Minds Matter

We’re proud to welcome Smriti Sinha to the Minds Matter National Board! Sims brings more than 15 years of experience across fintech, insurtech, and wellness, with a career spanning strategy, product, and growth leadership at Fortune 100 companies and high-growth startups. She currently serves as an investor-operator in a wellness ecommerce business. A passionate advocate for education equity, Sims is committed to expanding access and opportunity for students from underserved communities. Welcome to the Board, Sims!

Every fall, as students embark on the twin tasks of applying for both college and financial aid, I get asked the same question. Is the cost of college really worth the degree? Parents and students are both watching the headlines about the uncertainty around Pell Grants and federal aid. They’re hearing their friends and family members question the value of those four years away from home. And they’re trying to make decisions that will shape the rest of their lives. But a new analysis from The Brookings Institution repeats what we at Minds Matter know to be true: college still delivers the strongest pathway to long-term financial stability. Even after accounting for student loan payments, college graduates earn about $8,000 more each year than similar students who don’t complete a degree. Over a lifetime, that difference is transformative. But to understand the full story—especially for the students Minds Matter serves—you have to look deeper. One of the most important findings in higher education research comes from economists Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger. Their work shows something that resonates with our experience: for students from affluent or highly educated families, their earnings don't depend much on where they go to college. Their networks and safety nets travel with them wherever they choose to go. But for first-generation, low-income (#FGLI) students, the picture is very different: attending a more selective college meaningfully increases lifetime earnings. The quality of the college itself expands their access to social networks and professional opportunities that aren’t equally distributed. In other words: 👉 College matters. 👉 A college degree matters more. 👉 And for FGLI students, the quality of that college degree matters most. This is what we do at Minds Matter. Our students have the talent and determination to succeed in college and beyond. What they need—and what we provide—is the people, preparation, and pathways that make selective colleges accessible and navigable. We see, year after year, how the right support can reshape a student’s options and accelerate their future. When we talk about college access, it’s not about prestige for the sake of prestige—it’s about economic security and opening doors that have been closed to too many young people for too long. If we want a country where talent—not family income—determines opportunity, we have to invest in the pathways that make that promise real. At Minds Matter, we work alongside students every day to turn potential into possibility. During this season of giving, I invite you to support that work and help ensure more students can access the futures they deserve. https://lnkd.in/e-UjfuDw

At Minds Matter, we partner with potential through community. From Philadelphia to Los Angeles, every single student in our program is surrounded by a dedicated group of mentors and tutors, providing highly individualized support to their student. This intensive, personalized approach fosters deep learning for our students, especially in Minds Matter’s academic programs. Students strengthen their writing and analytical skills while mastering the core concepts in math and logic. But more than learning formulas or parts of an essay, the real impact of our personalized approach is that students learn how to learn, how to study, and how to think critically about the world around them.   Your investment in Minds Matter fuels this kind of learning — the essays written, the math problems solved, the skills practiced until they click. It’s the partnership that turns effort into mastery and potential into progress. Give today and invest in our students’ potential today and help them take the next step toward college, career, and the lives they’re working so hard to build. https://lnkd.in/eaS2rniG

It was an honor to speak at yesterday's opening retreat for the newest cohort of The Pinkerton Foundation Senior Leaders Network Program! As a member of the OG Pinkerton Advanced Leadership Network, it was especially meaningful to return and help welcome another group of nonprofit superstars. This group showed up with curiosity, clarity, and a real readiness to grow -- exactly what I expected from people in this program! Even more exciting, I got to present alongside Priya Mohabir and my friend Michael Clarke from last year's cohort. They brought so much good wisdom into the space! Thank you to Danielle Pulliam and Erica Hamilton for the kind invitation to speak. ❤️

At Minds Matter, we see something extraordinary every Saturday. Across 14 cities, hundreds of students and volunteers come together for a full day of mentoring, math, writing, and college prep. For students, it’s an extra school day. For volunteers, it’s revisiting high school subjects and learning how to teach them with clarity and care. This simple model of people helping people has powered more than 30 years of impact and delivered a 100% college acceptance rate. In a moment when young people are balancing school, work, and family while navigating a world transformed by AI, partnership matters more than ever. Our students show up with determination. They put in the hours. They do the work. But potential needs a partner. Thanks to supporters across the country, we’ve already raised more than $100,000 this #GivingTuesday season. And there’s still time to join them! This year, donor support fuels two key national investments: ➡️ A comprehensive college-advising curriculum helping students identify their best-fit colleges, maximize financial aid, and pursue higher education with as little debt as possible. ➡️ A new national college-success program providing coaching, resources, and career guidance so students can graduate on time and enter the workforce with confidence. As we continue our #GivingTuesday campaign, we invite our community to stand with our students and help them take the next step toward college and career. Potential needs a partner. Make your #GivingTuesday gift today and invest in the future our students are working so hard to build. https://lnkd.in/eaS2rniG

Thank you to Ashish and Sapna Shah for welcoming the Minds Matter community into their home for An Evening with Minds Matter! It was a beautiful night filled with conversation, connection, and a shared commitment to supporting our students in the year ahead. We were thrilled to see so many of our Board members come together to celebrate the impact of our work and the momentum building across the network. The energy in the room reflected the heart of Minds Matter. Our students inspire us, and the dedication of our volunteers, partners, and leaders makes this work possible. Here’s to an exciting year of growth, opportunity, and community! #MindsMatter #EducationEquity #Mentorship #Community #StudentSuccess

This is what the power of mentorship looks like. Thank you to Monique, Ashish, and Melanie for sharing this full circle moment and for the ongoing leadership that strengthens our mission! #MindsMatter #Mentorship #EducationEquity #CollegeAccess #StudentSuccess

We’re so excited to welcome Rachel Greenburg Geller to the Minds Matter team as our new Chief of Staff! Rachel joins us from Minds Matter NYC, where she led corporate partnerships, volunteer engagement, and career readiness programming. She brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to expanding access and opportunity for students nationwide. Welcome to the National team, Rachel!

Our #Portland chapter is hiring a new Program Director! Join the Minds Matter Portland team!

L'Toya Jones became Minds Matter DC’s first-ever full-time Executive Director earlier this year. We spoke with L’Toya about her journey from first-generation college student to chapter leader, and how she’s shaping what’s next in the nation’s capital. One of twelve siblings, L’Toya grew up with a foster family in Poughkeepsie, NY. At the time, college wasn’t something she saw in her future. That changed when she met Leslie, a close friend of her foster family, who simply asked, “Where else are you applying?” At the time, L’Toya had only planned to apply to one school. But that one question, from someone who believed in her potential, changed her path. She researched more schools, applied for a scholarship for students from low-income backgrounds, and ultimately won both the scholarship and admission to New York University. “The best thing Leslie ever did was remember me,” L’Toya said. “He stayed in touch and kept encouraging me. I want to do that for someone else.” After college, L’Toya’s passion for mentorship led her to AmeriCorps and later the Harlem Educational Activities Fund, before joining Minds Matter NYC as Director of Programs. When she saw the Executive Director role open in DC, she knew it was the right next step to lead, grow, and make a lasting impact. “College is still the number one way out of generational poverty,” L’Toya said. “And our students deserve to feel seen, supported, and ready.” L’Toya embodies what makes Minds Matter special: a commitment to mentorship, opportunity, and the belief that every student deserves a path to success. Learn more about her work at www.mindsmatterdc.org!