Quest Bridge
What They Do
Located in Palo Alto, California, Quest Bridge's mission is to create a "singular place where exceptionally talented low-income students can navigate educational and life opportunities." They do this through recruiting, developing, and supporting outstanding low-income students beginning in high school, and helping them to be successful in college, graduate school, and post-college employment. Quest Bridge has partnered with a number of top universities, and works to ensure these motivated students go on to succeed in college and in life.
How Quest Bridge can "Be Extraordinary!"
Quest Bridge does a great job in helping outstanding students succeed despite significant life obstacles. But, what if they could provide even more support to these students in achieving their dreams? The Extraordinaries volunteers could reach out and help guide these students as they navigate the complicated world of college and job applications. Students could anonymously submit their personal statements for their college applications and receive feedback from Extraordinaries volunteers from their phones. Students with an interest in a specific career field could indicate so, and submit a series of questions about what that a certain job entails and how to break-in to that career. Extraordinaries volunteers with knowledge of these sectors could respond -- either through typing answers on their phone, or through actually calling these students directly -- and provide guidance and mentorship.
Help with college applications, and career advising are things many take for granted; but for motivated, low-income students, such as those in Quest Bridge, this type of help -- all of which could be done through a mobile phone -- has the chance to significantly impact the lives of this country's brightest talent.
Want to Learn More?
What Do You Think?
How could YOU use your phone to reach out to these bright, motivated students? Is there another way you could think of supporting Quest Bridge's mission through The Extraordinaries' application? We'd love to hear your thoughts.
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Alex Budak is a recent graduate of UCLA and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Public Policy at Georgetown University, with a focus on Technology and Social Entrepreneurship. He is joining The Extraordinaries this summer as a Research Fellow.