DC CAP Celebrates First-Ever Graduating Class Across All University Partners at Inaugural “Turning the Tassel” Celebration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DC CAP Celebrates First-Ever Graduating Class Across All University Partners at Inaugural “Turning the Tassel” Celebration

Washington, D.C. — The DC College Access Program (DC CAP) today hosts Turning the Tassel 2026, its inaugural graduation celebration, honoring scholars who walked across the stage and earned their degrees from across DC CAP’s full network of University Partners. The milestone marks the first time in the organization’s history that it is celebrating a graduating cohort drawn from every university in its partnership network. The event takes place this evening, June 3, at Philippe Chow D.C. at The Wharf.

DC CAP was founded in 1999 with a singular conviction: that a student’s zip code should never determine their ability to earn a college degree. Today, the organization supports more than 800 scholars with $5.4 million in scholarships. It pairs that financial support with intensive, year-round coaching through a cohort-based model. The result: graduation rates of 75 to 95 percent — up to nine times the national average for students in their peer group. Tonight’s celebration is a testament to what becomes possible when students are surrounded by sustained, expert support from enrollment through graduation.‍

Turning the Tassel brings together scholars and their families, DC CAP’s university partners, corporate and philanthropic leaders, alumni, and community champions for an evening of recognition and connection on the D.C. waterfront. The evening will feature networking designed specifically for graduating scholars, remarks from DC CAP President and CEO Eric Waldo and Board Chair Ted Leonsis, and a program built to honor graduates as they step into the next chapter of their journey. ‍

A Historic Milestone for DC CAP

For the first time in DC CAP’s history, scholars graduating from all University Partner institutions are being honored in a single celebration. Those partners include Alabama A&M University, The Catholic University of America, Florida A&M University, George Mason University, Kent State University, Marshall University, North Carolina A&T State University, SUNY Oswego, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and West Chester University, among others. The breadth of this graduating cohort reflects the depth and reach of DC CAP’s network — and the organization’s commitment to meeting students where they are.

Remarks from Leadership

“Tonight, we celebrate scholars who showed up when it was hard, pushed through when it would have been easier to stop, and crossed the finish line,” said Eric Waldo, President and CEO of DC CAP. “They are living proof of what becomes possible when a city invests in its students and refuses to accept anything less for them. We are honored to celebrate these graduates alongside the partners and champions who made it possible.”

With Gratitude to Our Sponsors

Tonight’s celebration would not be possible without the generosity of DC CAP’s sponsors and supporters, led by Capital One and the Sallie Mae Fund, along with Amazon, Venture Global, Panasonic, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, the Gates Foundation, the Leonsis Family, the Galena Yorktown Foundation, the CityBridge Foundation, the Flamboyan Foundation, the Carol & Gene Ludwig Family Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, the W. Russell & Norma Ramsey Foundation, the Nussdorf Charitable Fund, the DC Food & Beverage Collective, College Board, Pathstone, the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, Julie Jones, Bob and Arlene Kogod, Don Graham, Tom & Hillary Baltimore, Tom & Jeannemarie Davis, Patrick & Donna Butler, David & Monique Canada, the Bowen Family, Owen Evans Ingols, and Pinkie & Carl Mayfield.

About DC CAP

The DC College Access Program (DC CAP Scholars) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the higher education achievement gap for DC students by helping them access and attain meaningful college degrees with little to no debt. DC CAP believes that a student’s personal circumstances should never determine their ability to succeed. By leveraging financial resources, connecting students with excellent partner universities, and providing wraparound support, DC CAP works to ensure students graduate ready to compete in today’s economy. Learn more at dccap.org.

For media inquiries, please contact Alex Vassiliadis at alexander.vassiliadis@dccap.org.

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