During the Emerging Leaders Seminar for Entrepreneurship & Innovation our group was tasked with developing an idea that would increase access and exposure to higher education for underserved communities. The following presentation was the solution we presented to Yale faculty.
1. Purple Team
Level Up Learning!
Making higher education accessible for
underrepresented minorities
Elaine Rosado
Mifrah Malik
Gabrielle Ruben
Taylor Williams
Asia Carter
Nico Addae
Sebastian Moreno
Marvellous Olubela
2. Research shows that
people from underserved
communities (economically
and otherwise) are not
attending universities at
the rate of their more
resourced and better-
informed peers.
Problem
3.
4. Missing out on talent and ideas
"Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic
diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns
above their respective national industry medians."
(McKinsey)
Corporate
Missing out on talent and ideas
Lower enrollment and attainment
Not able to supply employers with unique talent
University
Large income & wealth disparity
College educated earn more money on average
Limited economic mobility due to lack of education
Underrepresented Minorities
Why is this a
problem?
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement Historical Poverty
Tables (Table H-5 and H-9).
5. Invisibility
Lack of role models and
mentors
Isolation
Culture shock
Resources constraints
Causes:
Minority
Underrepresation
6. College
Application Essays
Prep
SAT/ACT Prep
1x1 Mentoring
Industry
shadowing
Soft Skills
Workshops
College Prep
1x1 Mentoring
College
Acclimation
1x1 Career
Mentoring
Interview and
Technical Skills
Level Up Learning!
Level Up Learning!
Not-for-profit 501 c3 organization working towards the mission to
prepare and expose URMPOC high school students in their junior and
senior year to excel in Business, STEM and Academia.
URMPOC = Underrepresented Minorities and People of Color
Junior Year
High School
Senior Year
High School
Freshman Year
University /College
7. Level Up Learning!
Level Up Learning!
Opportunities & Benefits
Upon successful program completion, fellows will be eligible for college scholarships, college
application fee waivers, and jump start to college internship recruiting.
Give students early exposure to industry experiences and career guidance, as well as
understand the value of college as a pathway to attain professional goals.
Assist students in successfully preparing and navigating college.
High visibility to competitive and high paying careers early in the recruiting cycle.
Exposure to strong and supportive group of champions and mentors throughout
high school, career, and beyond.
Enable confidence building through workshops.
Benefits:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
8. FOCUSED &
ACCESSIBLE
Target Audience: URMPOC High School Students in Junior Year
Level Up Learning!
2.7 GPA minimum
1 recommendation
Prompt: Creative Essay/ Video/ Presentation About
Higher Education Aspiration
Work in a city with a large number/% of URMPOC
Select 3 schools with low test scores, average test scores,
and high test scores
10 students per school (30 in total)
Program Selectivity
How to select target school?
How many students in program?
How: Business, STEM & Academia exposure through:
9. Social Media Postings
About Benefits
Fee Waivers
College
Scholarships
Access to Paying
Internships
Bus Passes & After
School Meals
Exposure Events in
9th and 10th grade
College
Not-for-Profit &
Government Org.
Networking
Surveys and
Interviews with
HS & College
Administrators
Former HS
Students
Emphasize Grant
Funding
Local University
Partnerships
Networking
Philanthropy
Early D&I pipeline
Channels & Buy In
Students Higher Ed Corporate
10. Viability
Grants
Partnerships with For Profits
Annual Gala and Fundraisers
Alumni Donations
External Applications for Non-Profits
Accessibility
Pointed career focused
High College and Job Attainment
Rates
Friends of the Children
YPIE
Viability
Primary Sources of Funding
Differentiating Factors
Success with Other Program