About this episode

The episode discusses the need for multiple pathways for student success after high school, featuring insights from Melissa Connolly of OneGoal.

What does student success really look like after high school? In this episode of Start the Week with Wisdom, Bridget Burns and Sarah Custer sit down with Melissa Connolly, CEO of OneGoal, to talk about college access, postsecondary success, multiple pathways, student advising, first-generation leadership, and why the old “college or bust” mindset no longer fits the lives of today’s students. Melissa shares how OneGoal is helping young people prepare for life after high school through stronger advising, real-world pathways, and a student-centered approach that honors each learner’s goals. She also opens up about her own journey from being placed in a truancy program to becoming a first-generation college graduate and national education leader. This conversation is for higher education leaders, K-12 educators, nonprofit leaders, student success professionals, funders, advisors, and anyone working to close equity gaps and help students persist, graduate, and thrive. If you care about college completion, career pathways, education equity, student engagement, chronic absenteeism, leadership, or building systems that actually work for young people, this conversation offers a practical…

People in this episode

Hosts: Bridget Burns, Sarah Custer

Guest: Melissa Connolly

Topics covered

• student success
• college access
• postsecondary success
• multiple pathways
• education equity

Keywords

• college completion
• career pathways
• student engagement
• chronic absenteeism
• first-generation leadership

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: OneGoal, University Innovation Alliance

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