| "What stands out to me most about RTE is the organization’s commitment to supporting its students, not only through scholarship funds, but also through mentorship and individualized support for students throughout their time in college. The RTE volunteers are deeply invested in their scholars’ success and setting scholars up to thrive beyond college. RTE's steadfast commitment to supporting its scholars long-term is what has inspired me to continue volunteering as a student representative." - Nadia Soburg, RTE Student Representative since 2021 Showcasing Creativity in Action Designs by Brooklyn Hutchingson During an internship with the Vignelli Center for Design Studies, our very own Brooklyn Hutchinson (Paly '20 and Rochester Institute of Technology '24) was responsible for the design of the 14th edition of the Metaproject book series. This book documents the Metaproject, in which industrial design studies were given the opportunity to design interactive installations around the RITE campus. The final book design will be printed and produced for sale in order to financially support the potential construction of the Metaproject. Q & A with Kimberly Schwan, Director of Mentorship Kimberly Schwan Kimberly Schwan joined the Board of RTE in 2017 and later became the Mentorship Chairperson. Q: How did you get involved in RTE? What drew you to it? My last career was a 16 year tenure as VP of Human Resources for a private equity firm. Afterwards, I spent four years volunteering at the Paly College & Career Counseling Center (CCC) at the same time that my daughters and their peers were navigating the college process. I found that many students sought assistance from advisors to help with college applications, essays, and other aspects of the process. Our family decided to navigate this process on our own. Through my work and volunteer experiences, I became acutely aware of the barriers that financially challenged students encounter when pursuing higher education and that there was a need to address these obstacles and provide support to young adults striving to achieve their academic and career goals. I joined RTE to help create a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape. Q: What have been the most rewarding aspects of your work? The most rewarding aspects of my work are with the impact I see on my students and the collaborative efforts of the mentorship team and organization I work with. First and foremost, witnessing the growth and success of my students brings me immense joy -whether it's academic achievements, personal milestones, or overcoming challenges. Seeing them thrive fills me with pride and happiness. I am incredibly grateful to work alongside a dedicated and compassionate group of mentors. Their unwavering commitment to supporting our students and their forward-thinking approach to improving our programs and services inspire me every day. Additionally, being part of an organization that is dedicated to serving the needs of underserved students has been both fulfilling and rewarding. Collaborating with our board members to shape the direction and growth of the organization has been an exciting journey. Together, we have worked tirelessly to expand our reach, strengthen our programs, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve. Read More Scholar Profile: Josué Vásquez Josué Vásquez at UCM Josué, Paly Class of 2023 graduate, is attending University of Central Missouri studying Business Administration. Here’s a little more about Josué in his own words: My college journey started during my junior year when I took summer classes for Geometry. The knowledge I gained there enriched my understanding and also contributed to a significantly improved GPA (3.8+). I initially wanted to major in Psychology, but recognizing my interest in data and proficiency with numbers, my TA Ms. Andrea steered me towards Accounting. I am grateful that she saw potential in me that I hadn't yet recognized in myself. The University of Central Missouri perfectly aligned with my criteria, making it a top choice. Along with my Business Administration degree, I also plan to become a Resident Advisor and Tutor on campus soon. As a first-generation college student, the academic guidance and advice from Paly were invaluable. Now at UCM, I actively pursue uncomfortable and challenging paths, applying the mindset developed with Paly's help. I built a great support network with my teachers and mentors. Grainger, my mentor from Rise Together Education (RTE), provided regular guidance on my strengths and areas for improvement. My brother Sammy, also affiliated with RTE, served as another mentor. Alongside Ms. Andrea, many of my freshmen and sophomore year teachers played a significant role in supporting me. Their challenging yet positive approach to my grades is something I am grateful for. Read mor e Event Recap: Rise and Thrive! College grads panelist: Sammy, Pamela, Zharit, Dami, Jennyfer with new Board Member Priyanka On January 23, 2024, RTE held the Rise & Thrive College Success Panel, in which five RTE alumni shared their experiences and insights with current RTE scholars. The alumni talked about their experiences throughout the years on topics such as switching majors, building resumes, finding additional scholarships, how to put together an artistic portfolio, time management, post-graduation job search, and more. A major topic that came up was the transition from a primarily online educational experience (due to COVID) to an in-person experience and the hardships that came with it. The panelists shared different perspectives when it came to navigating through a new environment post-virtual learning or juggling school, work, and finding time for themselves. Students left the panel with new ideas and information, better preparing them to rise and thrive in their future college experiences! In the News: FAFSA Changes Create Challenges As families adjust to the changes in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), they are waiting longer than usual to hear back on financial aid. The importance of the support that RTE provides to make it possible for students to attend college is more critical than ever. Read more about what’s happening with the FAFSA here . Thanks for reading! We look forward to giving our supporters an update of the soon-to-be college graduates in the next issue! Give THE GIFT OF EDUCATION Let's be buddies |
"What stands out to me most about RTE is the organization’s commitment to supporting its students, not only through scholarship funds, but also through mentorship and individualized support for students throughout their time in college. The RTE volunteers are deeply invested in their scholars’ success and setting scholars up to thrive beyond college. RTE's steadfast commitment to supporting its scholars long-term is what has inspired me to continue volunteering as a student representative."
