Build the Foundation that Turns College Access Into Success

Is getting into college enough, or do students need support to actually stay and succeed?

For many students, getting to college is the milestone. Staying there is the challenge.

College is not just a new environment. For many MICR students, it is an entirely new system to navigate, often without a roadmap and without a built-in support system. They are stepping onto campus as first-generation college students, facing financial gaps, unfamiliar expectations, and the pressure of figuring it out on their own.

Small barriers can have lasting consequences. A missed payment. A confusing process. One moment of uncertainty. These are the realities that can cause a student to fall off track, even after doing everything it took to get there.

At Memphis Inner City Rugby (MICR), we believe opportunity only matters if students can stay in it. We believe support should not disappear at the moment it matters most.

We are relentless in our commitment to our students. If we start the journey with them, we stay with them.

Through our Alumni Support Program, MICR walks alongside students as they navigate college and early adulthood.

Students have someone to call when things get overwhelming. Someone to help them stay organized, meet deadlines, and keep moving forward. Someone who understands what they are going through.

One student shared, “I knew I had a back to lean on when things got a little rough.”

Another said their mentor was “someone who could relate to struggles in college and help me navigate through them.”

98% of mentees report that their mentor helped them grow as a young adult.

This support is not theoretical.

It is 60+ hours of one-on-one mentoring each year.

It is $1200 per mentee in annual financial stability stipends, textbook stipends, and food security care packages.

It is help covering financial gaps that would otherwise stop a student from enrolling or returning with our Stay in the Game fund.

It is guidance that ensures students meet with advisors, stay on track, and do not fall through the cracks.

Because getting to college is one thing. Persisting through college is another.

For many students, staying enrolled requires more than just determination. Support, accountability, and guidance make the difference between struggling and succeeding.

We believe opportunity only matters if students can stay in it.
We believe support should not disappear at the moment it matters most.
We believe no student should have to navigate college alone.

This is what it means to be relentless.

MICR spends $45,000 each year in direct student support to cover the alumni support program.

Your gift today helps ensure MICR students have the support they need to stay enrolled, overcome challenges, and continue toward graduation.

Make a gift and be part of what helps students not just get to college, but stay there and succeed.

Below you can see a breakdown of typical costs associated with providing Alumni Support to our students.

$6,000 - Fully covers the Stay in the Game costs

$2,000 - Typical MICR Scholarship for a Student

$1,500 - Partial MICR Scholarship for a Student

$1,200 - Full Sponsorship for one student for a full year of mentoring with two $150 textbook stipends, eight $100 dollar financial stability stipends, plus $50 worth of food/nutrition

$1,000 - 20 food support packages

$800 - One mentees financial stability stipend

$600 - Full semester of mentoring/sponsorship for one student

$500 - Typical Stay in the Game support to students ($6,000 given in total last year)

$400 - Financial stability stipend for 1 mentee for 1 semester

$350 - Flight home for the holidays

$250 - Five food packages

$150 - Textbook stipend

$100 a month - Mentees typically use this on transportation, food, living expenses, payment plans, phone, etc.

$50 - Food security package for one semester

Hear first-hand accounts about the Alumni Support program in the video below!