Clara's College Beyond Fundraising

I often think back on my own experience navigating the college application process for the first time. It felt overwhelming, unfamiliar, and intimidating. As the eldest child of Caribbean immigrants, this was new territory for both me and my family. We were figuring it out as we went, without a roadmap.

By chance, I found my way to a college that was not only a strong fit, but one my family could afford. But getting there was only the beginning. Once on campus, I quickly realized how much I still had to learn. I had to adapt, to build new habits, and to find my footing in an environment that often felt like it wasn’t built for students like me.

That experience inspired the work I do today. It’s what led me to College Beyond and continues to drive me every day. There’s a quote by Andrew Carnegie that has stayed with me over the years: “My heart is in the work.” That’s how I feel about this mission and about the students we serve.

Every year in Louisiana, thousands of students set out with the dream of earning a college degree. But for students from low-income backgrounds, only about 12% will earn that degree by age 24. Not because they lack talent or ambition, but because too often, they lack the support and guidance needed to navigate the journey.

At College Beyond, we exist to change that.

A college degree is more than a credential. It’s exposure to new ideas, new communities, and new possibilities. It’s a space where students can discover who they are and step into who they are meant to become. And for many, it is also one of the most powerful pathways to break cycles of generational poverty, creating opportunity not just for one individual, but for their families and their communities.

On GiveNOLA Day, I’m asking you to invest in that possibility. To stand with students not just as they get to college, but as they persist and succeed once they’re there.

Because talent is everywhere. Opportunity should be too.