IMPACT REPORT

We’re proving what’s possible when you empower
the next generation of leaders with the skills, networks, experiences, and confidence necessary to launch a strong career.

A decade of impact and a future of opportunity for the next generation of leaders

FAll 2022 Fellow
Thahmid
Ahmed

Incoming Audit Staff,
Crowe

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

FAll 2022 Fellow
Kenya
Johnson

Product Management
Associate,
Prudent Financial

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

FAll 2022 Fellow
Thahmid
Ahmed

Incoming Audit Staff,
Crowe

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

FAll 2022 Fellow
Kenya
Johnson

Product Management
Associate,
Prudent Financial

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

IMPACT REPORT

We’re proving what’s possible when you empower
the next generation of leaders with the skills, networks, experiences, and confidence necessary to launch a strong career.

A decade of impact and a future of opportunity for the next generation of leaders

Fall 2022 FelloW
Julia
Holness

Program Assistant,
ACE Program at
Lehman College

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

“Braven equipped me with the skills and confidence I needed to land a strong job. Through practical exercises like mock interviews and resume writing, I gained the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the job search process. With the guidance of my Leadership Coach, I felt empowered to take control of my search and confident enough to secure a full-time role in higher education.”

- Julia Holness

What Does
This Report Cover?

In 2013, Braven started out as a pilot with 17 students and has since grown to 7,400 Fellows at seven innovative colleges and universities nationwide and through BravenX. A decade in, we’ve had the privilege of working with thousands of incredibly talented, diverse undergraduate students who continue to overcome challenges on their way to career and lifetime success. In this report, we highlight their stories as we dive into five questions that assess Braven’s impact:

Are Braven Fellows getting quality economic opportunities that put them on the path to the American promise?

Are we impacting more students and maintaining program quality?

Is Braven supporting Fellows on the path to college completion and internships?

Are Braven Fellows developing the soft skills and networks needed for success?

Are we building employer and higher education partnerships with true shared value?

These students, along with their hard-working families and communities, deserve a more just America in every way. They inspire us to continue to work towards building fundamentally better systems that will allow all of our nation’s talented young people a chance at the American promise.

Why
Our Work
Matters

Only about 30% of 1.4 million low-income or first-generation college students who enroll in college each year will graduate and secure a strong first job or enter graduate school.1

That’s more than one million students every single year who aren’t on the path to the American promise.

1

Statistics based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics (2021 digest and 2019 NCES 2019-487), National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s Transfer & Progress report (Fall 2022), and Third Way’s “The Pell Divide: How Four-Year Institutions are Failing to Graduate Low- and Moderate-Income Students” (2018).

Spring 2019 Fellow
Kade
Olsen

Customer Support
Technical Training,
Applied Materials

Photo: Photo: Joe Mazza
Photography
(San Francisco, CA)

“Braven proved to be invaluable. I was surprised by how helpful people were and continue to be when I ask for help. I made a few connections through the program that I still reach out to.”

- Kade Olsen
Braven

Mission
and Vision

Mission

Braven empowers promising underrepresented college students with the skills, confidence, experiences, and networks necessary to transition from college to strong economic opportunities, which lead to meaningful careers and lives of impact.

Vision

The next generation of leaders will emerge from everywhere.

Spring 2022 Fellow
Nikira
Walter

Actuarial Intern,
Allstate

Photo: Kat Goduco

“With the help of Braven, I was able to showcase my skills and potential during the interview process for my first internship. I am grateful for the practice and tips they gave me, which improved my confidence and professionalism for this summer and will serve me throughout my future professional and academic career.”

- nikira Walter

The
Braven
Model

Braven empowers promising underrepresented young people on their paths to quality economic opportunities through a semester-long, cohort-based course, which
was designed with significant input from our higher education partners and their faculty, and a post-course experience that lasts through college graduation.

In our core higher education model, students take the course for credit either in-person or virtually. Students who come through BravenX via college success organizations receive a financial stipend in lieu of credit.

Are Braven Fellows getting quality opportunities
that put them
on the path
to economic mobility and the American promise?

