15 For 15
We are celebrating our 15th anniversary in 2020. Launched in 2005, DVP-PRAXIS LTD provides strategy, research, and evaluation services to private foundations, national intermediaries, state and federal agencies, colleges and universities working to expand opportunities and close equity gaps in postsecondary access and completion. We are action-oriented, focusing our work to inform implementation and measure impact of effective strategies for higher education and workforce education systems and providers to improve postsecondary credential attainment.
To commemorate this milestone, the 15 for 15 campaign will identify five (5) not-for-profit organizations committed to expanding opportunities for students to succeed in postsecondary education and to closing equity gaps in postsecondary credential attainment. We define equity to mean providing the necessary resources and supports to lift up students who have historically not been served effectively by postsecondary education, especially African-American, Hispanic, and Native American students; students from low-income backgrounds; first-generation students; and adult students seeking to upskill who may have enrolled in postsecondary education or who never enrolled in college and may not have completed a high school diploma or its equivalent. We believe that focusing policy and practice changes on these students is a fundamental and necessary aspect of an equitable postsecondary attainment agenda.
Every two months or so beginning this month (February 2020), a member of our team will nominate an organization to receive a charitable donation from DVP-PRAXIS LTD to support
their efforts to address equity in postsecondary attainment. In addition to this donation, we will post a summary description of each selected organization on this webpage with a link to each organization in case visitors our website would also like to donate. We will announce each selected organization on our company LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/company/dvp-praxis and via Twitter @dvppraxis.
Transition | Semper Fi Fund
The Semper Fi Fund provides urgently needed resources and lifetime support for combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. Case Managers from the Fund work one-on-one with service members and veterans to understand and support their individual needs right now and throughout their lifetime. Our donation will support the Transition Program, which provides funding for educational expenses such as books, short term training programs, and non-degree credentials.
Semper Fi Fund was nominated by Sarah Deal who wrote:
“I know first hand that money donated to this fund goes directly to veterans compared to other organizations where overhead costs take donations away from the intended purpose. One of our groomsmen lost both of his legs in Afghanistan and Semper Fi Fund has been truly transformational to both his and his family’s life.”
DVP-PRAXIS LTD is excited to announce that Semper Fi Fund is the first recipient of our 15 For 15 Campaign. For more information on The Semper Fi Transition Program , click here. If you choose to make a donation, please use Appeal Code #20DVVPC.
Leap Year | Bridging The Gap
Leap Year prepares young, talented students to reach their academic and leadership potential by attending college and breaking the cycle of poverty. The program identifies first generation high school graduates to be Leap Year Fellows, helping them fulfill their college, leadership, and career potential, while coaching young scholars in elementary school (Atlanta Public Schools) to build a strong foundation in reading. Leap Year Fellows are paid $550 per month, earning a college book scholarship, and helping position the next generation for future success.
Leap Year was nominated by Janelle Clay who wrote:
“Immediate college enrollment is a goal for many, however the opportunity to take a gap year or in this case, a leap year, can provide benefits to students who may not be prepared or ready to enroll in college. During their leap year, Fellows receive additional academic support to prepare them for college enrollment, while gaining leadership skills through a service-learning opportunity. In speaking with Fellows, they have an increased sense of confidence in their preparedness for college and greater awareness of the educational pathways that are available to them.”
DVP-PRAXIS LTD is excited to announce Leap Year as a recipient of our 15 for 15 Campaign. If you’d like to learn more or make a donation, click here: https://theleapyear.org/
Capital Partners for Education | Mentoring to College and Career
Capital Partners for Education is dedicated to providing one-to-one mentoring to low-income high school and college students in the academic middle from the Washington, D.C. – area to help them develop the skills and experiences needed to successfully complete college and excel in the workforce.
Capital Partners for Education was nominated by Drew Curtis who wrote:
“It is vital to recognize the value of person-to-person relationships that reproduce the deep and lasting benefits of having a kind and committed human advocate. Capital Partners for Education understands this value, with 25 years of connecting low-income high school and college students in Washington D.C. with committed and caring mentors. The organization’s mentorship program is designed to both help students navigate the logistical ins-and-outs of their educational journey and reach academic and professional success, and also to cultivate meaningful relationships between mentors and mentees to ensure that learners feel truly seen and understood.”
DVP-PRAXIS LTD is excited to announce Capital Partners for Education as a recipient of our 15 for 15 Campaign. If you’d like to learn more or make a donation, click here: https://www.cpfe.org/
Odyssey Project | Odyssey Beyond Bars
Odyssey Beyond Bars addresses systemic racial inequities by providing free access to higher education. With Wisconsin consistently ranked near the bottom in racial disparities, Odyssey Beyond Bars offers a solution through an innovative prison education program that empowers incarcerated students through self-awareness and expression. Odyssey Beyond Bars is part of the Odyssey Project, a transformative University of Wisconsin-Madison humanities program providing adult students with a pathway to college and breaking the cycle of generational poverty. Odyssey graduates, over 94% of whom are Black, Indigenous or other people of color, have gone from homelessness to master’s degrees, from incarceration to meaningful careers. They report life-changing effects for themselves and their children; alumni read more, are more likely to vote, and see improved school performance in their children. Three-quarters of Odyssey graduates go on to take additional college classes, and dozens now have certificates or degrees. On average, students’ incomes have risen $18,000 following graduation.
Odyssey Beyond Bars was nominated by Jessa Lewis Valentine who wrote:
“More than 2.2 million adults are currently incarcerated, with stark inequalities in incarceration rates fueled by systemic racism. Research shows that postsecondary education greatly increases the odds of successful community and labor market re-entry, yet incarcerated individuals have scarce opportunities to pursue educational or career goals. By offering college-level courses in small-group settings, Odyssey Beyond Bars strives to provide students in Wisconsin prisons with the academic and professional opportunities they need succeed in their communities.”
DVP-PRAXIS LTD is excited to announce Odyssey Beyond Bars as a recipient of our 15 for 15 Campaign. If you’d like to learn more or make a donation, click here: https://odyssey.wisc.edu/support/
Achieving the Dream | DREAM Student Scholars
Achieving the Dream’s DREAM Scholars program is a unique experiential learning opportunity for eight students who are studying at community colleges active in the national ATD Network. The experience is designed to enhance each student’s key leadership, critical thinking, and networking skills. At ATD’s annual convening, these student scholars deliver captivating “I am from” poems that describe their personal experiences and how they overcame obstacles in order to succeed. After completing the program, DREAM Scholars are prepared to impact their local communities, as a result of gained in-depth insight on the complexities of community college reform, and by learning from national student success leaders.
To view the DREAM Scholars video, click here: https://youtu.be/6xW7QC3wHaI
DREAM Student Scholars was nominated by Derek Price who wrote:
“It was natural for me to support DREAM Student Scholars as part of our #15for15 campaign. Our company has grown alongside Achieving the Dream, and I was part of the core team at Lumina Foundation that launched Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count as a national initiative in 2004. I have seen the impact of Achieving the Dream and its unwavering commitment to equitable outcomes and institutional reform. It is an honor to support DREAM Student Scholars in their pursuit of an associate or bachelor’s degree.”
DVP-PRAXIS LTD is excited to announce DREAM Student Scholars as a recipient of our 15 for 15 Campaign. If you’d like to learn more or make a donation, click here: https://www.achievingthedream.org/awards-recognition/dream-student-scholars