Young Leaders Program – 2023 Funded Businesses + Projects

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Comprised of three components (learning, relationships, entrepreneurship), the Young Leaders Program provides comprehensive support to Greenhouse alumni in the first decade of their careers and post-college lives and ensures we work together as a community to launch high-potential, high-impact ideas. 

The program serves alumni who are committed to growing as a leader, pursuing the best version of themselves, leveling the playing field in their careers, and being a part of strengthening our community.  

By supporting the people and ideas that have the greatest ability to positively impact our world, the Young Leaders Program is a building block in pursuit of lasting community change.

Through the entrepreneurship component of the Young Leaders Program, Greenhouse provides direct support for early-stage ideas and connections to funding for different life stages.

The goal of the entrepreneurship component is to create an entrepreneurial mindset and platform to identify and launch high-potential ideas. In 2023, the Young Leaders Program also invited alumni older than 30 to apply for funding.

Helena Cappon (2019 Class)

Gub Gub’s Pizza + Ice Cream

Gub Gub’s Pizza + Ice Cream received a second round of funding (also funded in 2021) to help purchase a new ice cream machine, quoted at $16,898 overall (including delivery, installation, and training). Their previous soft-serve machines were old and used and would often break down, rendering GubGub’s staff unable to meet the demands of their customers. With GubGub’s primary food offerings being pizza and ice cream, purchasing a new ice cream machine is imperative to the success and sustainability of the business.

Brittni Hernandez (2012 Class)

MiraSoul Healing

A women-owned wellness shop located in the Creative District of Greeley, a city in rural Colorado. MiraSoul Healing combines traditional healing practices rooted in Mexican Curanderismo with modern wellness practices, providing herbal apothecaries, local art, classes and gatherings, and other holistic wellness tools. Brittni requested funding to support marketing efforts, improved efficiency of their point of sales, and the launch of a new product line (subscription boxes).

Victoria Lamar (2022 Class)

Securing Degrees, LLC

A scholarship company providing personalized, affordable, and effective online and in-person scholarship and college application services. Since its inception in 2018, Securing Degrees has worked with over 4,000 individuals to help them accumulate over $15 Million in funding and has partnered with over 20 schools, nonprofits, and organizations.

Alexa Lobato (2017 Class)

Optimum Athletics LLC

After attending Greenhouse’s CO Idea Enhancement Session earlier this year, Alexa revamped plans for her business, which provides a mobile sports science testing laboratory bringing cutting-edge sport science concepts to every athlete, parent, and team. Alexa requested additional funding for operational costs and the development of a website.

Juno Padilla (2020 Class)

“Cancha for Xecruz”

A community change initiative in Xecruz, an indigenous community in Guatemala. The purpose of the project is to provide the community with a center to gather for sports and town hall meetings, and to help the community gain recognition from the government. Juno is returning to Colorado to enact what he’s learned (e.g., communicating across differences; garnering support for and executing community change initiatives). He will revisit and sustain his involvement in the program over the coming years.

Yocelyn Pina (2023 Class)

“The Art of Defiance” Video Podcast

The creation of “The Art of Defiance” serves a dual purpose: firstly, to amplify the solidarity and visibility of QTBIPOC healers, artists; and community change leaders; secondly, to foster compassion, connection, consciousness-raising, joy, and actionable change through the art of storytelling. “The Art of Defiance” was conceptualized during the pandemic in conjunction with the urgent need and opportunity to reimagine a post-covid world. Through autobiographical storytelling and one-on-one interviews with mostly QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), the podcast offers a blend of solo commentary and intimate conversations.

Alfredo Reyes (2012 Class) & Michelle Lehman (2019 Class)

Latino Cultural Arts Center (LCAC): Las Bodegas

A nonprofit cultural campus located in Denver, Colorado. Las Bodegas will be home to the Latino Cultural Art Center’s (LCAC) programs in digital and visual arts, addressing issues of mental wellness, healthy environments, and workforce development. Alfredo and Michelle requested funding to launch a wide-scale marketing campaign to raise the last leg of funding. (Alfredo has raised $4.7 Million to date for the construction of the campus and needs an additional $1.3 Million. Michelle will be assisting with the marketing graphics and is considering joining the center as a program educator).

Ricardo Reyes (2022 Class)

”My College Journey Academy” (MCJA)

A community change initiative that serves as a mentorship program and college application boot camp for students in Texas’ Irving School District, a predominantly low-income area. Since its founding, MCJA has grown from 2 to 11 mentors and has served 46 students. Ricardo is looking to expand MCJA’s impact and recruit more mentors and students.

Jessamyn Sweet (2017 Class)

Community Engagement Project

Jessamyn is a multi-disciplinary artist based out of San Francisco. Over the next year, she will embark on a project to address two sides of community:

  • First, exploring areas in which community is failing, through visual art
  • Second, cultivating a culture of connection to proactively combat these failures through community engagement events

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Greenhouse Alumni Update! (Spring 2023)

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A Strong Start to 2023!
As we near almost a year since Greenhouse launched the Young Leaders Program for Greenhouse alumni, I continue to be inspired by this diverse community of leaders and proud of what each of you has accomplished. From rural Colorado to “The City That Never Sleeps” to Barcelona, Spain, Greenhouse alumni are evolving the communities of the world and living their best lives. I’m proud of us!

So many great things have happened within the Greenhouse community in the last three months and we’re excited to share them with you. Keep reading below for alumni news, organizational updates, and what’s to come.

With love, 
Michelle

Whole Person College Program…New Scholar Selection featuring Alumni

We are deep in the process of selecting the next incoming class of Greenhouse Scholars – the Class of 2027! This year we received the following number of applications by state:

  • Colorado: 249
  • Illinois: 199
  • Georgia: 232
  • North Carolina: 119
  • New York: 87

After reviewing written applications and video submissions we have 35 finalists moving on to the in-person interviews in Colorado, 21 in Illinois, and 14 each in Georgia, North Carolina, and New York.

