University of Illinois Chicago
University of Illinois Chicago
Kaplan University
Impact Report
Together with our higher education and employer partners, 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.
“Northern Illinois University, in partnership with Braven, equipped me with the tools to construct a standout resume that contributed to securing multiple interviews following my internship.”
– Sterlen Johnson
What Does
This Report Cover?
In 2013, Braven started out as a pilot with 17 students and has since grown to 10,000+ Fellows at nine universities nationwide and through BravenX.
A decade in, we’ve had the privilege of working with thousands of incredibly talented, diverse students who’ve 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:
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.
University of Illinois at Chicago
"Getting a job was an uphill battle. Whenever I got bad news, I would lean on my coaches to give me advice on what to work on as well as get words of encouragement."
– Ahmed Benchehida
"The skills that Braven taught were all new to me and I really appreciated all of the templates I had access to and used."
– Tiffany Velez
In collaboration with our higher education and employer partners, 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.
The next generation of leaders will emerge from everywhere.
The Braven Model
With our partners, Braven empowers promising underrepresented college students 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 6 months post college graduation.
In our core higher education model, students take the course for credit. Students who take BravenX via college success organizations receive a financial stipend in lieu of credit.
Are our Fellows getting quality economic opportunities that put them on the path to the American promise?
Americans Still Find Value
in the Bachelor's Degree
Despite the value of the bachelor's degree, we still see inequities in the outcomes of college graduates.
Outcomes 10 years after graduation
The Strength of Roles
Our 2023 Graduates Secured
In 2023, 95 Braven Fellows graduated from National Louis University (NLU), and we’re encouraged to see that 83% are employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of college graduation.
In Chicago, Braven pilots a version of our core model with National Louis University, an open access school founded to expand access to higher education to those who may face greater geographic, demographic or economic barriers.
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 the students' career interests
6 National benchmark estimates are based on data from NACE’s 2022 First Destination Survey (publicly available and custom cut data) and underemployment research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
This new class is outpacing all graduates from four-year institutions nationally in quality opportunity attainment by 4 percentage points (54% vs 50%) and students of color nationally by 11 percentage points (54% vs 43%). 87% of 2023 Braven graduates from NIU are employed or enrolled in graduate school compared to 86% of college graduates nationally and 81% of students of color.6
Across Lines of Race and Ethnicity
Braven Fellows Outpace Peers Nationally
in Quality Economic Outcomes
"Teaming up with my Leadership Coach and peers led to valuable insights and constructive feedback. This experience clarified my professional interests."
– Milcla Rodriguez
University of Illinois Chicago
"Braven helped me land an internship by sharpening my communication skills, which allowed me effectively to relay my skills and experience to recruiters. My internship has equipped me with strong analytical and strategic skills that will be invaluable in any business career I pursue."
-Jaden Weatherspoon
Internships: The Most
Predictive Factor for
Strong First Destinations
After College
The influence of internships on post-graduate success is underscored by our data: Braven Fellows who have completed at least one internship in college are 12 percentage points more likely to get a quality first opportunity than Fellows who have not (66% vs 54%).9
The Braven Equation in Action
With the Northern Illinois University Braven experience, Jaylan Peebles built the foundation to get on the path to the American promise.
"The Braven program at Northern Illinois University prepared me to hit the ground running in my first job. One of the areas where it truly helped me develop was in conducting myself professionally, especially in virtual settings. I was equipped with the skills I needed to navigate online meeting etiquette."
– Jaylan Peebles
Are we impacting more students and maintaining program quality?
10,000+ Braven Fellows
Served Nationwide
During the 2023-24 school year, Braven supported 10,000+ Fellows nationwide, including 5,188 who were still in college.
Of those, 2,242 were new Fellows who took the course for the first time that year. These Fellows span across various states and platforms, reflecting Braven's growing presence and impact nationwide.
2023-2024 Braven Fellows
in our Classic Model
2023-2024 Fellows who identify as:
Most Popular Majors
Is Braven supporting Fellows on the path to internships & college completion?
Disparities in Access
and Completion of Internships
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. But across socioeconomic lines of difference, there are inequities in internship attainment and paid internship attainment.
