Proudly Cincinnati: Insured Success Gift Supports University of Cincinnat's Gen-1 Theme House

Insured Success has generously given $165,000 in support of the Gen-1 House at the University of Cincinnati. The gift, presented by Ron and Phyllis McSwain, will support the university’s living and learning community to support first-generation freshmen from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
 
UC’s Gen-1 House, which first opened in 2008, serves freshmen who are most at risk for dropping out of college – first generation, Pell eligible students – by providing a 24/7 structured living and learning environment, as well as tutoring and mentoring support. Financial support has included the Pell Grant, financial aid advising and additional funding to offset costs of meal plans and computers at the house. The community currently houses 24 students.
 
“The Gen-1 House is a shining example of the University’s commitment to improving diversity by promoting college access and success for under-represented populations.  More importantly, it clearly demonstrates that first-generation, low-income students can thrive and flourish in challenging college programs when well-designed support systems are in place.  We’re most appreciative of the generous gift from Insured Success.  Not only does it validate our work, it helps us to take a big step toward long-term financial sustainability for the Gen-1 House.” said Lawrence J. Johnson, Dean of the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services.
 
“Having been involved in the inner city of Cincinnati since 1970, I’ve learned that the way out of poverty is education,” said Ron McSwain, chairman of Insured Success. “The Gen-1 House is an established program with a proven success record, and is an excellent partner for Insured Success’s mission of providing housing and support for students making the transition from foster care to college.”
 
The gift from the Insured Success foundation supports one of the Proudly Cincinnati campaign priorities, transforming higher education. The Gen-1 House has been highlighted in national publications such as The New York Times and the Associated Press and recently received a CollegeKeys Compact™ Innovation Award celebrating the nation’s most powerful efforts to improve the academic success of students from low-income backgrounds.

About the University of Cincinnati
Ranked by the National Science Foundation among the top 20 public research universities in the United States, UC's faculty have distinguished themselves worldwide for their creative teaching and research. The University of Cincinnati serves a diverse enrollment of more than 39,000.

About Proudly Cincinnati
Proudly Cincinnati: Tower of Strength, Rock of Truth is the University’s most ambitious campaign in history, supporting the vision for UC to become the finest urban research university in the United States. Proudly Cincinnati’s goal is to raise $1 billion by 2013. To date, more than $650,000,000 has been raised for scholarships, innovative teaching and groundbreaking research. For more information about the Proudly Cincinnati campaign, visit www.proudlycincinnati.org.