This year, for the first time ever, we organized an All-Alumni Video Review Panel for New Scholar Selection (some pictured above). Together, we reviewed 16 New York applicants and with the support of these alumni, ensured that each New York applicant was reviewed at least three times – the highest number that an applicant has been reviewed since the pandemic. A huge thank you to Holly Ajala, Joon Bang, Tyler Cunningham, Elizabeth Gutierrez-Gutierrez, Alexa Lobato, and Kiko Wong for helping us maintain momentum in a newly launched state!

Connect with Current Scholars and the Greenhouse Community HERE!

Young Leaders Program
Learning Component

Advisors in-Residence
We kicked off the year with our All Advisor Session on January 24 where Young Leaders participated in staff-led discussions with our Advisors in-Residence Teams. CEO Pete Burridge gave a keynote speech on “Thriving In Your 20s” and our Advisors offered insights on “Leading with Authenticity,” “Creating A Healthy Workplace Culture,” and “Navigating Life Changes.” If you missed the event, don’t worry, you can find a recording of each session here.

Personalized Coaching

40 alumni received a coach this past January through the Young Leaders Program and are nearing the end of their four-month coaching in either Leadership, Professional, Personal, Community Change, or Entrepreneurship. Here’s what one of our alumni had to say about their coaching so far:

“I am having a wonderful experience with my coach and our coaching sessions have been so generative and impactful. She helped me prioritize my present and future professional goals and I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress with my confidence. She helped me plan a six month check in with my supervisor, put a new perspective to my skills and points of growth, and is helping me update my resume. I now schedule one hour of development per week where I work on these tasks and it feels very balanced and in harmony with the rest of my work. I feel valued and seen by my coach and feel that she actually believes in me – corny but so important.”

Young Leaders Program
Relationship Component

Regional Alumni Meetup in Denver
Regional Alumni Meetups are coming to Colorado! Alumna Connie Appiah will host our Alumni Meetup in Denver at the Rosy Rings Studio on Friday, May 12 from 3:30-5:30 PM. Young Leaders will participate in a candle-making class, re-connect with each other, and enjoy some light apps and drinks.

While alumni in their 20s will have priority to RSVP to this meetup, if there is room, we will open the RSVPs to all alumni including those in their 30s

Save the Date – Ignite 2023
It’s almost that time of year – Ignite is back and soon approaching! We’re looking to host 50 alumni in Boulder, CO this year for our largest alumni reunion, yet. Ignite is an alumni-only conference reminiscent of Summer Symposium and is taking place this year on Saturday, August 5 – Monday, August 7 (programming will end mid-day on Monday). All alumni in their 20s (Class of 2023-Class of 2016) are invited to attend – be on the lookout for more information including accommodations and travel stipends.

Sustaining Phase Alumni (Greenhouse alumni in their 30s): Interested in being a speaker at Ignite or leading a workshop? Let us know! Reach out to Michelle Kruk at mkruk@greenhousescholars.org

Young Leaders Program
Entrepreneurship Component

Young Leaders
We are very excited to be in the planning phase of the regional, in-person Idea Creation, Enhancement, and Execution support sessions. Stay tuned to learn more about being involved with the Entrepreneurship Component!

Sustaining Phase Alumni
We would love for you to participate in our regional Ideation sessions to help our Young Leaders flesh out new, high-potential ideas. If you are interested in participating in one of these sessions in 2023, email Jamie Clay.

Entrepreneurship Spotlight! Check out alumna Helena Cappon’s restaurant, Gub Gub’s in Walsenburg, CO!

New York: We held our first New York event in Manhattan in February where alumni Bashel Lewis, Wendy Guardado, and Michelle Kruk addressed 80 new prospective community members. Thank you to all the alumni and scholars who showed out for this historic evening!

Coming Up…

Glass Half Full Georgia – April 27, 6 PM EST in Atlanta: At this year’s Glass Half Full Georgia, philanthropy meets southern fare. Raise your glass and feed your soul as we gather for a not-to-be-missed evening featuring Atlanta’s most acclaimed pitmasters, signature cocktails, and inspiring conversations with our Georgia community. Please join us as we celebrate the opportunity, optimism, and positive impact this powerful community has created.

Glass Half Full Colorado – May 12, 6 PM MST in Denver: Raise your glass and feed your soul as we gather our united community for Denver’s premiere philanthropic event. This year’s Glass Half Full features signature cocktails, fine wine, craft beer, mouth-watering cuisine, and not-to-be-missed silent and live auction items. Please join us as we celebrate opportunity, optimism, and the positive impact powered by this community.

To stay up to date on the Young Leaders Program and how we are providing comprehensive support to alumni in the early stages of their career and post-college life, click here.

Congratulations to our alumni on Match Day! Alum Jessica Saifee matched into meds-peds at Baylor and alum Breanna Stafford matched into anesthesiology at the University of Utah. 
Do you have updates to share about our Alumni? Complete this survey!

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2023 Young Leaders Program Advisors “In-Residence” Sessions

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The Young Leaders Program provides comprehensive support to Greenhouse Scholars Alums in the early stages of their careers and post-college life.

Advisors “In-Residence” Sessions provide innovative, comprehensive, and personalized support resources to grow Young Leaders, maximize individual potential, and foster community change. Advisors participate in three teams and work with alumni over four virtual sessions:
  • Leaders “In-Residence”: Helping alumni become exceptional leaders of people, profits, and purpose.
  • Executives “In-Residence”: Preparing young leaders to take on the finance, operations, marketing/customer experience, and culture challenges and opportunities that present themselves regardless of vocation.
  • Whole People “In-Residence”: Providing the knowledge and tools to help young leaders live their best lives.
  • All-Advisor Session: One Ask Me Anything (AMA)-style Q&A session across all three teams.

See below for bios of and session themes from our curated Advisors “In-Residence”

We were excited to kick off this year’s Advisors in Residence sessions with our Leadership Team in March and the theme “Lead from Any Seat.” Young Leaders heard from returning Advisors Frank Beardsley and Kathleen Lockhart and new Advisors Allison Rabin and Lauren Steiner.

In June we continued the conversation with our Young Leaders and the Advisors in Residence Executives Team with the theme “Defining Your Professional Career in Your 20’s.” Young Leaders engaged with returning Advisors Denise Bell and Eric Goldstein and new Advisors Ben Bressler and Dr. Roslind Blasingame-Buford.

