What We Do

What We Do
We believe in the power of deep, trusting relationships

With Wily by their side, Scholars have the support needed to keep pace with their peers, despite the challenges they face while navigating college. Wily supports Scholar success through key elements of the Wily program: consistent emotional support, supplemental financial assistance, a community on which they can rely, and opportunities to network that ensure they build the skills needed for an independent future.

Clinical Coaching

Scholars and clinically trained coaches form authentic and meaningful relationships in which students feel valued, validated and accountable. Students and coaches meet weekly to collaboratively identify and work toward goals. Additionally, coaches are available 24/7 when more support is needed or crises arise.

Supplemental Financial Support

Worry over food security, health care and overall financial stability is a constant for Wily Scholars, with negative impacts on their emotional well-being. To enable students to focus on academics, Wily provides a monthly stipend as well as financial assistance to cover gaps in their budgets for both expected and unexpected expenses.

Community-Building & Networking

In addition to our cornerstone Community Day events and holiday gatherings, Wily holds monthly Dining Out with Wily dinners, as well as meet-ups for activities like museum tours, movies, or bowling. Whether in-person or online, Wily’s regular events help Scholars develop peer relationships and build a community where they feel accepted and know that they belong.

Program and Community

A central component of Wily’s program is community – the Wily “Pack.” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Wily reimagined what gathering together as a pack could look like. Today, all of our events have an in-person and a virtual version. Our ability to support Scholars’ sense of community remains constant.

"The people – coaches, staff, and Scholars – are the true reason Wily has been such an overwhelming blessing for me. Each person I have had the privilege of welcoming into my life, even if for a brief moment, has been a precious gift from Wily." – Testimonial by Olivia, Wily alum, Boston University '19

Career Fair

The Wily Network hosted its inaugural career fair in 2021. This program gives participating companies the opportunity to recruit from a talented pool of Wily Scholars, while exposing students to a variety of career paths and some available jobs and internships. Scholars are able to expand their professional networks, participate in practice interviews, and get feedback on their resumes and cover letters. Learn more about how your company can get involved.

Dining Out and Dining In with Wily

Each month, Wily Scholars are invited to attend dinner at a local restaurant, where the meal is provided at no cost to the students. Sharing a meal together is yet another way to build community and strengthen their pack.  For our virtual dinners, we pivot from Dining Out to Dining In. We have happily found that enjoying a meal over Zoom can help more students come together at once. Due to the success of Dining-In with Wily, we have made virtual dinners an ongoing part of our program.

FAFSA Day

All Wily Scholars receive financial aid. Each year, Wily’s Financial Aid Coach schedules a “FAFSA Day” at each college to work with Scholars to prepare their FAFSA applications and CSS profiles. The Financial Aid Coach answers Scholars’ questions about the complicated criteria and requirements to ensure their eligibility for financial support is confirmed and maximized. Outside of FAFSA Day, Scholars have the opportunity to work with the Financial Aid Coach individually on their specific concerns, ranging from filing taxes to documenting their status as financially independent.

Wily Community Days

Our fall and spring Community Day events are a foundation of our programming. On Community Days, Scholars, alumni and staff enjoy games and activities, presentations and roundtable discussions, and delicious meals. Each Community Day reinforces and strengthens the relationships in our Pack, providing a powerful resource for Scholars: each other.

Packsgiving

Every year, Wily Scholars gather on the Sunday before Thanksgiving to celebrate as a pack. We share a meal and spend time together before the break. This annual tradition is a community favorite, full of delicious, culturally diverse food that fills all dietary needs!

Graduation

In addition to attending all Scholars’ graduations, Wily celebrates all of the graduates each April with a graduation dinner. Scholars wear graduation caps and Wily honor cords as they share a meal, listen to a keynote and alumni speaker, and reminisce about their time at Wily. This is a bittersweet moment for Scholars and staff alike.

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Wily COVID-19 Crisis Response

Supporting Wily Scholars Through this Crisis

If there was ever a moment that struck at the heart of our mission, it was the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis has demonstrated that Wily Scholars can count on us to serve as their safety net, advocate, champion, and shoulder to cry on. As one student said, we are their “frontline workers”.

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the Wily Network has continued our important work with Wily Scholars. During the peak of the crisis, helping to secure housing, food, and mental health services for Scholars during the pandemic was Wily’s top priority. During that critical period, we were able to ensure that every Scholar had their basic needs met. Clinical coaches met virtually with their students, and Wily provided group programming using a variety of online platforms to keep Scholars connected during this period of social disconnection. 

Meeting with Scholars in person continues to be our top priority. We ensure that our in person gatherings follow all public health and university guidelines. 

The bottom line is that Wily is here for Scholars, no matter what the upcoming months may bring.

The Wily Network COVID response

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