Barrier Breakers?, Inc.

?? Calling All Career Counselors & Volunteers! Help First-Gen Students Succeed ?? Barrier Breakers?, Inc. is looking for volunteer career counselors to support our first-generation students with internships, early career guidance, and post-grad placement. ?? Flexible, Impactful Volunteering – On Your Schedule! ? Time Commitment: As little as 1-3 hours per week ? One-on-One or Broad Mentorship: You can choose to be paired with one student or do broad research for multiple students ? Fully Virtual: Support students through email, Zoom, or recorded feedback ?? How You Can Help: ? Resume & cover letter feedback (via email or a quick call) ? Job & internship search advice ? Mock interviews & career coaching ? Industry insights & networking tips ?? Who We Support: As part of our Outreach and Wellness Program, we provide free career services for our first-generation college students and recent graduates. We ensure that we help them through the application process and continue supporting their success after graduation. We help them land their first jobs, internships, and career opportunities! ?? How to Get Involved: If you're passionate about mentorship and career development, we’d love to have you! Sign up to volunteer here: https://lnkd.in/d6Wt4xyQ Not able to volunteer but still want to support us? Please consider making a donation today at givebutter.com/firstgen to support our work.

?? Celebrating Our High School Seniors’ College Acceptances! ?? We are so proud of our Barrier Breakers?, Inc. students for their incredible college acceptances so far! Their hard work, resilience, and determination are paying off, and we are honored to have been part of their journey. This is only the beginning, as more acceptances are on the way this year! ???? Congratulations to our students on their acceptances to: Cornell University, Northeastern University, University of Maryland College Park, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Florida, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Rutgers University, Drexel University, Louisiana State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Rochester Institute of Technology, Fisk University, Hampton University, North Carolina A&T State University, Towson University, Suffolk University, Saint Mary's College of Maryland, George Mason University, Spelman College, University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Stony Brook University, Fordham University, Pace University, Drew University, University of Maryland Baltimore County, St. Joseph's University, The New School (Parsons School of Design), and Howard University. ?? International Acceptances: University of Manchester, University of St Andrews (Scotland), SOAS University of London ? We are still enrolling high school sophomores and juniors for our college counseling program! ? If you want personalized, expert guidance to navigate college applications with confidence, visit: ?? https://lnkd.in/euRY4gMy Know a family who could benefit? Tag them below! Let’s help more students break barriers and achieve their college dreams! ???? #CollegeAcceptances #BarrierBreakers #HigherEd #CollegeAdmissions #FirstGen #CollegeCounseling #Scholarships #HigherEducation

2024 was a year of incredible growth and impact for Barrier Breakers?, Inc. Breakers! If you missed out on our newsletters, you can take a look at our 2024 highlights at https://lnkd.in/eDkwWhtE, and if you're still looking for a place to make an end-of-year donation, we'd love for you to consider supporting our work at givebutter.com/firstgen - We are so blessed to have strengthened partnerships with HomeWorks Trenton, KindWorks, and GlobalMindED, all fantastic organizations working to ensure access and resources for students who need them the most. - We launched our Outreach and Wellness Program with LoVetta Jenkins striving to make sure that every single student receives a text message or a call from us every single semester and that we continue to care for our students' emotional, physical, and mental health needs alongside their academic success. - We served thousands of students at our Break into Law Conference, enrolled over 500 students in our free asynchronous writing courses, supported hundreds of students with one-on-one admissions advising, and grew our team to include seven current and former deans and directors of admissions. - We met students at conferences and fairs across the country, traveled to see students during family day weekends, hosted our students at happy hours and coffee breaks, and showed up for our students when they needed us the most. We supported one of our students as they trained and competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics and celebrated when two our of students became Obama Fellows. - And we are so thankful that we had help and support from Marlon Lutfiyya and Sonia Menon at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP; Robin Ladd, Khalil Bryant, Sean Lewis, Janet O. Eyimofe Wyse, Esq., and Sharon E. Jones at Haynes and Boone, LLP, Steven M. Bow at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Maria Lewis at Faegre Drinker, Terra Davis at Knobbe Martens, and Virginia G. Essandoh, JD at Ballard Spahr LLP for their firms' commitments to diversity, inclusion, and access in the legal profession. Thanks to supporters like you, we met our Board match goal and have raised 86% of our base goal for 2025! Your generosity has already made an incredible impact, and we’re now just $10,000 away from reaching this crucial milestone to kick off the new year strong. With your help, we can expand our pro bono services and free, high-touch support—giving students the tools they need to thrive and change their lives forever. ?? There’s still time to make your 2024 gift and help us reach our base goal! You can donate at givebutter.com/firstgen Every dollar matters, and together, we can ensure a strong foundation for 2025. Thank you for being part of this journey to break barriers and build brighter futures.

