Strategic Plan

With greater clarity about what makes Prep for Prep a standout in educational access, all employees will be able to leverage a common understanding of the organization and its benefits to raise awareness among external audiences, including prospective families, donors, corporate partners, and alumni.

Under the guidance of an expanded communications department and in partnership with advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day, we will ensure the messaging used to promote our program accurately reflects our updated vision and mission, resonates with prospective students and their families, and showcases our position as a leader

in inclusive education.

To ensure the best independent school experience possible for our students, we will clearly communicate our expectation that our partner schools offer a truly inclusive environment and coach schools on best practices in educating students of color. We will keep a keen eye on how schools engage with our students and families.

By nurturing our relationships with independent partner school colleagues, including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion representatives, we will be able to assist schools in creating intentionally inclusive environments that support Prep students’ personal and academic success. Enhanced connections with Prep alumni will bolster their relationships with current Prep students and with each other, while stronger alliances with corporate partners will result in increased internship opportunities

for our students.

By embracing expanded definitions of success and opportunity and leveraging alumni mentorship opportunities, Prep for Prep students will have access to even more college and career opportunities. While we will continue to support our students’ interests in traditional fields like education, law, finance, and medicine, Prep will also support new opportunities for students to thrive in technology, the arts, and entrepreneurship.

Prep for Prep students will have proactive and reactive mental wellness support woven throughout their program experience, from Preparatory to undergrad. This includes access to a newly created team at Prep that includes a Director of Mental Wellness and clinical social workers, an expanded near-peer mentorship program for college students, and new proactive wellness programming that gives students tools to thrive in any setting.

In addition to honing their academic abilities, