But at Dorchester Academy, in the waning days of the school year, students are getting a crash course in financial literacy. They are learning about how to balance a budget. They are reminded that their first college tuition bill will be due in a couple of months.

Students are taking part in a class called Transitions to College. And volunteering his time to deliver this course is Casey Bolduc.

uAspire Advisor Dan Mendelsohn and Citizens Bank volunteer P.J. Aretino deliver a Transitions to College workshop at Jeremiah E. Burke High School on May 16, 2013.

An employee of Citizens Bank, Casey is a volunteer instructor for uAspire’s Transitions to College. Citizens Bank and uAspire have partnered together to recruit volunteers who are eager to give back and help students prepare for college. In addition to philanthropic support from the Citizens Bank Foundation, this partnership is allowing uAspire to share the financial expertise of volunteers like Casey with students who are about to head to college. And with many students expressing concern about the increasing costs of college, getting financial advice directly from financial professionals is a valuable resource.

Transitions to College is a series of workshops, given to high school seniors right before they graduate. The purpose of these workshops is to prepare students for the summer between their high school graduation and when they begin college. This summer period is a busy time for students, when they must pay their first tuition bills, register for classes, and take care of other important tasks before the fall.

For the more than 2,600 seniors served by uAspire ever year, these to-dos may be unclear or unknown. Transitions to College is designed to shed more light on these important tasks. Transitions to College workshops are focused on preparing students to stay on top of these important deadlines in the summer. With this knowledge, they can arrive at college prepared.

Back at Dorchester Academy, Casey delivers a workshop along with Dan Mendelsohn, a uAspire Financial Aid Advisor. They talk about health insurance requirements, loan counseling, and deadlines for master promissory notes.

“I think the presentation went very well, and I was very glad to see the interaction from the students,” said Casey. “I think the message and ideals this program is delivering are hugely important and I would be proud to be able to contribute in the future.”

During the next school year, additional Citizens Bank employees will also have the chance to volunteer with uAspire. In line with Citizens Bank’s focus on financial literacy, volunteers will work alongside uAspire Advisors to deliver workshops that will help our students build a strong financial foundation as they enter college. Volunteers will also be involved with uAspire students who receive a Last Dollar Scholarship.

The partnership also represents the power of collaboration between nonprofits and local corporate partners who want to make a meaningful impact in the community. “uAspire’s emphasis on financial literacy and preparing young people to succeed in higher education is a reflection of our belief that access to college is a critical component to long term prosperity in our communities,” said Brendan Coughlin, President, Education Finance, RBS Citizens Financial Group. “We know there are many steps and deadlines to meet in order to get ready for college and we are glad that we were able to help uAspire and its clients prepare for the upcoming fall semester.”

The post Citizens Bank Volunteers Help uAspire Students Build Financial Literacy, Prepare for College appeared first on uAspire.

These papers show:

• 83% of students who met with an advisor during the summer enrolled in college, compared to 79% of students who didn’t – persistence into spring semester was also greater (80% of students who met with an advisor, vs. 75% who didn’t)
• Students in Lawrence and Springfield who received text messages from uAspire had a fall enrollment of 70%, compared to 63% enrollment for those who didn’t receive text messages

The full article can be found on Inside Higher Ed’s website.

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BOSTON – Nearly 25% of college freshmen in Massachusetts drop out of school every year – a higher percentage than any other year in college. Add in the challenge of being a student from a low-income background, and the chances of dropping out of college with debt and no degree rise significantly.

To earn a college degree today, low-income students need a strong network of support – both personal and professional. “For today’s college students coming from low-income backgrounds and looking to make it in the professional world, learning how to network is arguably one of the most important skills they need to develop,” says Ann Coles, Senior Fellow at uAspire. For most low-income and first-generation students without access, networking can be scary and uncomfortable. “The idea of walking into a room with the goal of meeting complete strangers freaks me out,” says Sherri Furtado, a student at Northeastern University who grew up in Dorchester and will be the first person in her family to get a college degree.