In September we closed out the individual team sessions with our Young Leaders and the Advisors in Residence Whole Person Team with the theme “Cultivating Your Wellbeing in Your 20’s.” Young Leaders connected with returnign Advisors Paul Dreyer and Caroline Van Sickle and new Advisors Sam King and Jill Pilsbury.

In December, 18 Young Leaders, joined us for our 2nd All Advisors in-Residence Session. We welcomed back our Leadership, Whole Person, and Executive Advisor teams for a day of facilitated discussion and workshops. Our CEO and Founder, Pete Burridge, kicked off this virtual event with motivating words about navigation life in your 20s.

See below to learn more about each Advisor!

June Leadership Session
March Executives Session
September Whole Person Session

2022 Advisors “In-Residence”

Leaders Team

Frank Beardsley
(Returning Advisor)

Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Partners

Frank is a 35+ year financial industry veteran with an outstanding track record of growing insurance and asset management businesses. Most recently, Frank worked at Guggenheim Partners Investment Management as a Senior Managing Director. He has proven skill in driving successful risk and investment management practices through multibillion-dollar organizations. He has demonstrated strengths in managing remote teams across multiple functional areas. Frank is also a strong communicator and business partner who excels at senior management and board relations. He is an adaptable and results-focused leader who embraces change.

Kathleen Lockhart, MBA
(Returning Advisor)

VP of Deal Management, Zayo

Kathleen leverages her strategic background wherever her career takes her. She strives to put herself in an environment where she can continuously learn, grow, and face new challenges. She endeavors to always be involved in her community and has a goal to add value to the world every day. She has always enjoyed working with others, particularly when given the opportunity to improve teamwork across organizations. This is evident with her current role as VP, Deal Management at Zayo where she leads a 40+ person team. She has been promoted several times at Zayo since her first position as a GIS Specialist in 2014 and most recently in 2021 as a VP.

Allison Rabin
(New Advisor)

Chief Operating Officer, Near North Title Group

Allison is an accomplished, results-driven management executive responsible for rejuvenating operations through strategic vision, financial analysis, and building cultural communities. She is known for developing teams and mentoring new managers on best practices for evaluating financials, creating annual budgets, and designing business plans. She brings the best out of the team by envisioning intentional changes and drawing ideas from all stakeholders. Able to create a culture of optimism, generate buy-in at all levels and produce successful bottom-line results.

Lauren Steiner
(New Advisor)

Owner + Founder, Grants Plus

Lauren founded Grants Plus in 2007 to help nonprofits raise the grant funding they need to fulfill their missions and change the world. Fifteen years later, Lauren’s vision has come to life with the impact of transformative organizations and projects around the country. Grants Plus has secured more than $250 million in public and private grants for community-serving agencies, health organizations, schools and colleges, cultural institutions, and other entities nationwide. Today Grants Plus has grown to a team of more than thirty of the most experienced and talented grants professionals in the fundraising industry.

Executives Team

Denise Bell
(Returning Advisor)

Former Principal, Talent Strategy and HR Consultant at Mercer

Denise is a human resource professional with external client consulting experience in HR Transformation, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and general talent strategy as well as internal HR experience in learning and development, talent management, and talent acquisition. Denise is passionate about empowering organizations to optimize and modernize their HR programs, practices, and structure as they journey towards the future of work. 

Ben Bressler
(New Advisor)

President, Natural Habitat Adventures

In 35 years, Ben has grown Nat Hab to become a global leader in nature travel, offering life-enhancing adventures to the world’s most wondrous wild places. He himself has journeyed to dozens of countries in search of spectacular nature experiences…and a good time, whenever possible. Aside from heading a meaningful company that provides “The World’s Greatest Nature Expeditions,” Ben’s professional ambition is to change the way people think about travel, from large group consumptive tours to small group, personal travel experiences that serve to protect the areas they visit and preserve the planet.

 

Eric Goldstein
(Returning Advisor)

Chief Risk Officer, Antares Capital

Eric has operated in several executive-level roles across risk, operations, technology, and administration at Antares Capital, a ~$50 billion private credit manager and a leading provider of financing solutions for middle-market private equity-backed transactions. Eric is also a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Prior, Eric was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in the Merchant Banking Division, responsible for finance and administration functions of the division’s private investment funds. He also led the structuring, negotiation, and management of fund-level subscription and asset-based credit facilities.

Dr. Roslind Blasingame-Buford
(New Advisor)

Director, Organizational Development (Southwest) at Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Dr. Roz is a trailblazer in youth development and education and serves as a national thought leader and change agent influencing college access, workforce development, restorative justice, and afterschool programming. She has received numerous commendations for her leadership and commitment to service and was Named as a “Leading Lady” by “O,” The Oprah Magazine; recognized as one of Chicago’s Emerging Leaders by the Community Renewal Society; recently elected into the Economic Club of Chicago and is a 2018 Fellow for Leadership Greater Chicago. Dr. Roz has earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Master of Science in Nonprofit Management, and Doctorate in Adult Education.

Whole Person Team

Paul Dreyer
(Returning Advisor)

Consultant/Guide/Mercenary Educator

Born in South Africa, Paul moved to the U.S. as a small child, and has continued to seek out travel, adventure, and education ever since. He has worked in and around the worlds of experiential education, leadership development, and group psychology for over 20 years. His scope of practice has been varied; he has worked as a facilitator, curriculum designer, expeditionary leader, risk management consultant, staff trainer, and counselor. Much of his experience comes from teaching, leading, directing, and counseling groups or organizations in remote and challenging settings or environments around the world. For almost 10 years, he also served as the CEO with Avid4 Adventure helping support the mission to empower kids to choose active and healthy outdoor lifestyles.

