Engage. Inspire. Connect.
Collaborate with us. Become part of our network
The Collective Success Network is unique because it is founded by a volunteer team of professionals who believe that businesses play an important role in changing lives, uplifting communities, and increasing college success rates. Therefore, we are intentionally designing a platform to pay it forward in a manner that makes a meaningful difference and addresses the barriers to getting involved in serving the community.
We would like to partner with your company to co-create new approaches to boost diversity and inclusion by building a socio-economically diverse talent pipeline. Furthermore, we connect you with high-potential college students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are driving change in their communities by building bridges of hope, resilience, and self-actualization.
CSN Programs
CSN offers the following programs and services for the FGLI community:
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holistic and career-focused mentorship programs
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in-person and virtual learning events
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professional skills and leadership development training
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preparation for and connection to internships and jobs
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social and networking opportunities with FGLI peers and professionals
We support and empower first-generation and/or low-income (FGLI) college students to achieve their potential by providing mentoring, professional development, networking and leadership opportunities
First-generation low income (FGLI) college students are particularly vulnerable:
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5 times more likely to drop out as compared to peers, leaving with debt and no college degree
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often under-employed or in positions without role models to help them navigate their careers
Research* shows that FGLI students in professional careers can outperform their peers by bringing strengths to the workplace as “social class transitioners”. This diverse and valuable talent pool is under-utilized.
Collective Success Network (CSN) was founded in 2017 by two FGLI college graduates who wanted to eradicate the roadblocks FGLI students face transitioning from college to careers. CSN works with students, professional volunteers and career services offices at Temple University, The University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and other colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area. CSN offers the following programs and services for the FGLI community:
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holistic and career-focused mentorship programs
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in-person and virtual learning events
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professional skills and leadership development training
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preparation for and connection to internships and jobs
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social and networking opportunities with FGLI peers and professionals
Since 2017, CSN has empowered over 800 FGLI students in the Philadelphia area with training, professional mentors, leadership opportunities and support.
Demographics for typical CSN program participants are 45% Asian American/Pacific Islander, 24% African American/Black, 20% White/Caucasian, 11% LatinX, 60% female, 35% male, 5% LGBTQ. CSN program alumni include STEM graduate students, a Rhodes Scholar, entrepreneurs, and recent hires at Citi, Bristol-Myers Squibb, IBM, McKinsey, Penn Medicine, RSM and Vanguard among others.
To help FGLI students and young professionals to achieve long-term professional success, CSN is working closely with Philadelphia-area organizations. Our platform “CSN Connect” helps local recruiters find high-potential FGLI students in our network and includes a combination of events and professional development programs, where local companies can introduce themselves to students. The platform:
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Reduces costs and improves results of recruiting valuable FGLI candidates by engaging with our network of talented students now attending colleges and universities across the Philadelphia area;
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Reduces onboarding time and costs because of our “soft skills” training programs;
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Supports the integration of young professionals into your organization to reduce turnover and increase their chance of success.
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Creates meaningful opportunities for professionals at your company to give back and build their own support system within the company and our first gen community.
For more information or to join and invest in
“CSN Connect”, contact info@collectivesuccess.org
* “The Forgotten Dimension of Diversity”, Paul Ingram, Harvard Business Review, Jan-Feb 2021.
“Social Class Transitioners: Their Cultural Abilities and Organizational Importance”, Sean R. Martin and Stéphane Côté, Academy of Management Review, 44(3)2017.
Learning Events
We curate learning events each semester based on our population's evolving needs.
These events focus on professional and personal development, covering topics such as career navigation, emotional intelligence, interpersonal effectiveness, leadership skills, and financial literacy.
Recent events have included:
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“More Than Interviewing Skills: How to Embrace Being First Gen”
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“From Financial Aid to Financial Independence”
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“The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career of Right”
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CSN and RiseFirst co-hosted a webinar from WSJ award winning author and first gen professional Gorick Ng on his book. The recorded webinar is full of great tips and is available for viewing: https://youtu.be/H2RxC_Xtl_o
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These events are both virtual and in-person. All events are free.
Networking and Social Events
Meet-and-greets for students and professionals to gather and interact provide our students informal spaces to gain exposure to professional culture, communication, and etiquette, to learn about different careers, and to build personal relationships with professionals and other first-gen college students.
Company Visits
Student gain real-world exposure to various industries by visiting companies.
Participating companies host groups of no more than 20 students at their offices to provide them with an insider’s overview of the industry. Staff will talk about their individual career paths and share insights on how to enter and advance in the industry.