Most professionals agree – networking is essential for career advancement. On any given day, people are practicing the art of networking – in the gym, at a cocktail party, in Starbucks, at business conferences, even on the elevator. Networkers make time to meet new people, swap business cards and form connections. It’s a fact for anyone navigating the jungle gym of life. So what can low-income college students – high on potential but low on experience – do when faced with this reality?

A new program run by uAspire, called uAspire Works, connects corporate volunteers to low-income college students in their freshman and sophomore years of school. Together in pairs – one corporate volunteer and one college student – they build networking skills and practice them as a duo at events throughout the city.

“uAspire Works is a program that we hope will help college students learn skills and gain the confidence to network themselves into that first summer job or internship,” said Bassel Agha, a volunteer from Loomis Sayles. “With training, helping them learn how to look someone in the eye and give them a firm handshake,  I have seen these amazing students begin to understand the power of networking and its potential to not only find a job, but to give them options so that they can choose a career.” Another Loomis Sayles volunteer, Alex Dauria, added, “It has been rewarding to help young people on their way to a college degree get that extra edge that can lead to a meaningful work life.”

uAspire Works focuses on students who are just beginning their college education because freshman and sophomore years are risky times for low-income college students. Ann Coles, who is also a member of uAspire Works, explains that the art of meeting people, shaking hands, asking questions, and sharing appropriate information about oneself is a learned skill. Individuals whose parents have experience in the corporate world and know how to network can pick up this skill more easily. “Students who are the first in their families to go to college can feel awkward in a networking situation and tend to avoid such opportunities. uAspire Works hopes to change that dynamic.”

Many corporations in Boston see the value of a program like uAspire Works. In addition to Loomis Sayles, companies like Bank of America, Citizens Bank, IBM, Comcast, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Fidelity are participating in the program. With nearly 70% of future job openings requiring some level of higher education, businesses clearly see the value in ensuring that more young people obtain a college degree. By helping students early on in their college careers build their networking skills, uAspire and its corporate partners hope to see more young people persist all the way through to a college degree.

As for Sherri, the Northeastern student, she is happy to report that she now “gets it,” adding, “I now understand that a college education is important to open up the door to many opportunities, and being able to network allows me to get my foot in that door.”

For those interested in learning more about uAspire Works, please contact Chris Minerd at (617) 778-7195 x128 or chrism@uaspire.org.

The post uAspire College Students Conquer the Art of Networking appeared first on uAspire.

From Florida College Access Network – February 15, 2013

No matter how good their grades, how strong their grit, first-generation college students need money to make higher education possible. Yet the FAFSA can frighten families. Asking probing questions about assets and accounts, the form can often feel intimidating, intended for a two-parent, single household capable of supporting their child’s education to the age of 26.

But what do you do if you are a student whose legal guardians may be relatives other than your parents? How do you fill out the form if your parents are undocumented? What if your family’s income is informal and sporadic?

That’s where Miami’s uAspire comes in. “We fill a gap,” says Keith “Fletch” Fletcher, the CEO of uAspire’s Miami branch. “There’s no one else really diving in with significant expertise on college affordability.”

Located on the campus of Miami-Dade College, uAspire began operations in South Florida last fall. The organization brings with them three decades of experience running comprehensive financial aid clinics throughout Massachusetts, where they provided one-on-one assistance to over 50,000 students and secured more than $220 million in financial aid over the last five years alone. With a laser-like focus on financial aid, the 28-year old organization mentors students and families on what college really costs and finds them grants, scholarships and sensible loan packages.

“We know that outside of your home your college education is probably the single largest purchase that you make in your life and you often make it as a 17-year-old with limited guidance, support or understanding of the long-term impact,” says Fletcher. “Our goal is to move students to and through post-secondary educational opportunity with the least amount of debt.”

While uAspire provides comprehensive services that target students from sixth-graders first learning about higher education to college grads grappling with loan repayments, the bulk of their focus has been on high school seniors. Through its education partnerships, uAspire is known to thousands of Florida students. Over the fall, uAspire fanned out over Miami-Dade high schools, signing memorandums of understanding with five local principals that allowed the group to throw assemblies, exhaustively visit homerooms, and establish one-on-one relationships with students whose families need extensive help with filling out the FAFSA.