Sam King
(New Advisor)

Director of Sustainability, Marist School Network

Sam is an environmental educator, public speaker, writer, coach, and activist. He serves as Director of Sustainability for the United States Marist school network and Project Manager for the Emmy Award-winning Journey of the Universe film and multimedia project, hosting the Journey of the Universe: 10 Years Later podcast and curating the monthly newsletter. A former teacher in Peru, Sri Lanka, and Connecticut, he holds a Master’s in Religion and Ecology from Yale Divinity School and a Master’s in Creative Writing from Dartmouth College. Sam is passionate about bridging science, philosophy, and spirituality to inspire a flourishing future for all life.

Jill Pillsbury
(New Advisor)

Life Coach/Director,
Landmark Research Group

Jill is a successful businesswoman, community leader, and devoted mother who has made a positive impact on many people’s lives. Jill currently works as an executive/life coach where she offers a straightforward approach. A problem-solver by nature, Jill draws on a successful business background and real-world experiences to help others establish healthy boundaries, bolster confidence, and resolve conflict through better communication. Her work often includes bridging the gap between management teams to create a positive and productive company culture.

Caroline Van Sickle
(Returning Advisor)

Director/Founder, Coach CVS

Caroline helps teams, organizations and individuals set a foundation of success, both in work and in life, at the next level. She combines a working knowledge of psychological and neurological science to help individuals extract hidden potential, remove mental obstacles, and enhance self-awareness. Her goal is to help you achieve an improved state of personal mastery. She breaks down biological processes from beliefs to behavior to help people and groups understand the underlying mechanisms that activate behavioral levers. Without understanding the basics of neuroscience, we can’t help but operate on autopilot.

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December 2022 Update to Alumni: The Young Leaders Program is in Full Swing!

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In May 2022, we launched the Young Leaders Program for Scholar alumni in the early stages of their careers and post-college lives to create and implement initiatives, companies, and ideas while comprehensively supporting them on their various journeys. The program is based on three components: learning, relationships, and entrepreneurship.

We are very excited about our progress in the past seven months and look forward to sharing what is to come!

See below for program updates and what’s next for Young Leaders Alumni (ages 21-30) and how Sustaining Alumni can support them (ages 30+).

Learning Component…
Advisor Sessions Recap and Upcoming Coach Sessions!

Providing innovative, comprehensive, and personalized support resources to grow Young Leaders, maximize individual potential, and foster community change.

Young Leaders
Advisors “In Residence”: We held three individual sessions from October through December with the Whole Person, Executives, and Leaders teams respectively. You can learn more about Advisors, session topics, and feedback here. Stay tuned to PeopleGrove for recordings of these sessions. Save the Date for the “Ask Me Anything” Zoom session featuring all Advisors and a welcome by Pete Burridge on January 24, 2023, 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM MST! We’ll bring on six new Advisors in 2023 and begin the sessions quarterly starting in March.

Personalized Coaching: The Young Leaders Program staff have been meeting with Greenhouse community members to form personalized coach pairings around the themes of leadership, professional, personal, and community change. Coaching starts in January 2023!

Sustaining Alumni
Video Library: We have been working to develop our Video Library on PeopleGrove to provide quality online sources. We’d love to have our Sustaining Alumni (30+) be part of our Video Library on PeopleGrove! If you are interested in being interviewed for the library around leadership, professional, personal, or community change themes, please email Michelle Kruk.

Relationship Component…
Illinois Regional Meetup Recap and Upcoming Career Fair! 

Helping Young Leaders foster relationships that matter for powering ideas, actions, and community change.

Young Leaders
Illinois Regional Meetup: We kicked off our first Regional Alumni meetup in Chicago in October! Alumni from 7 class years joined host Nick Tarleton and Young Leaders Program staff for an evening of fun and engagement by fostering relationships, engaging with each other, and playing Whirlyball! Some alumni drove 6+ hours from other states and flew in to participate! You can read more about the event here.

Colorado Regional Meetup: Save the date for the Colorado meetup on May 12, 2023, 4:30-6 PM in Denver hosted by alumna Connie Appiah right before the Glass Half Full Colorado event!

Virtual Career Fair: Stay tuned for more details on a virtual career fair in 2023 that will connect Young Leaders with Greenhouse community corporations, hiring professionals, and sector-focused conversations.

All Alumni
PeopleGrove: If you haven’t already, join our cross-community online engagement platform, PeopleGrove to build relationships with fellow alumni and the Greenhouse community.

Do you have an available internship or job opportunity for our Scholars or Young Leaders? Post the opportunity to PeopleGrove and email Michelle Kruk. 

Save the Date for Ignite! Friday, August 4 – Sunday, August 6, 2023.
Stay tuned for more information including accommodations and travel stipends.

Entrepreneurship Component…
Upcoming Idea Creation and Enhancement Sessions!

Helping Young Leaders create and sharpen business ideas at every stage of development. From ideation to business resources to seed funding, we’re building an ecosystem to develop entrepreneurial mindsets and launch high-potential ideas.

Young Leaders
We are very excited to be in the planning phase of the regional, in-person Idea Creation, Enhancement, and Execution support sessions next year. Stay tuned to apply to attend these sessions starting in March 2023. 

Sustaining Alumni
We would love for you to participate in our regional Ideation sessions to help our Young Leaders flesh out new, high-potential ideas. If you are interested in participating in one of these sessions in 2023, email Jamie Clay.

Alumni Updates…
Congratulations Scholar Alumni!

We’d love to update our alumni community on all of your exciting professional and personal life updates. Do you have updates to share? You can complete this survey at any time and let us know! See below for some current updates.

Lara Alkarim (CO ’16): Lara spoke to the New York Development Board in November.

Jose Banales (CO ’19): Jose started a new position as a Customer Success Manager at Zayo Group! He’s been with Zayo since 2018 and this is his third position with them.

Yasmin Cortes (CO ’20): Yasmin spoke to the Illinois Development Board in November.

Nadeen Ibrahim (CO ’17): Nadeen was promoted at the East Colfax Community Collective to Organizing Director.

Michelle Kruk (IL ’16): Kruk spoke to the Illinois Greenhouse community at Glass Half Full Illinois in October.

Ousaf Moqeet (IL ’22): Moqueet spoke to the Illinois Greenhouse community at Glass Half Full Illinois in October.

Nick Tarleton (IL ’16): Hosted our first Young Leader’s regional meetup in Chicago in October.