The critical role of internships
A paid internship in college is associated with a $3,096 increase in annual wages one year after graduation.11
National data show first-generation students are less likely to participate in internships12
Internships are useful when choosing a career path
13 Survey Teaser: Helping Students Prepare for Life After College. Inside Higher Ed. November 21, 2023.
Encouraging Levels of Internship
Attainment for our Chicago Fellows
For college students, internships serve as critical proof points of experience that open professional doors.
Compared with graduates nationally, Chicago Braven 2023 graduates were 11 percentage points more likely to have at least one internship during their college experience.
15 Source: Strada Viewpoint: From College to Career: Students’ Internship Expectations and Experiences. May 2023. https://stradaeducation.org/report/from-college-to-career-students-internship-expectations-and-experiences/.
"My professional mentor helped me realize I wasn't alone in facing challenges. His words boosted my confidence, reminding me of my capabilities and the importance of aiming high in my job search. When crafting a resume, remember your audience: busy professionals who skim. A concise three-sentence summary at the beginning can quickly highlight your qualifications and career goals."
- Oluwamuyiwa Fadipe
The City College of New York
and Public Health Influencer,
Morehouse School of Medicine
"Spelman College, in partnership with Braven, helped prepare me to get my first internship at Morehouse School of Medicine. Braven helped me strengthen my resume, personal statement, and LinkedIn to apply to the program."
– Alexa DeVilmé
Internship Attainment
Disaggregated by Race and Ethnicity
Encouraging Levels
of College Completion
Braven Chicago Fellows are persisting and graduating at encouraging rates. By comparison, about 8 in 10 of their peers nationally graduate college on time.17
18 Six-year graduation data of Braven Fellows who enrolled as first-time freshmen at San José State University, Rutgers University-Newark, and Lehman College, not including those who took Braven as seniors. Braven reports graduation rates for core partner schools who have had at least 200 Braven Fellow graduates.
“Getting a college degree helped me land my current job and thanks to San José State University and Braven I was able to adapt to corporate life faster.”
– Natalia Vega Krutzfeldt
Are our Fellows developing the soft skills and networks needed for success?
"Confidence was the biggest skill I gained from taking Braven. I learned that in knowing who you are and being secure in yourself, it allows you to navigate life more freely and authentically and that is the start of true confidence."
– Raphael Pereira
Growth in Non-Cognitive Measures
In 2023-2024, Chicago-Braven Fellows showed statistically significant growth across non-cognitive factors19
Each semester, Braven measures growth in non-cognitive factors between the start and end of the Braven Accelerator.
Self efficacy, which is not usually measured through traditional assessments like standardized tests, is associated with academic and lifetime success and plays a large role in explaining job search and career behaviors and outcomes.
Research shows that the same elements that make a student confident in their academics in college and confident in their sense of belonging in college also helps them achieve quality outcomes after college. At Braven, we measure growth in these two constructs: "Academic Confidence" and "Sense of Social and Academic Fit."
19 Non-Cognitive growth was measured from 352 Chicago Fellows who completed a pre and post survey.
Are we building employer and higher education partnerships with true shared value?
EMPLOYER SPOTLIGHT:
"I can't imagine what my life would be if I had not taken the Braven course. Through the program I explored my strengths, passion, and what motivates me. I gained confidence and realized my potential to add value to any space I find myself while being authentic."
- Wendy Asante
This year, UBS became one of Braven's 18 partners that invest at least $100,000 and provide programmatic support.
Since 2017, UBS has been a Braven employer partner. The partnership has deepened each and every year.
Braven's collaboration with UBS helps open doors to the American promise.
"We believe in the power of scaled solutions to advance equitable economic opportunity for all to thrive through education and skills-building initiatives. With Braven, we’ve invested in some of our country’s most promising talent, and leveraged our firm’s best asset, our employees, to support students on their journey to post-college success."
– SARAH SALOMON,
Co-Head of UBS Social Impact & Philanthropy, US
"I believe in paying it forward. Growing up in a small town with limited opportunities, I was fortunate to have mentors who helped me reach new heights. Now, as a Leadership Coach at Braven, I am fortunate to be part of a company like UBS that allows me to be committed to giving back and empowering others to achieve their full potential."