“We serve a large number of students who come from non-traditional families. There can be some cultural obstacles to filling out the FAFSA in terms of parents willing to disclose information about their financial background,” says Fletcher. “We have students whose parents may or may not live in the country, parents who may not be documented, parents who are in prison.”

Fletcher says that uAspire fills a unique niche in the ecosystem of college readiness school groups, after-school programs and non-profits. Where other organizations may focus on test preparation, academic achievement, essay writing or college visits, uAspire’s focus is strictly financial assistance.

“We’re an insurance policy for all these other great college-going culture interventions that exist for getting kids into college. We take the financial part off the plate and allow other groups to focus on core competencies, test prep, tutoring, whatever it is they excel at,” says Fletcher. “Our strength is that we play really nice in the sandbox with everyone else, we’re actually invited in by other community partners.”

Though they operate inside of public schools, uAspire’s mission is to supplement existing guidance counseling services, not replace them. “Guidance counselors are some of our most noble warriors in the public education system but unfortunately their large caseloads don’t allow them a lot of attention to detail,” says Fletcher.

Realizing their role, uAspire financial aid advisors take a hands-off approach when it comes to the student’s intended major or career. “We’re not really in the business of being career counselors. What we do is help people make informed decisions that will minimize the burden of loans they may carry,” adds Fletcher.

“We talk about where they want to be and what is the most cost-effective option. We talk about repayment options in light a career choice. If you’re taking out loans to attend a more expensive private institution and you want to be an elementary education teacher that starts at $38,000 a year, then you are going to be paying off those loans for a long time.”

By and large, the bulk of the day-to-day work of uAspire financial advisors consists of making the FAFSA intelligible to families who have little to no experience with putting a child through college. Yet they are also uniquely qualified to tackle the thorniest of cases. In their first year in Florida, they have already assisted a family whose legal and financial documents were destroyed during Hurricane Katrina and negotiated a complex international custody case that allowed a pair of brothers, who were previously financing their college education entirely through loans, to begin receiving substantial Pell Grants to which they were legally entitled.

That financial advice doesn’t just make getting into college easier, it makes staying there more sustainable. According to their annual report, 84% of uAspire advisees stay beyond their first year in college compared to a national average of just 69%.

Despite all the counseling they may give, uAspire advisors emphasize that college choice remains in the hands of students and their families. “Ultimately the families are going to make the choice. We never tell them you can’t do this or go there but we do make sure they have a financial safety school on their list,” says James Henry, program director for the Miami office. “The family has to make the final choice. We just show them different ways to make their choice obtainable.”

Click here for the article from Florida CAN’s website.

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uAspire* imagines a day when all young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential by graduating from college, regardless of their families’ financial resources or college experiences.
* Formerly known as ACCESS, uAspire changed its name in September 2012 to better align the organization’s name with its dual focus on helping students gain access to and succeed in college.

Organization Summary

uAspire is committed to ensuring that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to achieve their dreams of higher education. uAspire provides free college affordability advice and advocacy to students and families in Massachusetts and Miami, helping them to overcome the financial barriers to a postsecondary education. Since 1985, uAspire has provided financial aid advising more than 60,000 students and families since 1985, and leveraged $220 million in financial Aid over the last five years. Through strategic partnerships with high schools, community organizations and local universities, uAspire helps academically prepared students find an affordable path to – and through – a postsecondary education. uAspire is in the early stages of implementing a multi-faceted Growth with Quality Plan that will enable the organization to positively impact the lives of one million students by 2017.

Position Summary

In a groundbreaking role as the head of uAspires’s first West Coast growth site, the Executive Director (ED) will serve as the primary builder and leader of uAspire Bay Area. Thriving in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, the ED will bring urgency and vision to the critical network-building and fundraising work needed to launch uAspire Bay Area and bring it to scale. Responsibilities will include securing the funding necessary to launch uAspire Bay Area; developing a highly effective local board to drive the impact and sustainability of the new site; and ensuring the quality of uAspire programming through strategic partnerships with local schools and community-based organizations. Reporting to the uAspire CEO and working in close collaboration with the Leadership Team, all of whom operate out of the Boston-based headquarters, the ED will hold responsibility and authority for the Bay Area site’s impact on postsecondary enrollment and college success. By developing and executing a multi-year strategic plan, annual operating plan and budget, the ED will lead the new site to achieve growth with quality. While developing uAspire Bay Area into a sustainable, high-impact chapter of the national organization, the ED will act as a key member of the national uAspire network and work to promote the organization’s values, culture, and success. Finally, the ED will collaborate with the Leadership Team to capture best practices for new site growth that will help uAspire pave the way for continued national expansion and impact.

