The Blue Shirts

By Ella DiNicola

Photos: Unsplash

Marymount University has created a Blue Shirt program to assist high school students that were impacted by the pandemic to help prepare for college academics with guaranteed admission. The Marymount Admissions office identifies applications from students who could potentially benefit from this program. Students will take two three-credit classes; English 101 and a Seminar class. If the student gets a minimum of a B in these classes, they are considered to have passed and will be able to enroll in the fall semester. It is expected to start with 10 or 15 students, as stated by Michelle Steiner, assistant vice president for student success. 

Christopher Natoli, Marymount University’s swim coach, explains how this program would impact his recruiting process. “I come from the mindset that any program that enriches a student’s ability to go to college is amazing. A program like this, that helps students that would struggle with getting into college, helps show an opportunity for consideration. This particular program would show a need for extra support for these students to get in and create an excellent opportunity to get a jumpstart on the ability to be successful in college. I think recruiting this type of athlete would be different from what we currently do, but would enhance opportunities for everyone, which is extremely positive. I think that the Blue Shirt program would allow a second opportunity for those who have been overlooked, and give them a chance to live their way.” 

Madison Grubb, a junior at Marymount, is an education major and within the last year has spent a lot of time in and out of schools in the Arlington area. Grubb said she sees students every day who have been impacted by the pandemic, whether it be academically or emotionally. “The pandemic has made a lot of children fall behind in their education. A lot of students have fallen behind in their grades. I can speak specifically of a fourth grader that I tutor through the Marymount Education program, who is still at a third grade or below reading level. This is a struggle that many students are facing around the world. I believe that the pandemic has made students fall behind almost an entire year because as hard as teachers tried, there were other circumstances that impacted the way students learned whether it be internet issues at home or distractions at home. I believe this program would greatly benefit the students that I deal with on a daily basis because it would give them a second chance to show their full potential that might have been hindered from the pandemic.” 

The pandemic is something that will be affecting us for a long time to come,” Steiner said.

“Even though at some point it will feel like the pandemic is in the distant past, it really will not be for a lot of students who are right now in elementary school and even middle and high school who dream of going onward and upward, but they are lagging in some areas for no fault of their own, due to missing some of the important skill sets.”

Steiner expressed she wants this program to feel like a family, which accounts for the small number of students selected for it. The Blue Shirt Program is a program that Marymount University plans to use for years in the future, to help the upcoming generation of students.