Isabella always gave her all in school, working hard to make her family proud and achieve her dream of becoming a nurse. But living with her mom, dad, grandmother, and sister in a 300 square-foot apartment meant she didn’t always have a quiet place to study or get a full night’s sleep.

Even facing these challenges, she persevered, graduating from the selective Manhattan Hunter Science High School and earning a scholarship to Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn.

But once her schedule became filled with college-level courses, her living situation impacted her studies, and her dreams began to appear out of reach. She knew if she were going to keep her grades up and complete her degree, she would need her own space—but as a full-time student, she couldn’t earn enough to afford an apartment in New York City.

And Isabella isn’t the only one. Fourteen percent of CUNY students have experienced homelessness, and 55% experience housing insecurity.* This makes them less likely to graduate, and less likely to see the benefits of earning a CUNY degree.

NCS Scholars provides year-round, stable housing and on-site supports that give unhoused students the best chance to complete their degrees and begin successful futures.

Isabella moved into NCS Scholars this fall, and now has her own quiet bedroom where she can focus on her schoolwork and stay on the path to her goals.

Watch Isabella share what NCS Scholars means to her at the press conference launching the program.

Isabella was featured in CNN’s coverage of NCS Scholars! Check it out here.

We are so excited to see what Isabella does next.

*According to the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice

Isabella in the News