A College Degree:
The Surest Path
to Economic Mobility

Earning a college degree is still the surest path to landing a strong job by age 30.2 What’s more, on average, there is a significant wealth and income gap between Americans with a college degree and those without.

Significant differences in wealth and health between Americans with a college degree and those without3

Average Annual Incomes

Median Household Assets4

2

Anthony P. Carnevale, Zachary Mabel, Kathryn Peltier Campbell, and Heidi Booth. What Works: Ten Education, Training, and Work-Based Pathway Changes That Lead to Good Jobs. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2023. cew.georgetown.edu/pathway-changes.

3

Third Way Report: Worlds Apart: The Non-College Economy

4

When mortgage and other debt is tallied, median household net worth for college-educated Americans is $252,400, compared to $58,800 for those without bachelor’s degrees.

Increased Healthcare Coverage5

Lower Poverty Rate6

5

Healthy People 2020, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Data for persons aged 25-64 years in 2018.

6

Trostel, Philip. “It’s Not Just the Money: The Benefits of College Education to Individuals and to Society.” Lumina Foundation, 2015.

The Strength
of Roles Braven 2022
Graduates Secured

In 2022, 603 Braven Fellows graduated from college.
81% of graduates secured quality or pathway roles,
and 86% are employed or enrolled in graduate school.7

How we define quality economic opportunities

Quality role:

a full-time role that requires a bachelor’s degree and includes some combination of promotion pathways, employee benefits, and a market-competitive starting salary, or enrollment in graduate school

Pathway role:

a role that does not require a bachelor’s degree but helps students’ financial sustainability, is aligned with career interests, and will likely lead to more career-accelerating possibilities through skill development

Non-quality role:

a role that does not require a bachelor’s degree, offers limited runway to additional career-accelerating opportunities, and is not aligned with students’ career interests

7

We have jobs data for 81% of FY22 graduates from our core model higher education partners: Lehman College, San José State University, and Rutgers University-Newark. National benchmark estimates are based on NACE’s 2021 First Destination Survey (publicly available and custom cut data) and underemployment research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Spring 2021 Fellow
Maria
Lopez

Graduate Student,
Rutgers University
School of
Social Work

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

“My favorite part of the Braven course was my Leadership Coach. Noah helped me improve my resume, and that helped me land my first internship at NCST Trauma Recovery Center. From my experience, the Braven class environment is based on a culture of compassion, where everyone supports each other’s growth.”

- Maria Lopez

Across Lines of Race, Braven
Fellows Outpace Peers Nationally
in Quality Economic Outcomes

Quality Economic Outcomes8

8

Fellow outcomes are from FY22 graduates of our core model schools: Lehman College, Rutgers University-Newark, and San José State University. The data presented does not incorporate information from Spelman College or Northern Illinois University, as we do not yet have graduate Fellows at these core model sites. Fellows who identify as more than one race or ethnicity are counted in the “Two or more races” category. National estimates utilized in this report are based on data from NACE’s 2021 First Destination Survey and underemployment research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Spring 2020 Fellow
Leslie
Maduro

Spanish Teacher,
Roy H. Mann

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

Fall 2022 FelloW
Thahmid
Ahmed

Incoming Audit Staff,
Crowe

Photo: Kat Goduco

“Braven has fortified my teamwork, resume, and communication skills. Leveraging these cornerstones, I’m resolute in my pursuit of growth by embracing adaptability, leadership, personal branding, feedback, and cultural awareness.”

- Thahmid Ahmed

Internships:

The Most Important Predictive
Factor in Post-Graduation Outcomes

The influence of internships on post-graduate success is underscored by our data: Braven Fellows with internship experience show a 21 percentage point uplift in quality first opportunity attainment over Fellows with no internship experience (70% vs 49%).9

9

Data are sourced from self-reported internship numbers provided by Braven Fellows. The data represent 97% of participants who graduated in FY22 from our core model higher education partners: Lehman College, San José State University, and Rutgers University-Newark.

The Braven
Equation

With Braven’s help, Vraj Patel built the foundation
to get on the path to the American promise.

FAll 2022 Fellow
Vraj
Patel

Cloud Engineer,
Barclays

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

“Braven helped me land my full-time job. I improved my current skills and gained a lot of new ones including building strong professional networks, effectively storytelling, enhancing leadership, and team-building.”

