Beginning in the K-12 school years, Maryville University helps to prepare young people in high-poverty, under-resourced schools for college success and future careers in emerging fields.

Since joining Maryville in June, Margaret Onken, vice president for development and alumni relations, has focused on amplifying the University’s efforts to advance access and affordability for talented students with higher education goals and the ambition to achieve them.

Margaret Onken, vice president for development and alumni relations, is focused on fundraising to support college access and equity.

“When I first arrived on campus, I was impressed by how involved Maryville is in the pre-collegiate space,” Onken said. “We’re working with teachers and students at all grade levels to help students graduate from college with the skills necessary to excel in the workforce of the future.”

At Missouri’s Hawthorn Foundation, where Onken served as executive director from 2015 to 2017, she saw firsthand the critical role  primary and secondary education plays in students’ abilities to succeed. Onken brings that vision and expertise to Maryville at a time when the University has become more intentional and strategic in building its scholarship endowment.

In just one year, the number of students participating in Maryville’s Multicultural Scholars Program has increased 54 percent.

“Our students receive comprehensive and highly personalized support at Maryville,” Onken said. “From our vibrant life coach program designed to help ease the transition from high school to college to our active learning ecosystem in partnership with Apple that provides an iPad to each student, students are given the tools and mentoring they need to succeed. Beyond academics, they take advantage of internship opportunities at companies like Rawlings, Energizer, Edward Jones and the St. Louis Cardinals, all of which are key partners in Maryville’s commitment to providing relevant curriculum and competitive skills-building opportunities for students.”

MARYVILLE’S INNOVATIVE LEARNING MODEL IS THE BACKBONE FOR AN 86 PERCENT STUDENT RETENTION RATE AND A 97 PERCENT CAREER PLACEMENT RATE.

As a pillar of the University’s strategic plan and as a core value, Maryville is committed to providing an inclusive campus environment that reflects the racial and ethnic diversity of the American experience. To ensure success, Maryville continues to bend the cost curve to improve access to higher education.

Increasing the availability of scholarships is a significant factor, but the effort doesn’t stop there, Onken said. Backed by strategic financial planning, the University announced a tuition freeze for the current academic year, marking the third freeze of tuition and fees in the last four years.

“I’m inspired every day by my exceptional team of development professionals and the entire Maryville community—faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends and corporate and foundation partners—all of whom share a strong commitment to ensuring the success of students at every stage of their educational journey,” Onken said.