Submit your exciting professional and personal updates here!

Want to learn more? Stay connected!

To stay up to date on the Young Leaders Program and how we are providing comprehensive support to alumni in the early stages of their career and post-college life, click here.

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Young Leaders Program 1st Regional Meet-Up in Ilinois!

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The Young Leaders Program provides comprehensive support to Greenhouse Scholars alumni in the early stages of their careers and post-college life.

Events like these foster relationships that matter for powering ideas, individuals, actions, and community change.

Regional alumni meet-ups are purposeful opportunities for Young Leaders to engage with peers and allow them to identify specific values and achievements of their cohort.

Greenhouse hosted its 1st regional Young Leaders alumni meetup in October at Whirlyball in Chicago, Illinois. Thanks to our host, Nick Tarleton, alumni from 7 class years joined the Young Leaders Program staff for an evening of fun and engagement by fostering relationships, engaging with peers, and playing Whirlyball! Some alumni drove 6+ hours from other states and flew in just to participate! 

What did the Young Leaders enjoy the most at the Ilinois Regional Meet-Up?

“The opportunity to see old friends and make new ones. I am convinced Greenhouse has the highest density of amazing people per capita, and being able to connect with these people was incredible. I saw scholars I haven’t seen in a decade and it was like we never missed a beat. I met new scholars and it was like I had known them for years. The culture that has been established in Greenhouse to treat one another with respect and warmth makes me so happy I could tear up.”

“Reconnecting with alums and the program – I hadn’t seen anyone in a while and it was nice to come out, take a break, and be around inspiring people.”

“My favorite part was being able to bond with other scholars. Coming out of the pandemic person-to-person interactions became very rare so having this opportunity to play a game, have some food and drinks really create an amazing atmosh.”

“My favorite part was being able to interact with other scholars in different ways (during whirly ball and dinner). It was a great way to bond with one another.“

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Young Leaders Program Advisors “In-Residence” Sessions

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The Young Leaders Program provides comprehensive support to Greenhouse Scholars Alums in the early stages of their careers and post-college life.

Advisors “In-Residence” Sessions provide innovative, comprehensive, and personalized support resources to grow Young Leaders, maximize individual potential, and foster community change. Advisors participate in three teams and work with alumni over four virtual sessions:
  • Leaders “In-Residence”: Helping alumni become exceptional leaders of people, profits, and purpose.
  • Executives “In-Residence”: Preparing young leaders to take on the finance, operations, marketing/customer experience, and culture challenges and opportunities that present themselves regardless of vocation.
  • Whole People “In-Residence”: Providing the knowledge and tools to help young leaders live their best lives.
  • Fullday Session with All Teams: One full-day Ask Me Anything (AMA)-style Q&A session across all three teams.

See below for bios of and workshop themes from our curated Advisors “In-Residence”

We were excited to kick off the Advisors “In-Residence” Sessions with our Whole Person Team on October 25 where our Young Leaders participated in advisor-led breakout workshops focusing on “Self-Understanding” with Angel Eduardo and Paul Dreyer and “Quality-of-Life Planning” with Caroline VanSickle and Chris Nelson.

On November 17, we continued our Advisors “In-Residence” Sessions with our Executives Team where our Young Leaders worked in small groups with the individual Advisors and focused on the following workshop themes: “Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal,” with Jim Cooper, “Negotiation and Self Advocacy” with Natalie Levy, “Navigating Your Career” with Denise Bell, and “Know Yourself and Your Audience” with Eric Goldstein.

On December 12, we hosted our final team session of the year with our Leadership Team when our Young Leaders attended the following four mini-workshops with each Advisor: “The Art of Effective Feedback” with Frank Beardsley, “Young Leadership” with Kathleen Lockhart, “Your Leadership Style” with Danielle Lloyd, and “DEI in the Workplace” with Onon Wedum.

On January 5, 18 Young Leaders from 8 states, 6 class years, and 2 countries, joined us for our first All Advisors in-Residence Session. We welcomed back our Leadership, Whole Person, and Executive Advisors for a day of facilitated discussion. Our CEO and Founder, Pete Burridge, kicked off this virtual event with a moving keynote speech.

Our Young Leaders had the following to say about their experiences with the Advisor teams and All Advisor Session:

Whole Person:
“My favorite part was being able to be vulnerable with people who I identify as being in my community. I feel like that’s been missing in my life. I built a wall to avoid connection and I’m not always sure if that’s healthy boundaries or me avoiding people.“

“It was a really awesome opportunity to connect with people I haven’t talked with in a long time. I think my favorite thing was that it facilitated discussion that allowed everyone to be vulnerable, self-reflective, and still supported.“

“The small icebreakers/questions that we started the sessions with were all really thought-provoking and open to interpretation. They really demonstrated the difference in thinking from person to person.“

Executives:
“The ability to share and be vulnerable with my current job/career insecurities and being met with validating and encouraging remarks left a big impact on me.“

“I loved the topics and speakers. They were all so relevant to me right now it was hard to choose which ones I wanted to attend. I enjoyed that each speaker engaged our options and thoughts and the small groups made it easy to connect.”

“I am jealous about the sessions that I didn’t attend and would love to attend them all.“

Leadership:
“I liked talking about leadership without having to pick apart my strengths or weaknesses, name my style, etc. The session called for introspection of a different kind and I liked discussing leadership as its entity that we all already have. I liked talking about it as an identity that needs to be nourished with specific things – that we as leaders need specific types of development and support rather than “be” leaders and give, contribute, etc. The direction this session took was 10/10.”

“I’ve attended all three sessions this fall/winter, and I have left each one feeling more confident and assured in myself. Also, I cannot stress enough how sharing time and space with alumni makes me feel connected to a community that truly cares for me. Just tens, tens, tens across the board!“

All Advisor Session:
“It re-inspired me to take charge of my career path (visualizing the future, telling my value story to my company, maximizing the value that I can get from my current role).”

