Our Program Model
Minds Matter believes that no student’s dreams for college and career should be limited by their socio-economic status. For this reason, we empower every student to not only gain acceptance into, but to persist through and graduate from, a competitive four-year college and into a fulfilling career.
Our model is composed of two program phases: the College Access Program and the College & Career Success Program. All students complete both programs in keeping with our high-touch, holistic approach.
The College Access Program
The College Access Program supports high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in navigating the complexities of identifying, then applying to, their best-fit colleges.
Students meet every Saturday throughout the school year, September-May. These weekly sessions include professional ACT instruction, a writing and critical thinking course, and designated time to meet with their two mentors. Students also participate in two on-campus summer programs at top universities, funded in full by MMB. Our curriculum takes a holistic approach to college access, covering topics from financial aid and personal essays to time management and relationship building.
The College & Career
Success Program
MMB continues to support our students throughout college. Alumni benefit from ongoing mentorship with a focus on common social, emotional, and financial challenges encountered in the early years of college, providing a supportive community during what can otherwise be a challenging time of transition.
Support offerings include::
One-on-one check-ins with all first-year students;
Community newsletters to build common understanding of best practices and disseminate resources;
Care packages to support students with the “college essentials;”
Access to an emergency fund designed to help students with unforeseen costs.
As our students progress through college, we transition to a focus on post-graduate employment pathways. Our career development offerings include networking events, career panels, and exclusive internships. We aim to ensure that our young people can leverage their college degrees into promising careers that offer economic mobility.
Across our College Access and College & Career Success programs, all students will complete over 1,200 hours of relationship-driven programming.
Our Key Skill Sets
We believe that these key skill sets will help our students achieve their goals in high school, college, and beyond. Students are introduced to these skills and given opportunities to build them throughout the program.
COMMUNICATION
“What we say matters.”
TEAMWORK
“We are stronger together.”
IDENTITY BUILDING
“Every interaction is a cultural interaction.”
SELF ADVOCACY
“I am my own best advocate.”
PRIORITIZATION
“I spend my time on what matters.”
Our Core Values
COMMUNITY
We seek to create deep and lasting relationships among our students, volunteers, and staff. Through mutual care and respect, we foster a vibrant and close-knit community that empowers students to realize their potential. We take joy in coming together to celebrate the successes and contributions of our community members.
COMMITMENT
We approach our work with unrelenting dedication and a spirit of excellence. We are responsible and accountable to each other and the organization. We are committed to our students’ success and set high expectations to help them gain admission to their best-fit college.
GROWTH
We embrace growth and utilize a growth mindset in everything we do. We believe that challenges propel us toward intellectual and emotional development. We seek feedback from our community in order to improve through reflection and action.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
We are committed to upholding a community where the diversity of every member is honored and valued. We stand together knowing that we are stronger when we embrace understanding and empathy in building connections with each other. We foster an environment where our students, volunteers, and staff bring their intersectional identities to bear in their work.