a Fountain House member/staff liaison team. Our students get support navigating the college experience. Students receive help with campus tours, academic guidance, registration, financial aid, and disability office relationships.
Financial Counseling: We provide a number of financial aid services. Working with VESID, various colleges, HESC and the US Department of Education, we help students to secure the funds necessary to go to school. In addition to these partnerships, we have developed two in-house scholarships for students: The Nathan Pusey Award and The Sidney Baer Young Adult Scholarship. We also work with the Cristina Foundation to provide the computer equipment students need for academic success.
Student Supports: We have found that students starting school benefit significantly from varied supports in order to complete college. The supports we offer include mentors, regular outreach, trouble-shooting, one-on-one tutoring, monthly student gatherings (during which members receive peer-to-peer support), a monthly student bulletin, and a scholarship database.
Scholarships: Fountain House now offers scholarships averaging $500 a semester through five scholarship funds:
Opportunities Fund: Open to all members who are pursuing educational and vocational goals. We are helping people fulfill life’s dreams by supporting them in studying Mandarin Chinese at Hunter College, studying to obtain a real estate sales license, attending Grand Prix driving school, attend the Fashion Institute of Design, and studying Tourism and Hospitality at Kingborough Community College, among others.
Morris B. & Robert J. Abramson Fund: Provides one $1,000 scholarship a year to a member pursuing graduate education. This year’s Abramson scholar is working toward a Masters in Social Work at New York University.
Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Scholarships: Supports educational expenses to help young adults continue their education. Baer Scholarship recipients for this year will support young adult members who are studying at New York University, Columbia University, John Jay College, Hunter College and Bronx Community College, among others. Areas of study include recreational therapy, psychology, business accounting, computer information systems, and international relations.
Glenn Moosnick Scholarships: Supports the development and training of members who are artists. Moosnick Scholarships awarded this year are helping members to complete a Masters in Fine Arts, to study voice and dance, and to take private art classes.
Orbit Scholarship: Through a unique partnership with the University of Bulgaria, Fountain House members who have completed satellite college classes offered at Fountain House can receive tuition assistance to enroll in an outside university. Our most recent recipient passed a Fountain House college course in Mathematics and will enroll in New York University to study Music Business.