2022 Advisors “In-Residence”

Leaders Team

Frank Beardsley

Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Partners

Frank is a 35+ year financial industry veteran with an outstanding track record of growing insurance and asset management businesses. Most recently, Frank worked at Guggenheim Partners Investment Management as a Senior Managing Director. He has proven skill in driving successful risk and investment management practices through multibillion-dollar organizations. He has demonstrated strengths in managing remote teams across multiple functional areas. Frank is also a strong communicator and business partner who excels at senior management and board relations. He is an adaptable and results-focused leader who embraces change.

Danielle Lloyd

Director, Caruso Ventures

Danielle is a director at Caruso Ventures which invests in high-impact scaleups, seismic trends, and next-generation entrepreneurial leaders. Before Caruso Ventures, she was an Executive Director with the Zayo Group. Prior to relocating to Colorado, Danielle was the Director of Events and Sponsorships for The New York Times. She graduated from Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania with a bachelor of arts degree in mass communications and media studies. Danielle volunteers her time with three organizations: Endeavor and EforAll as a board member, and Colorado Thrives as a delegate.

Kathleen Lockhart, MBA

VP of Deal Management, Zayo

Kathleen leverages her strategic background wherever her career takes her. She strives to put herself in an environment where she can continuously learn, grow, and face new challenges. She endeavors to always be involved in her community and has a goal to add value to the world every day. She has always enjoyed working with others, particularly when given the opportunity to improve teamwork across organizations. This is evident with her current role as VP, Deal Management at Zayo where she leads a 40+ person team. She has been promoted several times at Zayo since her first position as a GIS Specialist in 2014 and most recently in 2021 as a VP.

Onon Wedum

Diversity and Community Relations Coordinator, Janus Henderson Investors

Onon is a self-starter and trilingual speaker working as a Diversity & Community Relations Coordinator at Janus Henderson Investors where she focuses on community outreach, sponsorship management, and event planning to support an environment that values the unique talents and contributions of every individual within a culture of inclusivity. Onon is originally from Tokyo, Japan where she received a bachelor’s in marketing from Asia University. Outside of Janus Henderson, Onon is an entrepreneur and owns ONON, a clothing boutique that carries high-quality women’s casual clothing in Denver.

Executives Team

Denise Bell

Former Principal, Talent Strategy and HR Consultant at Mercer

Denise is a human resource professional with external client consulting experience in HR Transformation, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and general talent strategy as well as internal HR experience in learning and development, talent management, and talent acquisition. Denise is passionate about empowering organizations to optimize and modernize their HR programs, practices, and structure as they journey towards the future of work. 

Jim Cooper

Co-CEO, Financial Independence Group

Jim graduated from James Madison University with a degree in Business Management and minor in Finance. He was a scholarship athlete at JMU for four years as a member of the JMU football team. Before being introduced to Financial Independence Group, Jim was helping to run a family business in Charlotte, NC. Once Jim met Bill Cain and Bo Johnson, he had to be a part of this great organization. Jim started his tenure with FIG as an Annuity Marketing Consultant in 2002. Jim built a book of business from scratch and quickly developed a passion for the financial services industry.

Eric Goldstein

Chief Risk Officer, Antares Capital

Eric has operated in several executive-level roles across risk, operations, technology, and administration at Antares Capital, a ~$50 billion private credit manager and a leading provider of financing solutions for middle-market private equity-backed transactions. Eric is also a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Prior, Eric was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs in the Merchant Banking Division, responsible for finance and administration functions of the division’s private investment funds. He also led the structuring, negotiation, and management of fund-level subscription and asset-based credit facilities.

Natalie Levy

Founder and Managing Partner,
She’s Independent Investments

Natalie is an engineer and mathematician turned Wall Street derivatives trader, growth technology investor, and business-to-business (B2B) enterprise technology sales leader. She marries a deep understanding of data, data science, and technology paired with strong interpersonal skills. She has over a decade of angel investing experience and 20 years of hands-on operational experience through revenue execution, operational, and leadership roles selling into 34 countries. Today she operates as a fractional revenue executive with deep expertise in real estate, financials, and technology and serves on several private company boards today.

Whole Person Team

Paul Dreyer

CEO of Avid4Adventure

Born in South Africa, Paul moved to the U.S. as a small child, and has continued to seek out travel, adventure, and education ever since. He worked in and around the worlds of experiential education, leadership development, and group psychology for over 18 years. His scope of practice has been varied; he worked as a facilitator, curriculum designer, expeditionary leader, risk management consultant, staff trainer, and counselor. Much of his experience comes from teaching, leading, directing, and counseling groups or organizations in remote and challenging settings or environments around the world. Currently, he serves as the CEO with Avid4 Adventure helping support the mission to empower kids to choose active and healthy outdoor lifestyles.

Angel Eduardo

Writer, Musician, Designer, Communicator

Angel Eduardo is a writer, musician, photographer, and designer based in New York City, best-known for coining and promoting the rhetorical concept of star-manning. He is an Advisory Board member, FAIR in the Arts Fellow, and Director of Messaging & Editorial for the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR), where he helps shape the organization’s pro-human approach to our often contentious and divided discourse. He is also a contributor to the Center for Inquiry’s blog, where he writes on science, communication, skepticism, and morality for a column entitled Searching for Better Angels.

Chris Nelson

CEO and President, Freedom Service Dogs of America

Chris is currently the President and CEO of Freedom Service Dogs of America. Prior to starting this new role in 2022, he had more than 25 years of experience creating opportunities for young people to thrive. Chris has worked with over 12,000 young people across the country. His passion for unlocking the potential of young people led him to TGTHR in 2007 as a program manager, program director and deputy director until assuming the role of CEO in 2018. Under Chris’ leadership, TGTHR launched a multitude of programs, including a drop-in center and emergency shelter for youth experiencing homelessness; a street outreach program; a transitional living program; and Colorado’s first LIHTC-funded permanent supportive housing building specifically for young adults. 

Caroline Van Sickle

Director/Founder, Coach CVS

Caroline helps teams, organizations and individuals set a foundation of success, both in work and in life, at the next level. She combines a working knowledge of psychological and neurological science to help individuals extract hidden potential, remove mental obstacles, and enhance self-awareness. Her goal is to help you achieve an improved state of personal mastery. She breaks down biological processes from beliefs to behavior to help people and groups understand the underlying mechanisms that activate behavioral levers. Without understanding the basics of neuroscience, we can’t help but operate on autopilot.

