DFA students gravitate towards issues they care about, and preparing for the complex changes of young adulthood is a topic close to the heart of many. A team of students in Rice University’s DFA studio took on this challenge with college preparedness for some of the most at-risk populations in the city. The students continued an ongoing partnership with Breakthrough Houston, a local college-prep non-profit, to develop Compass, a web-based tool and peer mentoring solution designed to extend Breakthrough Houston’s reach. 

Only 15 percent of students who graduate from the Houston Independent School District (HISD) obtain a college degree. Breakthrough Houston’s College Bound Program is designed to help promising students gain acceptance to college — and it works. 100 percent of their high school graduates go on to higher education. 

But, Breakthrough Houston understands that getting in is only part of the journey. Their students must also navigate the college application process, find financial aid, and adjust to life as new college students, oftentimes as one of the few minorities on campus.

DFA Rice’s new program addresses this challenge space to help Breakthrough Houston add a much needed service despite a small staff and budget. Through interviews with Breakthrough Houston staff, HISD students and alumni, DFA Rice realized that high school students want to connect with alumni and alumni want to give back to younger students. 

Using this information, Rice students built a new website, which provides Breakthrough Houston with an easy, student-friendly way to stay in touch with recent graduates and share alumni advice. After collecting the stories, lessons learned, and contact information of close to 10 percent of Breakthrough Houston’s recent alumni class, DFA Rice developed a mentorship program geared towards inspiring students to make connections that can help see them through college.

Two years into a deepening, mutually beneficial relationship with Breakthrough Houston, DFA Rice students plan to finish the program’s implementation and ensure a smooth transition for future staff and volunteers. With the potential to expand to Breakthrough in its 23 cities across the country, not only has DFA Rice brought security and confidence to the students, but to the process of its community partner as a whole.