Key Responsibilities

Development and Public Relations

• Within 6 months:
  • Identify and cultivate strategic relationships with a diverse array of local foundation, corporate, and individual donors
  • Work in partnership with the Leadership Team to identify and solicit potential national funders interested in supporting uAspire Bay Area
  • Raise the initial funding necessary to launch uAspire Bay Area, including portions of the operating budget for Years 2 & 3 (estimated at $750,000 in commitments by June 2014)
• Ongoing:
  • Represent uAspire to key constituencies and stakeholders throughout the Bay Area, including community leaders, government officials, school personnel, families, and students
  • Promote uAspire’s brand and public profile through marketing, networking, traditional & social media, and major events
  • Set and meet annual revenue and budget goals in partnership with the Leadership Team and local Board

Board Recruitment and Management

• Within 6 months:
  • Recruit and develop a dynamic, engaged, and productive local board composed of philanthropic, corporate, community and government leaders
• Ongoing:
  • Lead and manage the uAspire Bay Area board
  • Partner with Leadership Team and local board chair to develop and execute a multi-year strategic plan, annual operating plan, and annual budget that maximize local impact and sustainability

Network Collaboration

• Work in partnership with the national office to further develop the national growth implementation plan for replication across multiple sites nationwide
• Align the Bay Area site’s strategy and priorities with those of the national organization
• Support and participate in network-wide initiatives with the national office and with other sites as they come online
• Establish strong collaborative relationships with the staff at the national office and with leaders at other new sites as they come online
• Instill uAspire’s Values – Student-Centered, Collaborative, Dedicated, Excellent, and Systems-Focused – throughout all operations and programs within uAspire Bay Area

Team Recruitment and Management

• Recruit, manage, and lead local uAspire staff (anticipated: Program Director, Development Director, 5-6 front-line program staff and one special projects/operations manager)

Program Start-up

• Partner with and support uAspire Bay Area Program Director to:
  • Establish and maintain relationships with school leadership at Bay Area high schools and key members of the Public Schools administration
  • Build, maintain, and expand strategic partnerships with community organizations and local colleges and universities
  • Implement and oversee the uAspire program model in the Bay Area (anticipated to serve 2,000 students in first full program year)
• Maintain a high level of knowledge and understanding of financial aid policies and procedures, as well as a working knowledge of broad issues in higher education and college affordability

Qualifications

The ideal Executive Director is an energetic, enthusiastic individual who is interested in driving the growth and impact of a collaborative, entrepreneurial organization. S/he is driven by a passion for, and commitment to, the uAspire mission of ensuring that all students have the financial resources and information necessary to get to and through college. This passion may stem from personal experience of challenges associated with college affordability and completion. S/he is entrepreneurial and goal-oriented, unafraid to take on a big project and drive it to successful completion through exceptional performance – performance that inspires the team s/he manages to do the same. Finally, the ideal candidate is a team player who is able to learn from uAspire’s history, thoughtfully contribute to its experience, and actively support its growth in the Bay Area and beyond.

The ideal ED will possess the following:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• Minimum 8 years of community or executive leadership experience and/or non-profit management experience
• Proven ability to initiate, cultivate, and manage relationships with key individual and foundational stakeholders and meet ambitious fundraising goals
• Strong Bay Area-based network, combined with a deep understanding of both the Bay Area communities generally and the Bay Area education landscape specifically
• Extensive experience in building, managing, developing, and leading effective teams
• Outstanding talent for developing and executing a multifaceted strategic plan in a demanding, fast-paced environment
• Experience working with diverse populations, including donors, community leaders, and high school- and college-aged students
• Top-notch written and oral communication skills
• Advanced organizational skills and high attention to detail
• Ability to work flexible hours that will include evenings and some weekends

Compensation

Competitive salary & benefits commensurate with experience and qualifications.