- Vraj Patel

Are we
impacting more
students
and
maintaining program quality?

Celebrating
10 Years of Impact

In 2013, Braven – then called Beyond Z – started as four pilot programs: three with K-12 students and one with college students. The initial college pilot included 17 students at San José State University (SJSU).

In 2015, after seeing too many promising students from underrepresented backgrounds miss out on strong job opportunities post-college, two female SJSU associate deans and a senior faculty member formalized our partnership, launching Braven as a credit bearing course.

That same fall, Braven expanded to the East Coast and launched at Rutgers University-Newark. Today, we’re in partnership with 7 colleges and universities nationwide.

“Braven gave me my first foundation of professional skills and tools that allowed me to land such a strong opportunity with Google after graduating college. Prior to taking Braven, I didn’t have a resume or LinkedIn profile, and was an average interviewer at best. Additionally, Braven provided me with a strong professional network to lean on and learn from, as well as connect me with opportunities like internships (I ended up graduating with three under my belt). Sometimes, it’s not what you know, or who you know, but who knows you!

I hope Braven can continue to expand and be offered at as many colleges and universities as possible. Braven was a critical part in my success, and I want other students, especially those who are first generation, low-income, or are simply lost and need some guidance, to reap the same benefits I was able to as a result of taking the Braven program.”

- Jalil AHmAd

Fall 2015 Fellow

Jalil was a Google Bold Intern and formerly worked at both Google and Meta in Human Resources. After the recent tech layoffs, Jalil is seeking program management opportunities in DEI, Recruiting, or People Operations.

10

Weighted average based on job outcomes from Fellows from 2019 to 2023.

Quality Opportunities for Fellows

In 2016, Braven celebrated a significant milestone: our inaugural class of Braven Fellows graduated and entered the labor market. This momentous occasion marked the beginning of a journey that has since seen over 2,300 Braven Fellows graduating and starting their professional journeys.

Our Fellows have consistently outperformed their peers nationally in securing quality career outcomes–whether that be landing a strong first job or enrolling in graduate school. On average, our Fellows have achieved a 18 percentage point10 uplift compared to national benchmarks, demonstrating the positive impact of the Braven program on their career trajectories. This achievement underscores the success of our approach in arming our Fellows with the essential skills, self-confidence, and professional network needed to make a smooth transition from college to a robust career path.

All-Time Fellow Demographics

7,400 Fellows
Served Nationwide

2022-2023
Braven Fellows
in Our Classic Model

1,963

New Fellows completed the Braven course in the 2022-2023 school year at City College of New York, Lehman College, Northern Illinois University, Rutgers University-Newark, San José State University, and Spelman College.11

2022-2023 Fellows who identify as12

11

Braven’s innovation programming, which includes our 10-week National Louis University model and our BravenX stipend model, are not included in Braven’s definition of a “classic” model.

12

Fellows who identify with more than one race or ethnicity are counted more than once in the figures above.

Most Popular Majors

Is Braven
supporting
Fellows
on
the path to
internships
and college
completion
?

Student Internship
Expectations
and Experiences

In an extensive literature review of 13 career readiness interventions, the Harvard Project on Workforce found that internships were the most effective intervention in terms of research-based evidence and implementation.13

However, there are gaps between students’ intentions to participate in internships and whether they actually participate in them.14 First-generation students in particular have lower internship attainment rates than their continuing-generation peers.

Internships: Disconnect between intent and reality

Disaggregated by first-generation status

13

David Deming, Joseph B. Fuller, Rachel Lipson, et al. (April 2023). Delivering on the Degree: The College-to-Jobs Playbook. Published by Harvard Kennedy School.

14

Strada Viewpoint: From College to Career: Students’ Internship Expectations and Experiences

Across socioeconomic lines of difference, there are also inequities in paid internship attainment, which can impact post-college career opportunities.
Paid internships lead to more full-time job offers and higher starting pay.15

Class of 2023

Percentage of Internships that are Paid

15

National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 2023 Student Survey

Fall 2022 Fellow
Alex
Twoy

Intern,
Avicena Tech

Photo: Joe Mazza Photography
(San Francisco, CA)

“Through Braven, I beefed up my teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills. I also learned how to network better and gain more connections on LinkedIn. These learnings helped me to land my internship.”

