Tom Cash of Short Hills began making a difference in the lives of New Jersey youth in 1987 when he personally funded scholarships for eight students to attend private high schools near their homes in Jersey City. Tom was so persuasive about the impact that scholarships and mentoring could have on the urban poor that his friends, as well as many others, joined in his efforts to help as many inner-city students as possible. In 1993, Tom founded Student/Partner Alliance (SPA), a non-profit organization focused on this mission. SPA currently supports more than 150 students each year with nearly 100 percent of them going on to college, a key step toward assuring their responsible contribution to society and engaged and employed adults. Tom’s personal commitment to helping the inner-city poor has made a significant impact on the lives of more than 1,500 teenagers with a combination of financial support and mentoring while inspiring and motivating many others to help deserving students.

The mission of Student/Partner Alliance (S/PA) is to support motivated high school students at private Catholic high schools in New Jersey’s urban areas of Essex, Hudson and Union counties with tuition assistance and mentoring to increase their chances for college admission and scholarships. A unique aspect is the mentoring support students receive, which has led to 100% of students graduating from high school and enrolling in college. Mentors motivate students to succeed not only in academics, but also personally by encouraging them to reach for higher goals and achieve their potential.