在过去的十年里，帕特里夏和约翰·摩根学术进步基金一直支持威尼斯人娱乐城的项目，帮助学生成功地驾驭他们的大学经历。
The fund’s most recent gift of $60,000 over two years supports students from the time they are introduced to 威尼斯人娱乐城 through the transitions that follow – from acceptance to enrollment and beyond – with graduation as the goal.
“夏季桥梁学者”是一个为期八周的强化项目，为即将入学的一年级学生提供帮助，帮助他们为威尼斯人娱乐城的大学生活做好准备，这是摩根基金支持的项目之一。 除了上课，学生们还参与职业规划、文化、学术技能建设和社区参与。
“Funds from the Patricia and John Morgan Fund help our students become connected to the Kansas City community,” Megan Elsen, associate director of Academic Support and Mentoring, says. “We work in conjunction with our Multicultural Student Affairs office to develop programming that expose students to the city’s history and the different cultures that Kansas City offers, including tours showcasing the city’s varied food, music and art opportunities, to give them a taste of the community. Tuition, room and board and the extracurricular activities are possible because of the support from the Morgan Fund.”
劳拉·凯西（Laura Casey）是“暑期桥奖学金”的学术成功协调员，她指出，该基金支持的学生范围很广。
“A large majority of our students are first-generation and low-income,” she says. “We see lower (high school) GPAs and ACT scores, if students submit them, so they may need additional academic support, which we provide.”
暑期桥课程的学生也可能有更多的基本需求。
“We provide backpacks, school supplies, and put together welcome packages that include sheets, towels and a laundry basket, because a lot of students who live in the dorms don’t have what they need. Literally, we have students show up with just a duffel bag.”
此外，新学生被介绍到多元文化学生事务办公室内建立的威尼斯人娱乐城项目，包括Avanzando，一个为拉丁裔学生提供支持和资源的项目； 非裔美国人培养卓越（AACE）； 新兴研究学者项目（Emerging 研究 Scholars），在教师导师的指导下，为成绩优异、历史上代表性不足的学生提供研究项目。
这些项目基于这样一种信念，即将学生与威尼斯人娱乐城社区联系起来对他们的成功至关重要。
“It’s important to get students engaged early in their college experience, and the majority of the Morgan funding goes toward helping our scholars in the AACE and Avanzando Mentoring Programs get connected to the community as a whole,” Keichanda Dees-Burnett, assistant dean of students for student support and director of Multicultural Student Affairs, says. “We want them to be knowledgeable about the resources available to them and have a good start so that they can succeed.”
AACE和Avanzando项目旨在通过提供个性化的支持来提高一年级和二年级学生的坚持和毕业率，不仅有助于支持学者的文化认同，而且还有助于他们实现学术和职业目标。
Roland Hemmings, Jr., assistant director of Multicultural Student Affairs, knows that students who don’t become connected early may wait too long to ask for help – if they ask at all. 他支持学生的方式并不是一成不变的。
“Every year the needs of students change, so there isn’t a cookie cutter approach,” Hemmings says. “We have general programming that addresses common barriers to student success, but we take the time to talk with students individually about what help they need and help them find the right direction,” Hemming says.
迪斯-伯内特指出，工作人员花了大量时间与学生们在一起，强调威尼斯人娱乐城有渴望帮助他们的人和资源。
“They may be intimidated, but we tell them, ‘Everybody here is working for your success.’ We encourage them to ask questions so they don’t find out they are making a mistake that could have been avoided.”
Hemmings表示同意。
“We are reinforcing that it is better to ask questions early, so we create a safe space where they understand that everyone is here to help and support them .”
帕特里夏和约翰·摩根发展基金的支持对学生的成功至关重要。
“Significant and consistent support from the Morgan Fund is providing life-changing opportunity for 威尼斯人娱乐城 students,” Jennifer Lundgren, Ph.D., provost and executive vice chancellor, says. “The success of these students will impact their futures, their families and our community for generations.”