- ALex Twoy

Encouraging Levels
of Internship Attainment
for Braven Fellows

For college students, internships serve as critical proof points
of experience that open professional doors.

Compared with graduates nationally, Braven 2022 graduates were 20 percentage points more likely to have at least one internship or similar career-accelerating experience during college.16

16

Braven Fellow internship data was available for 97% of the class of 2022 from Braven’s core programs and was sourced from self-reported surveys and LinkedIn profiles.

17

National percentages come from Strada’s From College to Career: Students’ Internship Experiences and Expectations.

Internship Attainment
Disaggregated by Race18

18

Internship data of the class of 2022 from Braven’s core programs. Fellows who identify as more than one race or ethnicity are counted more than once in the figure above. Fellows for whom race/ethnicity are unknown are excluded from the chart.

Fall 2022 FelloW
Nikaury
Pita-Collado

Real Estate Agent
Keller Williams

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

“Braven was a critical factor in helping me land several internships. The Braven Accelerator course allowed me to cultivate my hard and soft skills and find meaningful ways to build networks through building habits that have persisted beyond my college career. I developed confidence in applying for jobs, interviewing, and networking.”

- Nikaury Pita-Collado

Fellows' Internship Experiences

“Thanks to Braven, who helped me build my confidence to apply to career-accelerating opportunities, I landed an internship at Cramer-Krasselt (CK). My experience at CK was very enlightening and through various department rotations,I gained hands-on experience and an understanding of what it is like to work at an integrated agency.”

Spring 2022 Fellow
Horace Bernabe

Intern, Cramer-Krasselt

Photo: Joe Mazza | Brave Lux

“My time in Braven directly affected my experience with Wayfair. During the Braven course, we did interview prep, perfected our resumes and gained experience with a case study project, so I received ample practice to do my best for the Early Leaders Program, which led me to my Physical Retail Intern role at Wayfair.”

Spring 2022 Fellow
Laila Lacy

Physical Retail Intern, Wayfair

Photo: Kat Goduco

“As someone who recently made a significant professional pivot from the fashion industry, the Braven Accelerator Program was invaluable to me. The mentorship, resources, and guidance on tailoring cover letters and my resume for each role was so timely and a real confidence booster.
I can use these newfound insights in every position from this point forward.
I am equipped and well
able to achieve anything
I set out to do!”

Spring 2022 Fellow
Leila Cole

Marketing Intern, CouldYou?

Comms Intern, New York City Commission on Human Right

Photo: Joshua Christie

“Braven helped me prepare for an internship by polishing my portfolio and building an excellent resume. The skills
I beefed up on were teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. I also learned how to network better. Braven helped me expand my professional network by gaining more connections on LinkedIn.”

Spring 2022 Fellow
Alex Twoy

Intern, Avicena Tech

Photo: Joe Mazza Photography(San Francisco, CA)

“Braven has helped me figure out what I’m truly passionate about. All I needed was the opportunities to put me in a position to succeed. I appreciated the mock interviews, and I also learned how to strengthen my resume and cover letter. My experience in my cohort exceeded my expectations when it comes to my public speaking skills. Lastly, the one-on-one conversations that I had with my Leadership Coach left me with life lessons which not only helped me academically but personally and professionally.”

Spring 2022 Fellow
Jacinay
Coleman-
Shelton

Intern, Summit
Housing Authority

Photo: Kat Goduco

“Braven set me up for success in preparing my resume, expanding my network, and learning vital skills to be used in the workforce and in life. Braven encouraged me to apply to jobs and connect with mentors in my field of study. They always find a way to help out Braven Fellows even after the program!”

Spring 2022 Fellow
Marcos Velaquez

Programming Intern,
Enterprise Command Center

Photo: Joe Mazza | Brave Lux

Encouraging
Levels of On-Time
Graduation

Braven Fellows are persisting and graduating at encouraging rates. By comparison, about 7 in 10 of their peers nationally graduate college on time.19

19

Implied 6-year graduation rate for Black and Latinx students who persisted from freshman to sophomore year at four-year public institutions. Sources: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics, 2021 release of Tables 326.10, 326.30, and 306.50.

