What makes Dr.Marcia Sturdivant with NEED a good neighbor?  The path to college shouldn't depend on your zip code or family income. That's the powerful message at the heart of Dr.Marcia Sturdivant's work with NEED, a nonprofit organization transforming lives through college access since 1963.Born from the civil rights movement following Medgar Evers' assassination, NEED has evolved into a cornerstone of educational opportunity in Western Pennsylvania. What began as a grassroots effort to send 76 students to college has blossomed into a comprehensive support system that has helped over 48,000 students access higher education and distributed more than $50 million in scholarships.Dr.Sturdivant, once a NEED scholarship recipient herself, brings personal understanding to her leadership role. "We believe that every single student has the ability to achieve," she explains, addressing the persistent misconception that minoritized students or those from financially strained families lack educational aspirations. Through dedicated college mentors and advisors working directly in high schools, NEED identifies students who dream of college and those who haven't yet realized it's within their reach.The organization's impact spans generations, with grandparents now referring their grandchildren to receive the same life-changing support they once did. NEED's comprehensive approach includes college selection guidance, application assistance, scholarship support, and ongoing mentorship throughout the college experience—particularly valuable for first-generation college students navigating unfamiliar territory.Want to support educational equity in your community? NEED welcomes volunteers as mentors and tutors alongside financial contributions. Visit needld.org or call 412-566-2760 to discover how you can help unlock the power of education for students who need just that last dollar to make their college dreams come true.To learn more about NEED go to: https://www.needld.org/NEED(412) 566-2760 

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