Earlier this year, I got to spend a day with some amazing high school students, who are a part of Give Back. It’s an amazing organization that provides full scholarships to low income young people pursuing their higher education goals. The reality is that many of these students would not otherwise be able to attend college if it were not for the financial support Give Back provides. And, more than that, Give Back mentors these brilliants young people from the moment they meet them all the way through to their undergraduate diploma. You learn more about Give Back here. And if you live in California, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, or New Jersey, you can become a mentor!
I hosted a talent show where the students SHOWED OUT, and we learned Josh can’t sing. Josh, by the way, is a perfect example of how powerful the Give Back effect can be. Josh was a Give Back Scholar himself, and we became best friends at Villanova. Now, he works as a Program Coordinator for Give Back making sure that the future Josh’s of the world have every shot at their higher education dreams.
After the talent show, I led the scholars in a conversation about social justice, college futures, and what #BYBG is all about. They were amazing. Check out our recap video below.
Sidenote: one of the back end things about the organization that I think is so impressive is how the financial model of the scholarships works. By utilizing government financial aid, in-state tuition, and subsidies from their college partners, they maximize the number of scholars who can attend college at one of the partner schools, specifically. As I’ve said a lot, it’s not enough to just be right or to be trying to do good work. It’s got to be strategic so it can be effective. Clearly, Give Back understands that.