FAll 2022 Fellow
Kenya
Johnson

Product Management
Associate,
Prudent Financial

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

“My favorite part of the Braven experience was forming a relationship with my Leadership Coach and having one-on-one conversations during which we talked about my goals and the steps I must take to get to my goals.”

- KenYA Johnson

Are Braven
Fellows
developing
the soft skills
and networks

needed for
success?

Growth in
Non-Cognitive
Measures

Each semester, Braven measures growth in non-cognitive factors between the start and end of the Braven Accelerator course. Non-cognitive factors, which are not usually measured through traditional assessments like standardized tests, are associated with academic and lifetime success and can play large roles in explaining job search and career behaviors and outcomes.

In 2022-2023, Braven Fellows showed statistically significant
growth across the non-cognitive factors that we measure.20

20

Frank, J.L. (2020). School-Based Practices for the 21st Century: Noncognitive Factors in Student Learning and Psychosocial Outcomes. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Vol. 7(1) 44–51.

Spring 2023 FelloW
Brian (Blaze)
Levario

Graduate Student,
New York University

Photo: Joshua Christie |
Purpose Portraits

“Braven helped me by providing opportunities to use my leadership skills in a structure that enables underclassmen to further develop their confidence. As a soon-to-be mental health professional, this experience helped to define how I would like to approach different personalities and also frame my own therapeutic voice.”

- Brian (Blaze) Levario

The Power
of Mentorship

Upon completion of the Braven Accelerator, Fellows are invited to join the Professional Mentor (PM) Program through which they receive 12 weeks of 1:1 coaching from a professional in their desired career field. This experience has been intentionally designed, with the pair setting goals at the beginning of the partnership and making progress towards them throughout.

The PM Program is one of the most impactful interventions in our post-course experience: 1 out of 3 Fellows who participated in the program secured a career-accelerating opportunity during the Spring 2022 cycle.

To meet the needs of our Fellows, we are shifting our efforts this year to focus on those who have not received a career-accelerating opportunity during their college experience. We also strive to create better mentoring matches with each cycle.

Overall, the number of Fellows in the PM program has seen consistent growth over the past 3 cycles, with the number of participants increasing by nearly 48% from 2021 to 2023.

National PM 
Program Participants

“It was truly rewarding to serve as a Braven Professional Mentor to my mentee Kailyn who showed remarkable dedication and focus throughout our journey together. I witnessed her consistent responsibility, unwavering commitment, and enthusiastic approach to learning and applying new skills sets.

Kailyn’s positive attitude and passion for growth have been inspiring. What stands out most to me is her exceptional ability to balance her academic pursuits, professional endeavors, and personal life with remarkable dedication. Her resourcefulness, efficiency, unwavering focus, and proactive nature are qualities that define her.

Kudos to the Braven team for putting together a well planned and structured mentorship and leadership program that prepared and supported both professional mentors and mentees on the journey!”

- Florence Olumodimu

Scrum Master, Lululemon

“As a first-gen student, I have gone through my entire college academic experience learning about the importance of maintaining a professional profile on my own; but then I learned about Braven’s Professional Mentorship Program. My mentor Florence was an incredible mentor to me and she dedicated her free time to me every week to make sure we hit those small (and big!) goals and milestones. I had the opportunity to receive guidance and advice within the field that I am pursuing a career in, thanks to Florence’s professional background in marketing. I am extremely grateful for this program and Florence for helping me build confidence within my own professional presence, where I was then able to obtain my first internship five weeks into the program!”

- Kailyn Cover

Leadership Development and Marketing Intern,
RippleMatch (New York, NY)

Are we building
employer
and higher
education
partnerships

with true
shared value?

Fall 2019 FelloW
Jamila
Ritter

Assistant Vice President
at Barclays, current
Leadership Coach, and
Braven alumna
from Rutgers
University-Newark

“Braven helped me figure out my passions, what I wanted to do, and develop the skills, networks, and experiences I needed. With the support and training from Braven, I was equipped with the skills to land a strong job at Barclays with a career path, and now I’m paying it forward to the next generation.”

