For many students, the biggest barrier to higher education is not ability but affordability. The Maryland Business Roundtable for Education (MBRT) is working to remove that barrier by equipping students and families with the knowledge, guidance, and confidence needed to navigate financial aid and scholarship opportunities successfully.
The MBRT currently serves students in six high schools across five Maryland districts through our Next Generation Scholars (NGS) program: Allegany, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, and Wicomico counties. Through strong partnerships with educators, school leaders, counselors and coaches, our professional MBRT staff based in the schools deliver grade-specific services that ensure students are prepared for their next steps in college, career, and life.
At the heart of this work are MBRT’s NGS Program Specialists, bridging knowledge gaps about higher education and career pathways in the schools each day. They help students and caregivers understand that college can be an option for everyone by demystifying FAFSA completion, explaining state aid and financial aid packages, and advocating on the student’s behalf, providing step-by-step support through the process.
“Being part of the NGS program has helped me get a better understanding of my FAFSA and financial packages,” Hailey W. reflects, a senior at Kent County High School. “I gained confidence in how I will navigate my college funding process.”
During the 2024-2025 school year, MBRT’s Next Generation Scholars seniors earned $5.5 million in financial aid and scholarship awards. These dollars represent more than funding; they represent opportunity, mobility, and possibility.
Chasity J., also a senior in Kent County, remarks on her experience with the Next Generation Scholars program: “Since being in NGS and as a first-generation student, college has always been a big, important thing to me and my education. NGS has helped me tremendously with applying to colleges, having no fear of financial aid and getting to know the process.”
To ensure students receive the most up to date guidance and tools, MBRT staff participate in training with the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and collaborate with local financial aid experts to host information sessions for students and families. Sessions feature guidance on critical aid programs such as the Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant, a need-based grant that provides financial assistance to eligible Maryland students attending in-state postsecondary institutions.
Beyond direct student support, MBRT is also engaged in advocacy for improved access and college affordability. Earlier this month, MBRT Executive Director Sharon Markley Schreiber joined members of the Maryland Alliance for College Affordability and Equity in Annapolis to meet with the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, the Honorable Joseline Peña-Melnyk. The Maryland Alliance is a coalition of non-profit organizations serving low-income, first-generation and marginalized students, that works to identify barriers to postsecondary access, advocating for policy improvements that expand opportunities statewide. Most recently, Schreiber joined Maryland Association of Community College presidents and trustees for a meeting with the Maryland Congressional Delegation to discuss federal policy issues that impact postsecondary institutions and students.
At MBRT, we believe that all high school students in Maryland should have access to higher education, regardless of their economic circumstances. Consider joining us as an MBRT Member to ensure that every Maryland student has the knowledge, support, and resources they need to pursue higher education pathways, training and certification with confidence.
