College Visions

College Visions: COVID-19 Response

Last Wednesday as colleges and universities across the country began closing, CV ramped up our COVID-19 response. This is an unprecedented situation and we have prioritized reaching out to our students to find out what they need from us in terms of financial assistance, planning help, and emotional support. These are the ways we are working now:

  • The CV office closed last Thursday. All staff are working from home and we are available by phone, email, and videoconference.
  • We are moving from in-person student meetings to virtual student meetings.
  • We are keeping our regular schedules of student check-ins, though virtually instead of in-person, in order to provide the structure we can all use right now.
  • We are assessing needs through individual outreach and by sending a survey in order to know who needs travel, lodging, food, tech, quiet study space, etc.
  • We are working to increase our Emergency Fund for students to meet the demand for food, housing, and technology (to access online instruction).
  • We are developing a plan to lend out CV equipment to students with tech needs.
  • We are sharing community and corporate resources with students. If you know of local and national resources for high school and college students, please share them with us!

CV’s main job right now is to listen to our students. We empathize with our students who are missing college visits, sports tournaments, performances, and internships and also navigating chaotic and scary situations. For students who have worked so hard to access education, the current loss of instructional time is distressing. We are offering information, resources, and techniques for managing fear and stress.

We are deeply concerned about the poor and working-class communities of color in which our work is rooted. The families we work with, and for some of us the families in which we live, were struggling before the pandemic. We know that lost jobs, lost wages, illness, and disrupted education hurt families and communities. We hope that in the coming weeks and months, you will join us in advocating for policies that help those most imperiled by this crisis.

Together we are strong and resilient. This is a time to hold each other up and we will do that. Many of you have given generous gifts to help CV students displaced from campus. Thank you so much for that support. The CV staff is so thankful that, with your help, we can meet the needs of our students. Every kind thing you do right now strengthens our shared community. Thank you for helping friends, relatives, neighbors, and strangers.

Tina Meetran, Acting Co-Director
tina@collegevisions.org

Moira Hinderer, Acting Co-Director
moira@collegevisions.org

PS: To read more about our efforts to raise funds to support CV students, please click this link: https://mailchi.mp/2c1f123f2f7e/please-help-low-income-college-students-displaced-by-covid-19

After-School Options for High School Students

You know that extracurricular activities boost college applications, build skills, and support social/emotional growth, but many students aren’t familiar with the rich landscape of out-of-school time activities. We’ve created a brochure about youth programming in urban Rhode Island!

Click here for a PDF version.

Copies for students and their families are available for pick-up at the CV office. Schools and Organizations interested in providing the brochure to youth you serve, please contact Joshua at joshua@collegevisions.org to make arrangements.

College Visions Names Acting Co-Directors

Providence, RI. For immediate release.
The College Visions Board of Directors announced that Tina Meetran and Moira Hinderer have been appointed Acting Co-Directors of College Visions. Nick Figueroa, currently Executive Director of College Visions will be stepping down in order to accept the position of Chief of Family and Community Engagement for Providence Public Schools. The changes are effective February 8, 2020.

According to College Visions Board Chair Deborah Obalil, “The College Visions Board voted unanimously to appoint Tina Meetran and Moira Hinderer as Acting Co-Directors of the organization. Together, Tina and Moira have ten years of experience at College Visions in programmatic, fundraising, and administrative roles, and are highly engaged in the Rhode Island non-profit community.” Tina is a College Visions alum, who was born and raised in Providence. She holds a B.A. and M.A. from Clark University and serves as Board Chair of Providence youth organization PrYSM. Moira holds a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a M.A. and Ph.D. from University of Chicago. Prior to College Visions, she worked at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University. She is a founding member of Showing Up for Racial Justice, Rhode Island and Rhode Islanders for Parentage Equality.

“While I am sad to leave College Visions, I am proud that this organization is programmatically and fiscally strong and thriving. I would like to thank the organization’s talented, dedicated, and diverse staff and Board of Directors. College Visions has had a longtime commitment to building talent from within, and I feel confident leaving the organization in the capable hands of our staff and Board,” said Nick Figueroa.

Founded in 2004, College Visions is supporting 500 low-income, first-generation Rhode Island students to prepare for college, apply, enroll, and persist to earn degrees. College Visions accepts students with a wide range of academic achievement who demonstrate a need for support as they apply to and attend college. The highly effective programs offered by College Visions help students set high goals and achieve outstanding outcomes. 98% of College Visions students enroll in college after high school compared to 48% of low-income RI students, and 67% of College Visions students earn degrees within 6 years compared to 38% of low-income RI students.

College Visions alums are the diverse, civic-minded young professionals that southern New England needs. 320 program alums are working as engineers, designers, teachers, nurses, lawyers, financial analysts, and accountants, as well as in many other fields. Alum Ashant’ti Steven explains why College Visions is so successful: “College Visions is an amazing program that encourages youth to be proactive in their education. Through one-on-one mentorship, College Visions staff builds great relationships with students that fosters a positive social and learning environment. They gave me the confidence I needed to apply to the colleges in which I was interested, helped me choose the college that was the best fit for me, gave me tools to succeed at American University, and supported me through my entire four years!”

For additional Information contact:
Moira Hinderer
(401) 490-3996 or moira@collegevisions.org

More Information about College Visions

Dear Friends of College Visions,

After three years leading College Visions, Nick Figueroa will be transitioning out of his role as Executive Director. As a former first-generation student himself, Nick has brought passion and drive to the work of providing young people with the information and support they need to get to college and thrive. I have tremendous respect for Nick’s commitment to true educational equity for low-income, first-generation students and thank him for his commitment to both College Visions and the larger field. We know he will continue to be a great advocate for both College Visions and the students we serve long after his tenure as Executive Director. The Providence Public School Department, under the current direction of the Rhode Island Department of Education, will benefit greatly from Nick’s passion, skills and experiences, as will the students and families served by the district. We wish him well in his new role as Chief of Family and Community Engagement and look forward to working with him as an engaged community partner.

College Visions has long made staff professional development a priority of the organization, and we are in the enviable position of having a fantastic team of leaders within the organization. In light of that commitment and in recognition of the talent already within the organization, I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Acting Co-Directors Tina Meetran and Moira Hinderer. Together Tina and Moira have ten years of experience at College Visions in programmatic, fundraising, and administrative roles, and are highly engaged in the Rhode Island non-profit community. Tina is a College Visions alum, who was born and raised in Providence. She holds a B.A. and M.A. from Clark University and serves as Board Chair of Providence youth organization PrYsm. Moira holds a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Prior to College Visions, she worked at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University. She is a founding member of Rhode Islanders for Parentage Equality.

As a friend, donor, and now Board Chair, I have had the privilege of watching College Visions grow over the past 15 years. Under Nick’s leadership, College Visions has created new strategic partnerships, increased the number of students served, and improved already stellar student outcomes. The organization is both fiscally strong and investing in innovative programs. Board, staff, and students are excited to embark on this next phase of organizational growth and development.

In the coming months, College Visions will undertake a search for new executive leadership. We are confident that we will identify a candidate who will build on the existing strengths of the organization and lead us to a new level of achievement toward our mission.

During this interim period at College Visions, Moira will be our communications point person. You are welcome to reach out to her at moira@collegevisions or (401) 490-3996. She can connect you if you wish to speak with me or Tina. The board and staff of College Visions love to share our story, and we certainly welcome visits and conversations. If you have questions or want to see our programs in action, I hope you will reach out.

Sincerely,
Deborah Obalil
Board Chair