Overview

Onward We Learn is a Rhode Island nonprofit that helps students become the first in their families to go to and finish college. It provides long-term, one-on-one support starting in middle school and continuing through the postsecondary journey, with a focus on staying in school and completing college. The work is person-centered and sustained, not just a one-time program. The organization works with dozens of schools and serves about 4,200 students each year and has awarded over $43 million in scholarships since 2001. What makes it different is its specialized, intensive support for a smaller group of students, a strong emphasis on relationships, and a commitment to multiple paths to success—including options beyond a traditional four-year degree. Its goal is educational equity: to ensure that more Rhode Island students from diverse backgrounds can access and complete higher education and build a better future.