Braven (organization)
| Formation | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
Region served | Chicago, IL; Newark, NJ; and San Jose, CA |
Founder | Aimée Eubanks Davis |
| Website | bebraven |
Braven is a non-profit organization that provides supplementary education to underrepresented, low-income college students to help them transition from college to post-graduate jobs.
Braven teaches students soft and networking skills during the Braven Accelerator course, in which students work in teams led by professionals from different industries.[1] After completing the Braven Accelerator Course, Braven Fellows remain a part of the organization's system in the Post Course Experience Program.[2]
Braven has partnerships with San Jose State, Rutgers-Newark, and National Louis University's Harrison Professional Pathways Program.
History[edit]
Braven was founded in 2013 by Aimée Eubanks Davis.[3][4] Davis stated that she had assumptions about her skills due to her race and background, which prompted her decision to launch Braven.[3] Davis had previously worked for Summerbridge New Orleans and also as an executive for Teach for America.[5][6]
Braven began their first university partnership with San Jose University in 2014, and since then partnered with Rutgers-Newark and National Louis University.[2][7]
Volunteers[edit]
The Braven Accelerator is run by volunteers, also known as leadership coaches, that are recruited, trained, and often employed by large corporations.[8] These leadership coaches agree to work on a semester basis and are expected to commit around 60 hours per semester.[9] Leadership coaches work as recruiters and student advocates.[10] They can also conduct mock interviews or be professional mentors for students in a specific field of study.[7]
Programs[edit]
Braven Accelerator Course[edit]
Braven offers the Braven Accelerator course, a program in which Braven Fellows are grouped in cohorts of five to eight students. Each cohort is supervised by one or more leadership coaches for the duration of the program.[11] The course offers an online and in-person experience to students for college credit.[10] Fellows are required to meet weekly and complete weekly online modules to build skills in operating and managing, problem solving, working in teams, networking and communicating, and self-driven leading.[10] Activities outside of the classroom include networking events, workshops focused on storytelling, as well as partnering with a company to solve a real life problem as a cohort.[10]
The organization specifically reaches out to students of color, first-generation college students, and low-income students pursuing a liberal arts or vocational degree.
Post Course Experience Program[edit]
After Braven students complete the Braven Accelerator Course, they become part of the Post Course Experience program by default.[2] The Post Course Experience program is the ongoing assistance from coaches to ensure that students are getting the support they need after college graduation.[2] The program brings students closer to the workplace by providing mentors, access to job and internship opportunities, and networking opportunities.[2] The programs offered by Braven are not alternatives to college, but rather a supplementary course load that works on professional development skills.[11] Both programs put emphasis on the cohort model of peers.[12]
Locations[edit]
Braven partners with public universities to provide underrepresented students with the tools and guidance to transition from a college environment to a work environment.[13] The organization first partnered with San Jose State University in 2014, expanding over the following five years to partner with Rutgers University-Newark in Newark, New Jersey in 2015, and National Louis University in Chicago, Illinois in 2018.[2]
Partners[edit]
Braven partners with Salesforce, Prudential, Charles Schwab, LinkedIn, CIBC, IBM, and Credit Karma. Sponsor partners volunteer their time to Braven, hold events, donate, and allow Braven fellows to intern at their companies.[14]
Additionally, the Peery Foundation awarded Braven a $50,000 grant before the first cohort of Braven Fellows graduated.[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Candid. "Social Startup Success: How the Best Nonprofits Launch, Scale Up, and Make a Difference". Philanthropy News Digest (PND). Retrieved 2019-04-25.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Braven - GuideStar Profile". GuideStar. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ibrahim, Olu. "AIMÉE EUBANKS DAVIS: REIMAGINING COLLEGE-TO-CAREER SUCCESS WITH BRAVEN". Noble Impact.
- ↑ Bowean, Lolly. "New group of Obama Fellows includes local woman who works to close college-to-job gap". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
- ↑ "Aimée Eubanks Davis '95".
- ↑ Anders, George (2017). You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a "Useless" Liberal Arts Education. Hachette Audio. Search this book on
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Berman, Jillian. "Why getting out of college can be as hard as getting in". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
- ↑ Hess, Frederick M. (April 12, 2019). "Straight up conversation: Braven CEO Aimée Eubanks Davis". AEI. Retrieved 2019-04-17.
- ↑ "Disrupting opportunity gaps will hinge on networks". Christensen Institute. 2017-12-14. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 California State University. "San José State University Braven Career Accelerator Program" (PDF).
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ahearn, Amy (2017-11-22). "We Don't Need More Alternatives to College". EdSurge News. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
- ↑ Anders, George (2017-08-01). "Why the Liberal Arts Aren't Just for the Elite". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- ↑ "Braven". Propel Next.
- ↑ "Our Supporters". Braven. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
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