How Persist Nashville Volunteers Help First-Generation Students Graduate College | Laurie Brown

About this episode

Laurie Brown discusses the importance of support for first-generation college students and how volunteer work can make a difference.

WE HIGHLIGHT NEW ORGANIZATIONS EVERY MONTH ON THE FIRST AND THIRD MONDAYS Support Doing Good: ⁠⁠⁠ Donate Here ⁠⁠⁠ For anyone wondering how volunteer work can reconnect you to your purpose while transforming students' lives, Laurie Brown, CEO of Intrepid College Prep and Board Chair of Persist Nashville, shares why first-generation college students need more than just admission letters to succeed. We explore the critical gap between college access and college completion, discover how professional coaching changes outcomes for MNPS graduates, and learn practical ways busy professionals can find volunteer opportunities that fill their cup. Featured Guest: Laurie Brown — CEO of Intrepid College Prep & Board Chair of Persist Nashville What You'll Learn: ✅ Why the first two years of college are make-or-break for first-generation students and how coaching helps them persist ✅ How Persist Nashville's data-driven approach partners with MNPS schools to track student outcomes from senior year through college ✅ How to reframe volunteerism as a two-way investment that fills your cup while serving your community Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Lori Brown and Her Journey 03:14 The Importance…

People in this episode

Guest: Laurie Brown

Topics covered

• volunteerism
• first-generation students
• college completion
• education advocacy
• coaching
• community service

Keywords

• volunteer work
• first-generation college students
• college access
• coaching
• education
• Persist Nashville
• Intrepid College Prep

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Intrepid College Prep, Persist Nashville, MNPS

More episodes of Doing Good

• Animal Welfare Advocacy Through Prevention, Retention & Community Events · May 11, 2026 · 19 min
• How Tech 4 All Tennessee Teaches Computer Basics to Veterans & Underserved Communities · March 2, 2026 · 12 min
• From Struggling College Student to Persist Nashville Student Ambassador · February 16, 2026 · 15 min
• From Addiction and Homelessness to Leading Nashville Rescue Mission · January 19, 2026 · 24 min
• Volunteering as Adventure: Author Heidi Siefkas on Resilience and Giving Back | Heidi Siefkas · January 6, 2026 · 13 min
• Life-Changing Home Modifications: A Story of Hope and Independence | Kayla Torti, Adeline Graf · December 15, 2025 · 18 min