Congratulations to the 2026 CTCL Scholars!
- Belle Leal is from Stratford, Connecticut. A graduate of the Academy of Our Lady of Mercy – Lauralton Hall, she will join the Class of 2030 at Clark University!
- Escarle Lora de León is a graduate of Instituto Politécnico El Ave María from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She will join the Class of 2030 at Lawrence University!
Belle and Escarle join 25 previous CTCL Scholarship winners who are currently attending or have earned degrees from 18 different CTCL-Member Institutions.
About the Scholarship
To honor the 20th anniversary of the publication of the first edition of Loren Pope’s classic book and the 10th anniversary of the non-profit organization, Colleges That Change Lives established a scholarship for students who enroll at a CTCL-member college or university. The first awards were given in 2016.
About the Book that inspired CTCL, the organization
Four versions of the book Colleges That Change Lives have been published since 1996, each one offering valuable insight about the college search, as well as profiles of 40 small, residential, liberal arts schools that deliver a transformative, high-impact educational experience to thousands of students each year.
These distinctly different colleges and universities have been traveling together since 1998, joining together to offer free information sessions and college fairs for college bound students, families, counselors, and college advising professionals.
For 20 years, Colleges That Change Lives Inc. (a non-profit, charitable 501(c)(3) organization) has preserved and promoted the belief that the college search should be a student-centered process that allows each student to find their best-fit college.
The CTCL Scholarship is one way to help make the CTCL experience a reality for even more students. Support future awards by donating today.