- Jamila Ritter

Employer Partnerships

Barclays

Our collaboration with Barclays helps open doors to the American promise.

Employee Volunteers

145

Barclays colleagues have volunteered with Braven

349

students upskilled

1,323

cumulative volunteer hours

Financial Investments

$1.5M

to date

Sponsored the Capstone Challenge and multiple onsite talent showcases.

Supported the launch of two new sites: The City College of New York and Delaware State University.

“Partnering with Braven has been a win-win. It’s helped us hire incredible talent, develop our bench of inclusive leaders through skilled-volunteering, and advance equity in the communities where we live and work. We are proud to support Braven in its expansion to Delaware State University (DSU) given our long-standing partnership with the university, and we look forward to the role our colleagues will play in coaching and mentoring the Braven Fellows at DSU and across the country.”

- Denny Nealon

CEO, Barclays US Consumer Bank

Higher Education Spotlight

Northern Illinois
University

In fall 2022, Braven launched our first fully virtual partnership with Northern Illinois University.

316

Fellows completed
the course in FY23.

212

Mock interviewers collectively volunteered 530 hours

31

Leadership Coaches collectively volunteered 2,170 hours

“I enjoyed getting to learn all fundamentals and qualifications of the career readiness and preparation process. Undoubtedly, I took for granted the efforts and due diligence that goes into strengthening and utilizing one’s career assets. As someone who will be entering the workforce, I can most certainly say that it makes a gigantic impact in who employers scout and deem as most qualified for hire.”

- Amanee Muhammad

Business Industry Intern, GSA

“Volunteering with Braven has returned so much value to me in my professional and personal life. The experience helped me find my leadership style, develop mentoring and coaching skills, and learn to facilitate sensitive conversations in group settings; plus it’s made me more competent and confident when working with people who come from different generations and walks of life. While volunteering is foremost about giving back, I have received just as much value in return, which is part of what brings me back to Braven again and again.”

- Ian Ragsdale

Transformation and Change Manager,
Linkedin

Lisa
Freeman

President,
Northern Illinois
University

“We’re pleased with the progress our students are making with UNIV 301 through our partnership with Braven. The course provides valuable career support, leadership development and mentorship to our students and will help them as they transition from college to the workplace and beyond.”

- Lisa Freeman

Higher Education Spotlight

City College
of New York

In fall 2022, Braven launched our partnership with the City College of New York, our second college within the City University of New York system.

257

Fellows completed
the course in FY23.

299

Mock interviewers collectively volunteered 748 hours

40

Leadership Coaches collectively volunteered 2,800 hours

“Braven has helped me to boost my confidence and appreciate my unique story. My story is a part of my personal legacy and cultural heritage, and learning to effectively convey it has had a profound impact on the way I present myself to the world. This valuable lesson has improved my communication skills, and it has helped me to become the person I aspire to be.”

- Daressa Rodriguez

Spring 2023 Fellow

“As a Braven Leadership Coach, I help underrepresented youth develop resilience and leadership skills. I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back and share my experiences. The program has been transformative for me, both personally and professionally. I’ve learned to navigate diverse spaces with confidence and empathy, and I’ve developed deep relationships with my students. I’m forever grateful for the growth, purpose, and joy that being a Braven coach has brought into my life.”

- Yaa Boakye

Spring 2023 Leadership Coach

Dr. Vincent
Boudreau

President,
City College
of New York

“Increasingly–and appropriately, I think–colleges are being held accountable for student success beyond graduation and as reflected in their career trajectories.  As we concentrate more on career readiness, we’re also seeing big improvements in student resilience and persistence. Working with Braven has taken our efforts in this area to an entirely new level, and the connection between students’ academic success and their ability to envision a career trajectory has grown all the more evident over the course of this partnership.”

- Dr. Vincent Boudreau

+

Atlanta
Addendum

Spring 2022 FelloW
Laila
Lacy

Physical Retail Intern,
Wayfair

Photo: Kat Goduco

2022-2023
Braven Fellows
in Our Classic Model

720

New Fellows completed the Braven Accelerator course in the 2022-2023 school year at Spelman College.