- Nadia Soburg, RTE Student Representative since 2021
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Showcasing Creativity in Action
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 Designs by Brooklyn Hutchingson | | |
During an internship with the Vignelli Center for Design Studies, our very own Brooklyn Hutchinson (Paly '20 and Rochester Institute of Technology '24) was responsible for the design of the 14th edition of the Metaproject book series. This book documents the Metaproject, in which industrial design studies were given the opportunity to design interactive installations around the RITE campus. The final book design will be printed and produced for sale in order to financially support the potential construction of the Metaproject. | |
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Q & A with Kimberly Schwan, Director of Mentorship | |
 Kimberly Schwan |
Kimberly Schwan joined the Board of RTE in 2017 and later became the Mentorship Chairperson.
Q: How did you get involved in RTE? What drew you to it?
My last career was a 16 year tenure as VP of Human Resources for a private equity firm. Afterwards, I spent four years volunteering at the Paly College & Career Counseling Center (CCC) at the same time that my daughters and their peers were navigating the college process. I found that many students sought assistance from advisors to help with college applications, essays, and other aspects of the process. Our family decided to navigate this process on our own. Through my work and volunteer experiences, I became acutely aware of the barriers that financially challenged students encounter when pursuing higher education and that there was a need to address these obstacles and provide support to young adults striving to achieve their academic and career goals. I joined RTE to help create a more inclusive and equitable educational landscape.
Q: What have been the most rewarding aspects of your work?
The most rewarding aspects of my work are with the impact I see on my students and the collaborative efforts of the mentorship team and organization I work with. First and foremost, witnessing the growth and success of my students brings me immense joy -whether it's academic achievements, personal milestones, or overcoming challenges. Seeing them thrive fills me with pride and happiness. I am incredibly grateful to work alongside a dedicated and compassionate group of mentors. Their unwavering commitment to supporting our students and their forward-thinking approach to improving our programs and services inspire me every day. Additionally, being part of an organization that is dedicated to serving the needs of underserved students has been both fulfilling and rewarding. Collaborating with our board members to shape the direction and growth of the organization has been an exciting journey. Together, we have worked tirelessly to expand our reach, strengthen our programs, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.
Read More
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Scholar Profile: Josué Vásquez
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Josué, Paly Class of 2023 graduate, is attending University of Central Missouri studying Business Administration. Here’s a little more about Josué in his own words:
My college journey started during my junior year when I took summer classes for Geometry. The knowledge I gained there enriched my understanding and also contributed to a significantly improved GPA (3.8+). I initially wanted to major in Psychology, but recognizing my interest in data and proficiency with numbers, my TA Ms. Andrea steered me towards Accounting. I am grateful that she saw potential in me that I hadn't yet recognized in myself. The University of Central Missouri perfectly aligned with my criteria, making it a top choice. Along with my Business Administration degree, I also plan to become a Resident Advisor and Tutor on campus soon.
As a first-generation college student, the academic guidance and advice from Paly were invaluable. Now at UCM, I actively pursue uncomfortable and challenging paths, applying the mindset developed with Paly's help. I built a great support network with my teachers and mentors. Grainger, my mentor from Rise Together Education (RTE), provided regular guidance on my strengths and areas for improvement. My brother Sammy, also affiliated with RTE, served as another mentor. Alongside Ms. Andrea, many of my freshmen and sophomore year teachers played a significant role in supporting me. Their challenging yet positive approach to my grades is something I am grateful for. Read more
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Event Recap: Rise and Thrive! | |
College grads panelist: Sammy, Pamela, Zharit, Dami, Jennyfer with new Board Member Priyanka | | |
On January 23, 2024, RTE held the Rise & Thrive College Success Panel, in which five RTE alumni shared their experiences and insights with current RTE scholars. The alumni talked about their experiences throughout the years on topics such as switching majors, building resumes, finding additional scholarships, how to put together an artistic portfolio, time management, post-graduation job search, and more. A major topic that came up was the transition from a primarily online educational experience (due to COVID) to an in-person experience and the hardships that came with it. The panelists shared different perspectives when it came to navigating through a new environment post-virtual learning or juggling school, work, and finding time for themselves. Students left the panel with new ideas and information, better preparing them to rise and thrive in their future college experiences! | |
In the News: FAFSA Changes Create Challenges | |
As families adjust to the changes in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), they are waiting longer than usual to hear back on financial aid. The importance of the support that RTE provides to make it possible for students to attend college is more critical than ever. Read more about what’s happening with the FAFSA here.
Thanks for reading! We look forward to giving our supporters an update of the soon-to-be college graduates in the next issue!
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