HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — It’s officially college commitment day, and this year many students are thanking one Connecticut program for making their dream schools happen.

“I will be attending Morgan State University in the fall and the process has been stressful,” said Joelle Thomas, a high school senior.

Thomas celebrated the start of her college journey with Michelle Obama’s Better Make Room program on Wednesday.

The annual Project Ready event was hosted by the Urban League of Greater Hartford. Thomas told News 8 she was accepted into 24 colleges and Morgan State was her first choice.

“I’m extremely proud and nervous because you know my baby is going off to college, but I am extremely proud, 24 schools, that’s pretty good,” said Deseree Martin, Thomas’s mother.

Thomas said she has the urban league to thank. The program helped her navigate everything from the application process to scholarships.

“Urban league has helped because it has taught me college work in life,” Thomas said.

“The college tours and how to do resumes and how to do applications and internships, it kind of really does what the name says, college readiness,” Martin said.

Thomas’s family history of college education reaches far. Her mother went to Goodwin University and her grandmother just graduated last December from Central Connecticut State University with a degree in social work.

“I was a bit hesitant with her going so far away from home, but I believe in prayer and I told her I’m praying,” said Sandra Johnson, Thomas’s grandmother.

The Urban League of Greater Hartford not only helps students get into college, but it also helps them stay in school and graduate.

“They know that when they come back home, even during breaks, if they had a difficult semester or even a difficult test, if they’re close enough they come back and reconnect with our program managers so we continue to work with them,” said David Hopkins, president and CEO of Urban League Greater Hartford.

Plus, the urban league has strong community partners, including KeyBank, which presented a $150,000 check on Wednesday night.

“We do financial literacy, we’ve got bankers that are helping out doing training sessions. We have been all in for a long time its part of our culture,” said Matt Hummel with KeyBank.

Thomas has high aspirations to get a degree in marketing and land a sports marketing job after graduation.