WSU, DPSCD leaders announce launch of Warriors on the Rise program that guarantees admission to all qualified DPSCD students

Alycia Meriweather (l), deputy superintendent of DPSCD, and Dr. Laurie Lauzon Clabo, WSU provost and executive vice president of academic affairs, display signed copies of the Warriors on the Rise agreement at a Sept. 15 news conference.

Expanding on its commitment to accelerate the social mobility of Detroiters through higher education, Wayne State University today joined with Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to launch Warriors on the Rise. This bold new assured admission program will guarantee eligible DPSCD students' automatic acceptance into WSU.

"As part of our mission to serve Detroit, we are always seeking ways to expand access to higher education for our communities," said Dr. M. Laurie Lauzon Clabo, Wayne State's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

WSU administrators and students pose with DPSCD leaders following the signing of the Warriors on the Rise collaboration agreement.

"Warriors on the Rise represents another major step forward in that effort. And it also allows us to further Wayne State's role as an incubator for the next generation of researchers, professionals and leaders."

The free program - announced at a ceremonial signing on the WSU campus - targets juniors at DPSCD high schools, guaranteeing admission for all Detroit public school students who earn a 3.0 GPA or higher and who complete at least two credits each in English Language Arts and Math. Along with guaranteed admission to WSU, eligible students also will receive year-round opportunities to engage with campus, explore careers and prepare for college success.

"What we are really celebrating is greater opportunities with few barriers for Detroit students," said Alycia Meriweather, deputy superintendent of external partnerships, enrollment and specialty programs for DPSCD. "Any time we can remove barriers and create more opportunities for our young people, we are onboard. This is what Detroit Public Schools Community District is all about."

Students become eligible as high school juniors, after their fifth-semester grades are made available. The first invitations to students will be sent in February 2026. Students still must apply to Wayne State, and while Warriors on the Rise ensures guarantees admission for qualified applicants, the university's admission requirements remain the same to uphold academic standards and student success.

In addition to assured admission, students in the program will also enjoy other benefits, including career peer mentorship, readiness workshops, academic advising, financial aid sessions for families, transportation support, free or discounted tickets to campus events, and opportunities for dual enrollment courses at Wayne State.

Dr. Charles Cotton III, vice provost of strategic enrollment management at Wayne State, said the Warriors on the Rise initiative "allows our prospective students to worry less about a college application and focus more on their studies."

"This program not only creates a more seamless path for eligible, talented students, but we hope that it also relieves some of the stress and pressure that often accompanies the admission process for many high school students," said Dr. Charles Cotton III, vice provost of strategic enrollment management at Wayne State. "A program like this allows our prospective students to worry less about a college application and focus more on their studies."

Warriors on the Rise represents WSU's latest effort to strengthen higher education access for students in the city, the region and across the state.

In February, the university raised the annual household income threshold for the Wayne State Guarantee - which covers the full cost of tuition and standard fees with a combination of federal, state and other Wayne State University scholarships and grants - from $70,000 to $80,000. This increase has allowed thousands more Michigan families to participate in the program.

The university also offers financial aid programs such as the Heart of Detroit Tuition Pledge, which offers free tuition to Detroit high school students or Detroit residents earning a high school diploma.