Year after year, millions of young people and their families face the challenge of financing a college education. Due to the high expenses of college, many families’ options are either applying for student loans or scholarships. This was true for Greenhouse’s Victoria Lamar, and it led her to launch Securing Degrees, a company designed to teach students how to graduate college debt-free through drafting well-crafted essays for college admissions offices.
Despite her and her family’s desire for her to get a college degree, higher education was financially unattainable—until she secured 3 million dollars in scholarships! Inspired and enlightened by her own experience, she saw an opportunity to help others achieve their college dreams through a low-cost service that optimizes scholarship essays and college applications.
Victoria’s initiative caught the attention of Karl Maier at a Greenhouse pitch prep competition, and he eagerly joined her to scale the business. In just four years, they grew Securing Degrees to assist 2,500 students and facilitate $11 million in scholarships. With guidance from her Greenhouse mentor Matt Kelley and financial support from Greenhouse Flex Funding, Victoria also created partnerships with 15 schools and organizations, including a significant collaboration with the San Francisco Unified School District. Today, Victoria proudly offers her own scholarship to award students.
Thanks to the collective efforts of the Greenhouse community, Securing Degrees has enabled students to earn over $20 million in scholarships and has served more than 4,000 families. Inspired by one person’s challenging circumstances, this innovative and inclusive idea is a result of the diverse and committed individuals in the Greenhouse community coming together to create such positive change.