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September 2022 Update to Alumni: Thank you for launching the Young Leaders Program with Greenhouse Scholars!

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We launched the Young Leaders Program in May 2022 to support our alumni in the early stages of their careers and post-college life and ensure we work together as a community to launch high-potential, high-impact ideas.

See below for program updates and what’s next for Young Leaders Alumni (ages 21-30) and how Sustaining Alumni can support them (ages 30+).

Learning Component…
Upcoming Advisor Sessions!

We’ll help Young Leaders gain the knowledge they’ll need to maximize their potential as leaders, professionals, community members, and change makers.

Young Leaders: The Young Leaders Program staff have been meeting with Greenhouse community members to form the Advisors “In-Residence” and Personalized Development Coach teams around the themes of leadership, professional, personal, and community change. Stay tuned to PeopleGrove and your inboxes for fall Advisors “In-Residence” zoom session dates. If you haven’t already, make sure to complete the Young Leaders Program application to participate in the sessions as well as communicate your interest in Coaching (starting in 2023!). In addition, we have been working to develop our Video Library on PeopleGrove to provide quality online sources.

Sustaining Alumni: We’d love to have you be part of our Video Library on PeopleGrove! If you are interested in being interviewed for the library around the themes of leadership, professional, personal, or community change, please email Michelle Kruk.

Relationship Component…
Upcoming Regional Meetups! 

We’ll help Young Leaders foster relationships that matter for powering ideas, actions, and community change.

Young Leaders: We kicked off our Young Leaders Program and the relationship component with our first Ignite conference weekend. 20 Young Leaders joined the Greenhouse community over two days for networking, collaboration, learning, idea creation, and relationship building. Click here for a snapshot of the Ignite speakers, which included five Sustaining Alumni.

The Young Leaders Program staff are currently planning Regional Alumni meetups potentially in Chicago, Denver, New York City, Washinton DC, San Franciso, and Los Angeles. Plus a virtual meetup for those that are abroad or outside the cities mentioned. Each meetup will be capped at 10 first-come, first-served participants.

Sustaining Alumni: If you haven’t already, join our cross-community online engagement platform, PeopleGrove to build relationships with fellow alumni and the Greenhouse community. Do you have an available internship or job opportunity for our Scholars or Young Leaders? Post the opportunity to PeopleGrove and email Michelle Kruk. 

Entrepreneurship Component…
Upcoming Idea Creation!

We’ll help Young Leaders create and sharpen business ideas at every stage of development. From ideation to business resources to seed funding, we’re building an ecosystem to develop entrepreneurial mindsets and launch high-potential ideas.

Young Leaders: We are very excited to be in the planning phase of the regional, in-person Idea Creation, Enhancement, and Execution support sessions in 2023. Anyone can participate in the Idea Creation and Enhancement sessions. 

Sustaining Alumni: We would love for you to participate in our regional Ideation sessions to help our Young Leaders flesh out new, high-potential ideas. If you are interested in participating in one of these sessions in 2023, email Jamie Clay.

Alumni Updates…
Congratulations Scholar Alumni!

We’d love to update our alumni community on all of your exciting professional and personal life updates. Do you have updates to share? You can complete this survey at any time and let us know! See below for some current updates.

Helena Cappon (CO’19): Cappon is visiting a local rural high school and presenting to prospective Greenhouse Scholar applicants this September to increase our influx of rural applicants before applications close. 

Elizabeth Gutierrez-Gutierrez (CO’22): Gutierrez-Gutierrez was a featured guest speaker at Greenhouse’s Annual Inspire event on August 7, 2022. Click here to listen to her speech!

Michelle Lehman (CO’19): Lehman’s animated series, A Visual Love Letter to the Queen City Memory Café, was accepted into Denver Digerati‘s Supernova Digital Animation Festival! It will be featured as part of the Colorado Artist Spotlight which you can access online on September 14th. Lehman was also selected for the Denver Business Journal’s “Top Innovator Under 25 in Colorado” 2022 list.

Alfredo Reyes (CO’12): Reyes was a featured guest speaker at Greenhouse’s Annual Inspire event on August 7, 2022. Click here to listen to his speech!

Submit your exciting professional and personal updates here!

Want to learn more? Stay connected!

To stay up to date on the Young Leaders Program and how we are providing comprehensive support to alumni in the early stages of their career and post-college life, click here.

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Young Leaders Program – Ignite 2022 “Building Blocks”

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The Young Leaders Program provides comprehensive support to Greenhouse Scholars Alums in the early stages of their career and post-college life.

We are excited to kick off the Young Leaders Program with Ignite! A two-day conference weekend for alumni to join the Greenhouse Community for networking, collaboration, learning, idea creation, and relationship building to launch their commitment to being a Young Leader. 

The kickoff year will focus on the theme “Building Blocks” and celebrate the start of the program and dive into its core components (learning, relationships, and entrepreneurship) and themes (leadership, professional development, personal development, and community change).

2022 Ignite Speaker Preview

Pete Burridge
(Leadership Workshop)

President & CEO,
Greenhouse Scholars

Pete Burridge is the founder of Greenhouse Scholars and its sister companies, Greenhouse Partners and Pete founded Greenhouse Scholars in order to create a Whole Person program that makes a broad and lasting impact by helping students to become community leaders that create change that will last through the generations. He believes that each of us is accountable to give back to the community.

Charles E. Dukes
(Professional Panel)

Director of Social Responsibility,
Wend Collective

Charles Dukes serves as an educational strategist for Wend Collective. As a member of the Wend team, Dukes coordinates youth development opportunities to enhance and improve the educational ecosystem. Before joining Wend Collective, Dukes dedicated a significant amount of his career as an education policy director and central office school district administrator.

