Lorna Contreras-Townsend
Occupation:Head of Social Impact within Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Capital Group
Students Rising Above understands the real-world value of education, addresses the many obstacles faced by first-generation college students, and sets goals that are achievable, empowering, and measurable.
THE PROBLEM
Fewer College Graduates
11% of first-generation college students from low-income families hold a bachelor's degree, compared to the national average of 64% across all income backgrounds.
Lower Income
Those with a bachelor’s degree earn 62% more in income than those with no college degree.
Higher Stopout Rate
66% of low-income college students do not complete a bachelor’s degree.
Shortage In The Workforce
If current attainment rates don’t improve, by 2025 there will be a shortage of 16 million college-educated adults in the US workforce.
CHALLENGING THE ODDS
Rising Stars Students are overcoming tremendous odds.
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95%
Low to moderate income
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84%
First-generation college students
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98%
Identify as people of color
REDEFINING SUCCESS
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100%
Of SRA Rising Stars Students accepted to a four-year college
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71%
Complete a bachelor’s degree within 6 years
-
100%
Receive some sort of financial aid
SRA RISING STARS BY THE NUMBERS
College and Universities
SRA has sent more than 2,000 students to colleges throughout the U.S.
Criteria
Students Rising Above values character, drive, and potential, accepting candidates outside traditional GPA standards
- 33% 2.7 - 3.1 GPA
- 33% 3.2 - 3.6 GPA
- 33% 3.7+ GPA
Career Development
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683
Students currently being served
-
250+
Employer partners
-
400+
Career mentors
-
200+
Personalized job interview prep sessions annually
-
10
On-site career insight events annually
SUCCESS STORIES
SRA Hub
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Thousands
Registered Users from more than 60 different high schools, nonprofits and colleges
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12
Live webinars per month
-
24 hr
Response time to all student questions from our experts
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450+
Resources, articles, lesson plans, and worksheets available to students and teachers
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3,700+
Resumes created
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1,100+
Financial aid budgets created
FUTURE
By the end of 2019, we hope to have
30,000 Registered Hub Users