This giving season, we’re inviting you to be part of our mission at Barrier Breakers?, Inc.?! Whether you’re passionate about mentoring students, forming impactful partnerships, or helping us tell our story through data, we have a place for you. Here are some ways to get involved: Volunteer on a committee: Join our Fundraising, Partnerships, Outreach & Mentorship, or Data Committees (low time commitment, high impact!). The Outreach & Mentorship Committee plays a crucial role in our Outreach and Wellness Program, ensuring every student receives semester check-ins via phone calls and texts, and helping us meet our goal of pairing every student who wants 1:1 mentorship with a mentor by the end of 2025. Specialized volunteer roles: Starting with the 2025 school year, you can mentor first-generation students as part of our College Counseling or Career Mentorship Programs, helping them navigate their academic and professional journeys. Advisory Board opportunities: We’re growing our Advisory Board for 2025—our Advisory Board members are crucial to helping us think through strategic growth, partnership opportunities, and programming! We also hope you’ll consider supporting us philanthropically at any level to help us continue this work for thousands of first-generation students. Your gift will make a meaningful difference! Donate today: https://lnkd.in/eH5CBZH7 Every contribution, big or small, helps us transform lives. Ready to make a difference? Learn more and sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eac4TrKQ Together, we can help first-generation students break barriers and achieve their dreams! ?? hashtag #GivingSeason hashtag #VolunteerOpportunity hashtag #MentorshipMatters hashtag #DonateNow

?? Today, on National First-Generation College Celebration Day, we’re reminded of the resilience, ambition, and strength of first-generation students who are breaking barriers to pursue their dreams. At Barrier Breakers, we’re proud to stand alongside these students, providing the guidance, support, and resources they need to succeed. In a time when access to higher education is facing unprecedented challenges, our work is more essential than ever. We’re committed to leveling the playing field and ensuring that every student—no matter their background—has a fair shot at achieving their academic and professional goals. We know the stakes are high. And we’re honored to be part of a mission that champions first-generation, low-income, and marginalized students. But we can’t do it alone. Every contribution, whether $20, $200, or $2,000, directly impacts our ability to continue this work and reach even more students. Please take a moment to watch the stories of our students in this video, sharing just how much Barrier Breakers means to them. Together, let’s make higher education accessible for all. https://lnkd.in/eej8-vEb Support our cause at: givebutter.com/firstgen #NationalFirstGenDay #HigherEdAccess #BarrierBreakers #SupportHigherEd #FirstGenerationStudents

Proud First-Gen college and law grad!