Wendy Guardado
(Personal Panel)

Communications & Policy Associate, INCLUDEnyc

Wendy Guardado is a Greenhouse Scholars alumna and holds a Masters in Special Education from Hunter College in New York and was a Bilingual General and Special Education teacher in all content areas for six years. She was elected as her school’s United Federation of Teachers Union Leader for three of those years and made the full transition to the policy sector through the Bronx Borough President’s Office as an education analyst.

Meseret Hailu, PhD
(Personal Panel)

Assistant Professor,
Arizona State University

Dr. Meseret Hailu is a Greenhouse Scholars alumna and Assistant Professor of Higher and Postsecondary Education in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University. Her research focuses on the pursuit of gender equity in STEM education with a focus on the strategies, programs, and systems that help historically underrepresented students and faculty succeed in these fields.

Kimmy Paluch
(Professional Panel)

Managing Partner,
Beta Boom

Kimmy Paluch is the founder and Managing Partner of Beta Boom, an early-stage venture fund that invests in software companies that are building the future for women and multicultural consumers in the U.S. Prior to Beta Boom, Kimmy founded and ran a Silicon Valley innovation firm for 12 and currently sits on the boards of Intermountain Healthcare and Utah African American Chamber of Commerce Charitable Foundation. Kimmy earned her B.A. in Computer Science from Dartmouth College and MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Lindsey Price
(Featured Facilitator)

Business Owner and CFO,
Denver Modern

Lindsey Price founded Denver Modern in 2018 with her husband, Donnie, as an approachable, modern furniture brand that focuses on authentically timeless style comfort. She combines her passion for problem solving and scale building after 10 years of management consulting with his intense love of beautiful products and e-comm strategy. It brings Lindsey immense joy to lead a growing business with her spouse – from working together at their kitchen table, to adding a showroom and warehouse, with 10+ bright and capable folks working side-by-side. Prior to that, Lindsey was a Senior Associate at Greenhouse Scholars where she loved working directly on the Program. 

Kyle Pollock, PE
(Personal Panel)

Civil Engineering Project Manager,
Galloway & Company, Inc.

Kyle Pollock is a Greenhouse Scholars alumnus and a Civil Engineering Project Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the land development sector with experience in residential, office and retail, hotel, industrial, and public projects. Kyle is skilled in the management, design, and analysis of site layout, wet utilities, grading, and drainage. 

Alfredo Reyes
(Personal Panel)

Executive Director,
Latino Cultural Arts Center

Alfredo Reyes is a Greenhouse Scholar alumnus and a first-generation American and the son of Mexican nationals, Aurora and Juventino, who taught him to believe in the transformative power of education. He is currently the Executive Director of the Latino Cultural Arts Center, a project he conceptualized during his MA at CU Boulder in Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice.

David J. Rolla, JD
(Professional Panel)

Mergers + Acquisitions Associate,
Morrison & Foerster

David Rolla is a Greenhouse Scholar alumnus and associate in the Denver office of Morrison & Foerster and a member of the firm’s Corporate Department. David advises public and private companies in connection with domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.

Erin Weed
(Community Change Workshop)

Speaker / Author / Visual Artist,
Erin Weed, Inc.

Erin Weed’s career began in Chicago, working in public affairs and media relations. She later worked in New York City, producing documentaries and reality TV shows. Her career shifted gears after her friend was murdered in 2001. For the past 10 years, Erin has worked as a leadership development expert with a passion for honest communication. She helps leaders get clear about who they are, what they stand for and how to express it authentically. She has worked with 1,000+ people, resulting in viral TED talks, company manifestos and thought leadership programs.

Eric Zacharias, MD
(Professional Panel)

Director of Medical Education,
COPIC

Dr. Eric Zacharias has been involved with COPIC for over ten years, first as a member of the clinical faculty and, most recently, as a Patient Safety and Risk Management consultant and the creator/host of COPIC’s “Within Normal Limits” podcast. He embodies COPIC’s mission of “improving medicine in the communities we serve” through his professional interest in medical education.

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Launching The Young Leaders Program For Greenhouse Scholars Alumni!

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Announcing the most significant and exciting new change in the history of Greenhouse Scholars!

Since our inception, we have worked with the highest-performing young leaders from under-resourced communities so they can thrive during college and drive change in their communities after college.
 
We are launching the Young Leaders Program to continue that support with our Scholars as they transition into their professional lives. With this program, we’re taking aim at the uneven playing field that continues after college, and we’re furthering our goal of creating a community of leaders that have real impact within their communities and around the world.

The Young Leaders Program will be available to all alumni under 30 and focus on…

LEARNING
With a comprehensive and personalized system of resources, professional advisors, and personal coaches we’ll help our alumni gain the knowledge they’ll need to maximize their potential as leaders, professionals, community members, and change makers.
 
RELATIONSHIPS
Through a combination of online engagement, events, workshops, and job connectivity initiatives, we’ll help foster relationships that matter for powering ideas, actions, and community change.
 
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Using best-in-practice methods, we’ll help alumni create and sharpen business ideas at every stage of development. From ideation to business resources to seed funding, we’re building an ecosystem to develop entrepreneurial mindsets and launch high-potential ideas.

Why now?

For 17 years, Greenhouse Scholars has provided young leaders with resources to elevate their college careers and their ongoing community impact. We have implemented a program that has been wildly successful, and it’s time to formalize and deepen our reach beyond college. We’ve determined that many of our Scholars would benefit from continued professional, personal, and impact growth resources, and we’ve been preparing for this moment by training staff, implementing systems, and honing our programs.

Who will lead the Young Leaders Program?

Our current senior team will be deeply involved, and we’ve made two new hires to help build momentum for this new initiative, Jamie Clay and Greenhouse Scholars alum Michelle Kruk. Jamie and Michelle are exceptional and will be 100 percent focused on building the Young Leaders Program the right way.

You can become a catalyst for change with us by giving today. Any amount is greatly appreciated, and your gift allows us to continue supporting lasting generational change in low-income communities by cultivating leaders from those communities. Initial investors have already committed over $500k. Please join them in fueling our momentum! We are ready for this next step.

Invest in our Young Leaders today!

Want to learn more? Stay connected!

To stay up to date on the Young Leaders Program and how we are providing comprehensive support to alumni in the early stages of their career and post-college life, click here.

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