Pioneering College Access and Success Nonprofit Taps Former KIPP Director as President

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- College Possible, a national nonprofit that connects low-income high school and college students with near-peer coaches, today announced the appointment of its first president, Craig Robinson, a nonprofit executive with more than twenty years of experience in education leadership and practice.

"College Possible is building on 20 years of experience, expanding into new communities, and partnering with institutions in ways that enable us to extend our reach and impact," said Jim McCorkell, founder and chief executive officer of College Possible. "Craig's leadership, passion for service, and familiarity with the unique challenges that low-income students face will ensure that we continue to scale with intentionality and purpose." 

A longtime advocate for equity and access in K-12 and higher education, Robinson has more than two decades of leadership experience in education and nonprofit management. Prior to joining College Possible, Robinson served as the chief strategy officer at Henderson Collegiate Charter Network and as the chief program officer at the National College Advising Corps. For nearly a decade, he was the national director of KIPP Through College, which has helped 20,000 high school graduates navigate the academic, social and financial challenges of applying to and attending college.

"This opportunity reflects the culmination of a career dedicated to eliminating poverty by helping students realize the life changing benefits of higher education," Robinson said. "In many ways, this role feels like a homecoming and I am excited about the opportunities and challenges ahead."

College Possible is one of the largest college access and success organizations in the country, working with nearly 25,000 low-income students at 200 schools in seven major cities across the country. In October, they were awarded the inaugural Evergreen National Education Prize, which recognized College Possible's leadership and success in the college access landscape.

Founder and CEO Jim McCorkell will continue to provide overarching management and leadership of the organization, while Robinson will oversee the day-to-day work of running and growing College Possible.

About College Possible: For nearly 20 years, College Possible has been focused on serving students when and where they need support. The key to its success is near-peer coaching—leveraging the power of young, passionate and dedicated recent college graduates serving as AmeriCorps members to offer advice, mentoring and support to students from low-income backgrounds as they navigate the often complex world of college preparation and persistence.

Its Flagship program provides support to students from their junior year of high school through college graduation. The Navigate program provides outreach to high school students outside of metropolitan areas through coaches using the latest technological tools to offer virtual support and guidance. Catalyze partnerships allow College Possible to embed its coaching model and curriculum in college campuses across the U.S. College Possible is a proud partner of CollegePoint, a nationwide initiative with Bloomberg Philanthropies that helps students from low-income families apply to, enroll in and afford top-performing colleges.

SOURCE College Possible