ACCESS College Foundation

?? FAFSA Reminder ?? Attention students and families! The FAFSA for the 2025-2026 school year opens on December 1, 2024! Remember—this is your key to unlocking financial aid for college. Need help creating your FSA ID or completing the FAFSA once it’s open? Schedule an appointment with your ACCESS Advisor to get one-on-one support and guidance: https://loom.ly/QRffy8A Let’s make sure you’re ready to maximize your financial aid opportunities! #FAFSA #FinancialAid #CollegeBound

We are on our way to Manor High School in Portsmouth for the College & Career Fair! Check out our Instagram stories for live updates and insights into the event. #CollegeAndCareerFair

Where are they now Wednesday?? Christopher Ortega is a graduate of I.C. Norcom High School. He earned his bachelor's of arts in mass communications with a minor in sports management from Virginia State University and his master's of arts in sports broadcasting from Sacred Heart University. Christopher currently works as a Production Assistant at ESPN! He says, "ACCESS helped with my journey to attend Virginia State University. The process of applying to college, talking to guidance counselors, and applying for scholarships was very challenging but this program challenged me to be the best student in my academics." Congratulations Christopher, we are so proud of you and your accomplishments! #accessalumni

Takeover Tuesday: College Edition! Be sure to join us on our Instagram stories today as Skylar Galloway takes us through her day at Virginia Tech! #takeovertuesday #dayinthelife #collegestudent #ACCESSScholar #collegelife

Monday Motivation-- Don't worry about the ticking clock—focus on what you're doing and keep making strides toward your goals. Progress comes from persistence, not just watching time pass. Keep pushing forward, and success will follow!

Featured Friday: Meet Heather Foxwell! We are continuing to highlight the amazing work our main office staff does. Heather Foxwell is our Vice-President for Finance and Administration. Let's get to know her a little more: 1. What are your job duties? Manage payroll and human resources, oversee budget and financials, serve as liaison with auditors, and collaborate with other departments to ensure successful operation of the organization. 2. How would you describe yourself? Dedicated, Open-minded, Logical 3. What is your favorite thing about working for ACCESS College Foundation? I take great pride in working for the organization that helped me fulfill my college dreams- I love being able to pay it forward! 4. What is one piece of advice you would give a college student? Get involved in campus life. Join organizations that align with your career goals as well as clubs that might expand your hobbies and interests. Thank you Heather for all you do for ACCESS, we appreciate you! #featuredfriday #meetthestaff #accessteam

We would like to give a huge THANK YOU to Charles Barker Automotive and Checkered Flag Auto Group for their incredible donation of four beautiful cars to Access that were auctioned at the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Grand Auction on November 9th! Their contributions helped raise an amazing $250,000 for use in helping local students fulfill their educational dreams! We are beyond grateful for their generous support of the ACCESS mission.

?Scholar Spotlight? Meet Seluani Navarrete-Perez, a 2022 graduate of First Colonial High School and current junior at Virginia Wesleyan University. Seluani is double majoring in criminal justice and hispanic studies/Spanish. Her career goal is to become a paralegal and pursue law school! On campus, Seluani is a part of Alpha Sigma Alpha, a member of the Latino Student Alliance, is an orientation leader, and is a Wesleyan Ambassador working in the office of enrollment. Last year, she was a resident assistant and panhellenic delegate of her sorority. Seluani says, "I love the small community on campus at VWU because everyone is so kind and welcoming." Off campus, she offers Spanish translation services at no cost to the community for anyone who needs help and works at the Norfolk Premium Outlets. As a first generation student, she did not know how she was going to get into college. She says, "To have Ms. Harvin as my high school Advisor and now college Advisor, it's a blessing. She has helped me so much with the FAFSA, scholarships, checking in on me, and cheering me on through my growth. I love to volunteer for ACCESS because it is incredible seeing the impact the organization has. I would not be where I am today without the support of ACCESS and the College & Career Success team!" We are so proud of you Seluani and can't wait to continue to cheer you on through your success! #accessscholar #accessalumni

This Veterans Day, we honor the courage and sacrifice of the men and women who have served our country. ACCESS College Foundation will be closed today in observance of the holiday as we reflect on the dedication of our veterans and their ongoing impact on our community. Thank you to all veterans for your service and commitment to a better future.

??Team of the Month?? We are thrilled to celebrate this amazing trio as our November team of the month! Meet our Program team: ?Cheryl L. Jones, Vice-President for Programs ?Ashley Woodous, Program Administrator ?Joy Lang, Program Assistant and Clerk of the Board Together these three ladies help make sure that all programs run smoothly on a day to day basis. Thank you Cheryl, Ashley, and Joy for your hard work, leadership, and dedication to our programs! #teamofthemonth