2022-2023 Fellows who identify as21

21

Fellows who identify as more than one race or ethnicity are counted more than once in the figure above leading to percentages over 100%

Most Popular Majors

Growth in
Non-Cognitive
Measures

Each semester, Braven measures growth in non-cognitive factors between the start and end of the Braven Accelerator course. Non-cognitive factors, which are not usually measured through traditional assessments like standardized tests, are associated with academic and lifetime success and can play large roles in explaining job search and career behaviors and outcomes.

In 2022-2023, Braven Fellows showed statistically significant growth across the non-cognitive factors that we measure.22

20

Frank, J.L. (2020). School-Based Practices for the 21st Century: Noncognitive Factors in Student Learning and Psychosocial Outcomes. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Vol. 7(1) 44–51.

Fall 2022 FelloW
Asia
Nelson-
Williams

Marketing Intern,
PATTERN Beauty
by Tracee Ellis Ross

“The most valuable lesson I learned from Braven was to be open to raising your hand for any and every opportunity that may present itself to you. I learned to be confident in my ideas and to be able to articulate my creative thoughts in a way that is effective and efficient. I think students entering Baven should use this course as an opportunity to learn how to carry themselves in professional settings and set themselves up for success using interviews, resumes, etc, to make great long-lasting impressions. You never know how these relationships can come to your aid in the future!”

- Asia Nelson-Williams

Braven Partners with Fintech in Action on Capstone Challenge

Braven partners with incredible organizations each semester on the Capstone Challenge, the final project in the Career and Leadership Accelerator course where Fellows use design thinking skills to develop real-world solutions to existing challenges the companies are facing. This past semester, the Braven Atlanta team partnered with Fintech in Action.

How can the
fintech industry
help more Black
women become
more confident investors?

“My experience as project manager for this year’s Capstone Challenge was rewarding and it allowed me to shine as a leader. Throughout the process, I’ve learned the importance of teamwork, communication, and how to properly lead a group of individuals with integrity and an open mind. Going into this project, I knew nothing about investing, but thanks to FinTech in Action, they have provided me with resources and an investment grant with Stackwell to start my investment journey.”

Spring 2023 FelloW
Saree J. Grimes

“It was an absolute pleasure partnering with Braven on this Capstone Challenge. The dynamic presence and positive energy radiating from Braven Spelman students was contagious. We appreciate the thorough, thoughtful, and creative insights they provided and look forward to bringing a few solutions to life. Beyond the students, Braven’s staff was excellent to work with. I hope we get the opportunity to partner again!”

- Korene E. J. Smith

Director, Fintech in Action

Fellows'
Internship
Experiences

“This summer, my internship involved researching psychiatry as a participant in The Michigan Health Sciences Undergraduate Research Academy. I studied the intricacies of medication management strategies among older adults with multimorbidity, including dementia. I also deepened my understanding of the social determinants of health. Braven played a considerable role in sharpening my presentation skills and increasing my confidence in professional settings. As a result of this preparation, I was awarded “Best Poster Presentation” at the Michigan Health Sciences Summer Institute Research Symposium. Braven taught me how to access and amplify the best version of myself.”

Spring 2023 FelloW
Kai
Dickerson

Clinical Research Fellow,
University of Michigan Health
Sciences Undergraduate
Research Academy

“Braven prepared me for my internships by further developing my professional readiness. Through my time with Braven, I was able to hone my career skills and materials in preparation for future opportunities like my resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. I learned that I was capable of working in my desired industry.”

