"I never thought that I would actually make something of myself," declared Ryan McLennon, a freshman at State University of New York at Plattsburgh and College For Every Student (CFES) Scholar, "but the staff at my high school saw something in me. They got me involved in College For Every Student and my guidance counselor worked tremendously hard for me going above and beyond. Not that long ago my future was surviving tomorrow and now I'm planning for years down the road and it feels good."
On November 7-8, five hundred educators, corporate leaders, and students from across the country will gather for the 18th annual College For Every Student (CFES) National Conference in Burlington to share best practices and explore strategies for guiding low-income students toward college and career success. CFES supports 20,000 students through partnerships with 200 rural and urban K-12 schools and districts in 27 states and Ireland through its three high-impact and research-based practices:
- Mentoring
- Leadership Through Service
- Pathways to College
CFES helps students develop essential skills that raise aspirations, build resilience and develop leadership attributes, all of which support college success.
The conference will also feature remarks by New York Times columnist and renowned author and political pundit David Brooks just a few days after this year's Congressional and gubernatorial elections, insight from Director Andrew Rossi on his film, Ivory Tower, that asks, "Is College worth the cost?", and comments from Judge Glenda Hatchett on the importance of lifting up the nation's underserved population.
CFES President & CEO Rick Dalton exclaimed, "With over 20 million new, high-paying jobs expected to go unfilled in the next decade, we need more low-income students ready to attend college and be successful there. Our mission at CFES is to help low-income youth get to and through college so they can fill those jobs." Dalton concluded, "Ryan's story is an important one and there are hundreds of others like him, thanks to CFES programs and our invaluable partners."