History of RAMP
Wentworth was founded over 110 years ago to provide technical education to Boston youth. While its academic focus has shifted over the years, Wentworth is committed to making a difference in its community by providing a success framework for the youth of Boston.
RAMP 1.0
In 2011, Wentworth, through the Center for Community and Learning Partnerships (CLP), introduced RAMP as a six-week program available to all incoming, first-year students from Boston that focused on helping them transition from high school to higher education through introductory coursework and community building. The program aimed to serve as Wentworth’s response to a citywide call to action on low college retention and graduation rates. With 12 participants and a key partnership with the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC), RAMP ushered in a new strategy for college access and success. Thirty-two local youth participated in the first three (3) years of the program.
RAMP 2.0
In 2014, recognizing that introductory coursework was not creating an inclusive learning environment for all participants, RAMP 2.0 was created with a focus on real-world, project-based learning and developing connections to corporate partners. Three-hundred and eighty-three (383) local youth have participated in the program over the last 10 years (2014-2023).
RAMP 3.0
In 2024, RAMP will merge with Bridges. Bridges is a summer bridge program run through the Center for Diversity & Global Engagement focused on community building for students of color entering Wentworth. Bridges has a similarly long history at Wentworth and has supported over 240 students in its 10-year history. Building on shared goals informed by the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, merging the programs will enable us to capitalize on strengths from both programs, expanding the impact on local students in Boston and beyond. The fourteenth year of RAMP will focus on cornerstones of a Wentworth education, namely project-based learning and career exploration, with the renewed addition of community building, allowing the program to have similar success over the next 10 years.
Proven Success
In 13 years (2011-2023), RAMP has supported 415 young adults from the City of Boston and beyond with a proven track record of success: nearly 85% of RAMP participants continue on in their second year, well above the Institute’s overall first-year retention rate, and all students have built a network of support that will last them a lifetime.