Spring 2022 FelloW
Kelsey
Henderson

Narrative Production Intern,
Lemonada Media

Peter Roth Intern,
The Paley Center
for Media

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Higher Education & Employer Partners

Higher Education Partners

City College of New York

Lehman College

National Louis University

Northern Illinois University

Rutgers University-Newark

San José State University

Spelman College

Braven X Partners

Achieve Atlanta

Charter School Growth Fund

Chicago Scholars

Chicago State University

City Year

Cooperman College Scholars

KIPP Foundation

KIPP New Jersey - Newark

Making Waves Education Foundation

Noble Network

Rivet School

UtmostU

Employer Partners Lead

($250k+ and programmatic support)

Allstate

Apollo OpportunityFoundation

Barclays

Capital One

Credit Suisse

Deloitte

Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women

LinkedIn

Morgan Stanley

NBA Foundation

Prudential Financial

Salesforce

Anchor

($100k+ and programmatic support)

Adobe

Anonymous

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice

Cognizant US Foundation

JPMorgan Chase

Northern Trust

ServiceNow

Keystone

($25k+ and programmatic support)

Atlassian

ADP

Audible

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance

Blackbaud

Brooks Brothers

Cerberus Capital Management

Charles Schwab Bank

CIBC Bank USA

CME Group Foundation

Lazard Asset Management

M&T Bank

Okta

Old National Bank

Panasonic

PwC

Stanley Black & Decker

UBS

Western Digital

Innovation

($10k+ and programmatic support)

Blackstone Charitable Foundation Horizon Blue Cross Shield of New Jersey

Indeed

IQVIA

Marc Jacobs

MEMX

PEAK6

PierceGray

Rakuten

Anonymous

Impact

($5k+ and programmatic support)

1huddle

Amazon

Atlanta Hawks

Bain and Company

Chicago Bulls

Cisco

College Board

Cramer-Krasselt

FCB Cure

Fintec in Action

Georgia Pacific

GLG

Google

IPG Health

Kindle Communications

Kirkland & Ellis

Loop Capital

McKinsey and Company

Medline

Metro Atlanta Chamber

SaverLife

Workday

Visa

Wipfli

YES Network

Supporters ($10k+)

Anonymous (x8)

A Better Chicago

Abrams Foundation

Allan and Gill Gray Foundation

Arbor Rising

Arrow Impact

Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock

Association for a Better New York (ABNY)

Barberry Foundation

Betty and Davis Fitzgerald Foundation

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Carnegie Corporation of New York

Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation

Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation

Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation

Charles Ashby Lewis & Penny Bender Sebring

Charter School Growth Fund

Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education

College Futures Foundation

Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta

Crankstart Foundation

Crown Family Philanthropies

Cynthia A. Niekamp Foundation

David Cohen & Kristin Argo

Deloitte Foundation

Duarte Family Foundation

ECMC Foundation

Erol Foundation

Finnegan Family Foundation

Franklin and Catherine Johnson Foundation

Grace & Steve Voorhis

Gray Foundation

Greenbridge Family Foundation

ICHIGO Foundation

James Ely

James & Kaye Slavet

John Matthew Sobrato

John and Kathleen Schreiber Foundation

John & Wendy Cozzi

Kasey McJunkin

Kelly & Thom Mannard

Ken Ohashi

Leslie Family Foundation

Lindmor Fund

Lisa & Joseph Amato

M&T Weiner Foundation

Mansueto Foundation

Marc and Jeanne Malnati Family Foundation

Meghan Mackay & Allen Thorpe

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

Michelle Boyers

MR Macgill

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Witmer, Jr.

New Profit, Inc.

Osa Foundation

Paul M. Angell Foundation

Paula Sneed & Lawrence Bass

Peery Foundation

Prosper Road Foundation

Ranee Lan & Jeremy Liew

René Kern

Robert Mize and Isa White Trimble Family Foundation

Ron & Kathy Sonenthal

Sandy & Jim Reynolds

Sarah Peter

Schultz Family Foundation

Shellye Archambeau

Siegel Family Endowment

Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund (SV2)

Siragusa Family Foundation

Sobrato Family Foundation

Square One Foundation

Steve Mandel

Strada Foundation

Stupski Foundation

Susan & Thomas Dunn

Tammy & Bill Crown

The 1954 Project

The Carson Family Charitable Trust

The Heckscher Foundation for Children

The Jeffrey H. and Shari L. Aronson Family Foundation

The John P. and Anne Welsh McNulty Foundation

The MCJ Amelior Foundation

The Molly Blank Fund of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

The Walton Family Foundation

Tipping Point Community

Tull Foundation

Valhalla Foundation

Victoria Foundation

Vivo Foundation

William and Charlene Glikbarg Foundation

Yield Giving