How To Apply

Please send cover letter, resume and references to jobs@uaspire.org, Attention: Bob Giannino-Racine, CEO.

The post Job Posting – Executive Director, uAspire Bay Area appeared first on uAspire.

BOSTON – The Citizens Bank Foundation today announced it will invest $210,000 with five nonprofit organizations that will promote and teach financial literacy in Massachusetts. Recipients include the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts, Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, Interise and uAspire (formerly ACCESS).

The grants are part of Citizens Bank’s new program, Citizens Helping Citizens Teach Money Management, through which the bank is providing $2 million in financial support to local nonprofits throughout its 12-state footprint this month and throughout the year.

“We believe this investment will certainly make a difference in helping adults and young people in Massachusetts learn to make smart decisions when it comes to personal and business finances,” said Jerry Sargent, President, Citizens Bank and RBS Citizens, Massachusetts. “And we take great pride in seeing so many of our colleagues volunteering to improve financial literacy in their communities and with these organizations.”

The Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts is receiving $50,000 as part of Citizens Bank Foundation’s Dollars and Sense Financial Literacy Training, which is aimed at helping low-income, minority adults with poor credit in the Boston region build and hold onto financial resources.

“The generosity of the Citizens Bank Foundation will enable us to bring financial literacy training to our constituents and help them live their version of the American Dream,” said Darnell Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Citizens Bank’s motto of ‘Citizens helping Citizens’ is practical and consistent with its actions.”

Recently, the Citizens Bank Foundation granted the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts $50,000 to support the Finance and Business Series of its highly successful FaB Factor program, allowing the girls to learn basic finance and budgeting skills, in addition to having the opportunity to participate in the Girl Scout Cookie sales program.

“We are grateful to the Citizens Bank Foundation for recognizing the importance of investing in girls’ futures by ensuring that girls in the FaB Factor program can benefit from our Finance and Business series,” said Ruth N. Bramson, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts. “Financial literacy is a skill we believe all girls must have in order to be successful in life.”

The Citizens Bank Foundation is the sole funder of Interise’s StreetWise ‘MBA’ (SWMBA) financial module with a $50,000 grant. The finance module of its SWMBA takes Interise member firms to the next level in financial management and will integrate Citizens Bank volunteers into it.

“Together, the Citizens Bank Foundation and Interise have ensured that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ small employers have access to the executive education they need to continue to thrive and create even more jobs,” said Jean Horstman, Chief Executive Officer for Interise.

A financial advising program at uAspire will receive $50,000 from the Citizens Bank Foundation. uAspire financial aid advisors work with more than 10,000 students from the seventh grade through college graduation across Massachusetts. For every $1 spent on the program, advisors are able to secure $62 in financial aid for the students.

“Citizens Bank’s focus on financial literacy makes them a natural partner in our work across Massachusetts to better equip low income students with the tools and knowledge they need to make their dreams of college an affordable reality,” said Bob Giannino-Racine, CEO of uAspire. “Financial literacy plays a major role in uAspire’s mission to ensure that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path to – and through – a postsecondary education.”

A $10,000 grant is helping the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts implement Financial Literacy for Girls, an after-school program that helps Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts from low- to moderate-income families in Springfield and Worcester gain practical experience with managing money and setting financial goals.

“This meaningful support from the Citizens Bank Foundation will bring the Girl Scout financial literacy program to the next generation of women,” said Pat Hallberg, Chief Executive Officer for The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts. “Our partnership with the Citizens Bank Foundation is going to help us teach girls the financial skills they will need to make it in an evolving economy.”

Citizens Bank Foundation’s investment in financial literacy comes as the nation observes Financial Literacy Month, which is focused on helping people learn how to handle their money, establish positive financial habits and manage their debts. Coupled with related employee volunteer efforts, the Citizens Bank Foundation contributions are expected to benefit thousands of consumers and small businesses throughout Massachusetts. Citizens Helping Citizens Teach Money Management will also support the financial education of consumers and entrepreneurs through financial tips and other information shared online, in branches and in social media.

