Met with Confetti: Dual Enrollment Jules Lee Student Receives Full Ride to Swarthmore

Julian “Jules” Lees decided to dual enroll at Community College of Phialdelphia as a high school student because he was looking for more of an academic challenge. Getting a head start on earning college credits also appealed to Jules, but his biggest priority was broadening the depth of his knowledge. He never expected that all that hard work would eventually lead to the incredible opportunity of free college for his next academic endeavor. This spring, Jules will graduate from high school not only with a diploma, but with an associate degree in Health Care Studies and a full-ride scholarship to Swarthmore College, thanks to QuestBridge, a National College Match program that gives students who excel academically an opportunity to attend one of the nation’s top institutions for free, despite their financial hardship.

“It feels like an enormous privilege to have. I'm super grateful about it,” Jules said about his scholarship. “I feel a lot of appreciation for all the professors and all the teachers that I've had that have helped me get to this moment...who have...educated me well enough to where I have these ambitions and that I felt prepared enough to apply for this opportunity.” When he applied for the scholarship, Jules felt it was a long shot.

“I really thought this was like a huge gamble,” Jules said. “I was in my AP Psych class...and all of a sudden, I just see...the email notification of, ‘Your decision has been released.’ So, I opened it. And I was met with confetti. I felt like my jaw literally dropped.” Now, with the next phase of his educational journey paid for, Jules feels a huge weight off his shoulders.

Jules is also grateful for his time at CCP and happy that he decided to pursue dual enrollment. “I'm really glad that I did it because I feel like it challenged me in a way that just purely taking high school classes would not have challenged me,” he said. He’s been involved on campus outside of the classroom, too. "At CCP, I'm involved in the Student Government Association. I'm the senator at the Northeast Regional Center. Last year, I helped orchestrate a talent show on campus, and we also had a thrift event,” Jules said.

CCP is proud to celebrate graduates of all kinds. Whether starting their journey in higher education while still in high school like Jules or returning to higher education after decades in the workforce or somewhere else, there is a place for everyone at CCP.