Today is a historic day in our nation’s history. Whether you are happy or sad, angry or hopeful, today will shape and impact higher education for years to come. For many of you, we know that accessing higher education is already an uncertain journey. And for some of you from marginalized backgrounds, Dreamers and DACA recipients, undocumented students, LGBTQ students, refugees, and those with family members in global crises abroad in Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine, we know that your journey to higher education may seem even more uncertain now, not just for you but for your family as well. We want you to know that Barrier Breakers?, Inc. is here for you. All of you. We are committed to supporting each of you on your journey, recognizing the unique challenges you may face. We want you to know that you have resources and a supportive community to lean on during this time. We also are dedicated to helping you find a higher education home in a community that feels safe, that aligns with your values, and that can help you thrive into the young adult, or working professional you are called to be. Barrier Breakers is about more than simply getting you into a school or program; we are about making sure you thrive. Now, more than ever, we will continue to do personal outreach to each of our students on campuses across the country, checking in with you and making sure that you have the support system you need. We are doubling down on our support within our alumni community and extending more resources to connect our students to one another so that nobody feels alone, especially now. Whether you are a current Barrier Breakers student, past Barrier Breakers student, or simply part of our online community, please reach out to us if you need support. Our goal is to make sure you feel seen, heard, and valued as a part of our community. In challenging moments, remember why you started this journey. Barrier Breakers is here to help you stay grounded and supported as you work toward your goals. We believe in your potential and are ready to stand alongside you. Take care of yourselves, lean on each other, and know that we are dedicated to helping you succeed, every step of the way. In closing, I will leave you all with this prayer. I pray that God watches over you and keeps you in your higher education journey; I pray that you are constantly reminded, no matter what anyone may say about you, your community, or your background, that you are worthy, that you have a purpose, and that there is a plan and a calling on your future. I pray that you see yourself as enough and as capable of achieving your academic goals. I pray that you never stop fighting for what you believe and stand tall and advocate for your truth. I pray that God will bring you resources to support you and that you remember that God sees you even when times look dark. I pray that you have the strength of Esther and know that you are here for such a time as this. https://lnkd.in/e3AD9VWW

At Barrier Breakers?, Inc., building community is at the core of our mission. This month, I was thrilled to host in-person info sessions in partnership with St. John's University School of Law for students in the New York area and partner with the New York County District Attorney's Office to host an in-person information session with their attorneys. We loved reconnecting with our incredible students and alumni and happy hour events in the City as well. Seeing our students form meaningful connections and support each other through the law school application process was a reminder of how powerful community can be. I also had the honor of gathering with my stellar team of advisors—all current and former deans and directors of admissions—for our first in-person dinner in NYC. These brilliant minds are the backbone of our work, and I couldn’t be more excited about the future we’re building together! A major shout out to Demi Pirrone at the New York County District Attorney's Office for helping coordinate a wonderful event for our Barrier Breakers students, Denée Page and Junghwa Reichert, M.A. at St. John's for hosting us so brilliantly, Paul Patterson, PhD for coordinating the details for our organization, and Dr. Nadia Castriota, Arturo Hodgson, M.S., Shani Butts, Glenn E. Bell, M. Ed., and Gabriela Amador for being wonderful advisors! #BarrierBreakers #CommunityBuilding #LawSchoolAdmissions #NYC #FirstGenSuccess #Leadership #Teamwork

?? At Barrier Breakers?, Inc., we are beyond grateful for the ongoing support that helps us to expand access to higher education for marginalized and first-generation students and empower them to succeed! ??? This past weekend, we were thrilled to receive a generous donation of refurbished iPads from KindWorks for the incredible students at HomeWorks Trenton, where we are proudly offering pro-bono college and law admissions counseling services. ???? KindWorks embodies the spirit of kindness and community, uplifting those who need it most in various ways. To explore their impactful efforts, visit:?https://dokindworks.org/??? A special thank you to our dedicated board member, Richard Thornton, for personally picking up the iPads so they could be distributed to the students. We appreciate your unwavering commitment! ???????? #HigherEducationForAll #AccessToOpportunity #GratefulHearts #KindnessInAction

A Night of Inspiration and Connection! ?? Last week, our founder Sydney Montgomery had the pleasure of engaging with the pre-law superstars at Saint Joseph's University in an event organized by Paul Patterson, our Student Enrollment Coordinator at Barrier Breakers?, Inc. ?? It was an insightful evening filled with meaningful conversations and topped off with a camaraderie-filled dinner with the students. We're thrilled to have connected with these bright minds and can't wait to watch them achieve their dreams in the legal profession! ??