More information about Citizens Bank’s community initiatives is available online at http://www.citizensbank.com/community/.

About Citizens Helping Citizens

Grounded in the belief that a good bank gives back to its community and to the people who live there, Citizens Helping Citizens is a program embracing the community goals of RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc. – the commercial bank holding company serving consumer and small business customers as Citizens Bank and Charter One and commercial banking customers as RBS Citizens. The Citizens Helping Citizens program comprises five key initiatives supported directly by RBSCFG and also by its nonprofit charitable foundations, the Citizens Charitable Foundation and the Charter One Foundation: Citizens Helping Citizens Fight Hunger, Citizens Helping Citizens Provide Shelter, Citizens Helping Citizens Strengthen Communities (economic development), Citizens Helping Citizens Teach Money Management (financial education) and Citizens Helping Citizens Give (volunteerism and charitable donations). Across all of these initiatives, Citizens Helping Citizens strives to enhance quality of life and economic vitality in local communities.

About the Citizens Bank Foundation

Citizens Bank Foundation is a subsidiary of the Citizens Charitable Foundation, which is a charitable contributions vehicle of RBS Citizens Financial Group, Inc., RBS Citizens, N.A. and Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. The foundation’s support is focused on human services, affordable housing and economic development. RBSCFG’s website is www.citizensbank.com.

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GreenLight Fund brings the best of Boston’s nonprofits to help new communities close the achievement and opportunity gap.

The GreenLight Fund, one of the nation’s leading venture philanthropy firms, has traditionally been a champion of importing innovative social ventures, such as Raising a Reader and Single Stop USA, into the city of Boston. After launching GreenLight Fund Philadelphia and GreenLight Fund San Francisco Bay Area in early 2012 with lead support from the Bank of America Foundation, GreenLight is for the first time exporting two of Boston’s homegrown gems – uAspire (formerly ACCESS) and Year Up – with investment from the federal Social Innovation Fund.

uAspire will receive $1.16M over the next five years to replicate its high impact college affordability advising services to the San Francisco Bay Area.  uAspire Bay Area, opening in the coming year, will be the organization’s second direct service site outside of Massachusetts.

uAspire’s mission is to ensure that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path to – and through – a postsecondary education. In accomplishing this mission, uAspire partners with schools and community organizations to provide free financial aid advice and advocacy to young people and families to help them overcome the financial barriers to higher education. uAspire currently serves students in every public and charter high school in the cities of Boston, Lawrence, and Springfield, MA. This year, uAspire began operations in five schools in Miami.

GreenLight is investing $1.33M in Year Up over five years to bring its Professional Training Corps (PTC) model to Philadelphia.  Opening this fall, it will be the organization’s eleventh site nationwide and its third PTC site.

Year Up provides urban young adults ages 18-24 with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education.  The one-year program combines marketable job skills, professional internships, stipends and college credits and currently serves young adults in ten cities across the country. With support from GreenLight, Year Up aims to help up to 1,200 disconnected young adults over the next five years in Philadelphia enroll in higher education and prepare for and obtain jobs that pay wages that can support them and their families.

“We’re thrilled to have the support of the GreenLight Fund in expanding Year Up’s Professional Training Corps program to Philadelphia,” said Gerald Chertavian, Founder and CEO of Year Up. “We started Year Up in Boston in 2000 and have since helped over 6,000 young adults in the U.S. reach their potential in professional careers and higher education. With the help of the GreenLight Fund, we’ll now be able to provide college access and skills training to young people in Philadelphia.”

uAspire and Year Up were selected based on their strong track records and high potential for impact.  The selection process, which engages community leaders in their respective cities as part of a local Selection Advisory Council (SAC), requires nonprofits to undergo a rigorous application process, due diligence and a final “pitch” to the local SAC.

“We could not be more excited to partner with the GreenLight Fund,” says uAspire CEO Bob Giannino-Racine. “GreenLight has a stellar reputation of engaging local leaders to assess what an urban community needs, and then finding the best solution to fill that need. uAspire is eager to work with young people in California, ensuring they get the information and resources to forge an affordable path to a college degree. We are honored to be chosen by the GreenLight Fund.”