– AARON GONZALEZ,
Braven Leadership Coach, Associate Director,
Business Analyst, UBS Private Wealth Management
Higher Education Spotlight:
Delaware State University
In January 2024, Braven launched a partnership with Delaware State University (DSU), our first public HBCU partner.
“I learned more than I expected and walked away with the skills and confidence that make me believe that I belong in any room and can succeed while I’m there as my authentic self."
– Na’ja Stokes
Minority Participation Research Internship
91
76
19
We Couldn't Do It Without You
Higher Education Partners & Employer Partners
Higher Education Partners
Chicago State University (BravenX)
City College of New York – CUNY
Delaware State University
Lehman College – CUNY (sunset summer 2024)
National Louis University
Northern Illinois University
Rutgers University - Newark
San Francisco State University (launching fall 2024)
San José State University
Spelman College
BravenX Partners
Achieve Atlanta
Chicago Scholars
Chicago State University
City Year
Cooperman College Scholars
The Academy Charter School
Ascend Public Schools
Coney Island Prep
Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas
DSST Public Schools
Excel Academy
Excellence Community Schools
Freedom Preparatory Academy Charter Schools
KIPP Forward
Noble Schools
Uncommon Schools
Uplift Education
Evanston Scholars
KIPP NJ
LISA Academy
Making Waves Education Foundation
National Association for Urban Debate Leagues
Newark Youth Career Pathways Program
SEEDS
Rivet School
The Wight Foundation
UtmostU
Employer Partners
LEAD
($250K+ and programmatic support)
Allstate
Capital One
Deloitte
Deloitte Foundation
LinkedIn
Morgan Stanley
NBA Foundation
Salesforce
ANCHOR
($100K+ and programmatic support)
Anonymous
Cognizant US Foundation
Northern Trust
UBS
KEYSTONE
($25K+ and programmatic support)
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance
Blackbaud
CIBC Bank USA
CME Group Foundation
Taco Bell Foundation
United Airlines
Wells Fargo
INNOVATION
($10K+ and programmatic support)
Okta
PierceGray
Rakuten International
IMPACT
($5K+ and programmatic support)
Bain and Company
Cramer-Krasselt
GEM Realty Capital
GLG
Kindle Communications
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
McMaster-Carr
Medline
Morningstar
Summit Trail Advisors
Supporters (10K+)
Anonymous x4
A Better Chicago Fund, a Fund of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation
Allstate Foundation
Bill Unger
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies
Charles Ashby Lewis & Penny Bender Sebring
Charter School Growth Fund
Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education
Crankstart Foundation
Crown Family Philanthropies
David Cohen & Kristen Argo
Deloitte Foundation
Ellie’s Foundation Fund
Finnegan Family Foundation
Kelly & Thom Mannard
Marc and Jeanne Malnati Family Foundation
Osa Foundation
Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
Prosper Road Foundation
Mansueto Foundation
Ron & Kathy Sonenthal
Sandy & Jim Reynolds
Schrieber Philanthropy
Siragusa Family Foundation
Square One
The Joseph Pedott Charitable Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation
The Mayer and Morris Kaplan Family Foundation
Vivo Foundation
Walton Family Foundation
BravenX Addendum
2023-2024 BravenX Fellows
21 Qualtrics: What is a good Net Promoter Score?
All-Time BravenX Impact
BravenX Partners
Spotlight: Achieve Atlanta
Achieve Atlanta’s vision for Atlanta is a city where race and income no longer predict postsecondary success and upward mobility. Over 1,500 Achieve Atlanta Scholars have graduated from college, and Braven is proud to partner with Achieve Atlanta to support their Scholars to achieve their goals in college and career. Since 2022, we’ve worked with Achieve Atlanta to provide access to BravenX for more than 60 Achieve Atlanta Scholars, no matter the college they attend.
"Achieve Atlanta's partnership with Braven reflects the alignment of our missions to elevate and support our Scholars to achieve their wildest dreams. Through our collaboration, we have supported four cohorts of Scholars through the BravenX program. As a result, they have developed the knowledge, skills, and network critical to navigating their unique path to upward mobility."
- Susanne Diggs-Wilborn
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"Braven helped me figure out what company would match my personality and career goals."
-Donovan Gill