The ability to grow Boston organizations beyond the city limits is the realization of long-held dream for GreenLight’s co-founder and national executive director, Margaret Hall. “After operating in Boston for nearly 10 years, we knew there were innovative nonprofit organizations with tremendous leadership addressing pressing issues that affect many communities.   With our new sites in Philadelphia and the Bay Area, we’re excited to be able to consider the best of what’s working here and serve more children and youth across the country.”

The GreenLight Fund’s $2.5 million investment in uAspire and Year Up is part of its larger Social Innovation Fund Initiative directed toward closing the achievement and opportunity gap for low-income children and youth.  This past July, the GreenLight Fund was one of four intermediaries nationally to be selected for funding through a rigorous, open competitive by the Social Innovation Fund, a federal initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).  GreenLight was awarded $5M nationally to co-invest in programs that increase the scale of community-based solutions that have evidence of real impact in the area of youth development.

About the GreenLight Fund

The GreenLight Fund addresses the critical needs of cities’ low-income children, youth and families by identifying high-performing, innovative nonprofits in other communities and supporting them to expand to the city when they show the results needed to have a significant impact on local needs. Working in Boston since 2003, and Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay area since 2012, GreenLight aims to grow a nationwide network of GreenLight initiatives that learn and work collaboratively to find and spread proven nonprofit solutions that achieve meaningful and measurable impact in our communities on the issues that matter most. Learn more at www.greenlightfund.org

About the Corporation for National and Community Service

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and the Social Innovation Fund, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information about the Corporation, visit www.nationalservice.gov.

About the Social Innovation Fund

The Social Innovation Fund, an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), positions the federal government to be a catalyst for impact—using public and private resources to find and grow community-based nonprofits with evidence of strong results.  It focuses on overcoming challenges confronting low-income Americans in three areas of priority need: economic opportunity, health, and youth development. To learn more, visit: www.nationalservice.gov/about/programs/innovation.asp

Contact

Gabrielle King Morse, Chief External Affairs Officer, uAspire  617.778.7195 ext. 102, gaby@uaspire.org, www.uaspire.org

Sarah Lassonde, Director of External Affairs, The GreenLight Fund,  (617) 252-2815, slassonde@greenlightfund.org, www.greenlightfund.org

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The Scholarship Award is awarded to an organization that is truly dedicated to Scholarship within the community and beyond. uAspire was chosen as this year’s recipient because of the contributions made to the Greater Boston community – by not only providing access to financial information and resources, but also providing hope to young people who desire to continue through a post-secondary education. According to Sigma Gamma Rho, uAspire “is a valued organization in our community because it addresses a major barrier to scholastic achievement and fosters opportunities for Scholarship for our young people.”

Organized on November 12, 1922 in Indianapolis at Butler University by seven school teachers, Sigma Gamma Rho was founded on and continues to be steadfastly committed to the tenets of excellence in Scholarship, Sisterhood and Service.  Sigma Gamma Rho has a proud legacy of providing positive and proactive community leadership and support when and wherever needed as indicated by the sorority’s international slogan, “Greater Service, Greater Progress.” Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority’s aim is to enhance the quality of life within the community. Public service, leadership development and education of youth are the hallmarks of the organization’s programs and activities. Sigma Gamma Rho addresses concerns that impact society educationally, civically, and economically.

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We currently have two MPF service positions open – one in Springfield and one in Lawrence. These services roles are an opportunity for those who have a desire to strengthen their community – and, specifically with uAspire, help middle and high school students realize their dreams of going to college.

In return for their year of service, Mass Promise Fellows receive a wide range of benefits. They include:

• A taxable living allowance of $269/week
• Comprehensive health care benefits
• Excellent training opportunities
• FREE courses at Northeastern University in the College of Professional Studies
• Loan forbearance and a $5,550 educational award

To learn more about these MPF positions, please click on the following links:

• Springfield
• Lawrence

To learn more about the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship, visit www.masspromisefellows.org.

About uAspire

The mission of uAspire is to ensure that all young people have the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path to – and through – a postsecondary education. uAspire provides free financial aid advice and advocacy to students in three sites in Massachusetts (Boston, Springfield, and Lawrence) and our newest site in Miami, FL. uAspire’s expert financial aid advisors have helped students secure more than $220 million in financial aid in the last three years. Through strategic partnerships with high schools, community organizations and local universities, uAspire has helped more than 60,000 students secure the resources they need to achieve their dreams of a higher education. www.uaspire.org.

About Massachusetts Promise Fellowship

The Massachusetts Promise Fellowship believes that all young people in the Commonwealth have a right to the resources that they need to be successful in life, including a caring adult, a safe place, a healthy start, an effective education, and an opportunity to serve. We deliver these 5 promises to youth by training emerging leaders who commit one year of service to support and provide these needed resources to youth throughout the Commonwealth. Currently in its fourteenth year, the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship places Fellows who commit to a year of service at non-profit organizations, schools, and city agencies across Massachusetts to create, lead, and manage youth development projects. The Fellowship has placed over 200 Fellows at over 80 host sites to provide over 350,000 hours to communities across Massachusetts. www.masspromisefellows.org.

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Organization Summary

uAspire (formerly known as ACCESS) is committed to its mission of ensuring that every young person has the financial information and resources necessary to find an affordable path to-and through-a postsecondary education.  Founded in Boston in 1985, uAspire has grown to become the city’s leading provider of financial aid advising and its largest scholarship provider.  In 2011, uAspire expanded to the city of Lawrence. The Program Coordinator Fellow will lead a diverse set of college affordability services-including direct one-on-one advising and delivery of workshops-focusing on engaging students and families in after-school hours. The Fellow will also play a key role in our community-based approach to advising by strengthening our evening partnerships with several community-based organizations. The Fellow will begin his/her year of service in August 2013.

Principal Responsibilities

• Conduct one-on-one college affordability sessions during after-school hours for all Lawrence High School complex schools
• Serve as the uAspire liaison for all uAspire partners in the Merrimack Valley
• Facilitate workshops for students and families on college affordability, choosing colleges, and choices to make while in middle/early high school
• Participate/conduct workshops at parent nights
• Provide updates and report student progress to school and community partners
• Create a student-centered focus group to evaluate uAspire’s work and impact in Lawrence
• Research and assess potential partnership opportunities in surrounding communities
• Work with a cohort of 30-45 young people during Summer 2014 to counsel and guide them through the last steps of the college process
• Travel once a month to advisor staff meeting
• Travel at least once/month to Fellowship meetings, retreats, and training throughout the Commonwealth

Qualifications

• Excellent organizational and communication skills 
• The ability to work independently 
• An interest in and commitment to national and community service 
• Experience working with youth
• The desire to work with diverse constituencies
• Flexibility and a sense of humor
• Ability to see the big picture without losing sight of the details
• Strong critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Strong public speaking and presentation skills
• Professional and mature
• BA/BS required
• Bilingual applicants are strongly encouraged to apply (Spanish and English)
• Access to a car required
• Some evening and weekend service required
• Must be a United States citizen, United States national or lawful permanent resident of the United States
• Must be willing to comply with a criminal background check and FBI fingerprint check

Benefits

For a one year full-time commitment and 1,700 hours of AmeriCorps service, Fellows receive:

• A taxable living allowance of $269/week
• Comprehensive health care benefits
• Excellent training opportunities
• FREE courses at Northeastern University in the College of Professional Studies
• Loan forbearance and a $5,550 educational award

How to Apply

Contact Information

Apply ASAP! Applicants are hired on a rolling basis. Send a letter of interest, resume and contact info for three references ASAP and before May 24, 2013, preferably electronically, to:

Elsa Martinez-Pimental

uAspire

Email: jobs@uaspire.org 

Website: http://www.uaspire.org

To learn more about the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship program, visit www.masspromisefellows.org.

The Massachusetts Promise Fellowship is committed to providing equal opportunities. We serve and partner with diverse organizations, and are dedicated to non-discrimination. It is our policy to ensure that all individuals with whom we are in contact are treated without regard to age, color, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or expression, or veteran status. We require that all our partners make reasonable accommodations for any and all individuals with a permanent or temporary disability. We actively partner with organizations representing minority concerns and interests to build high-performing teams that mirror the communities we serve.

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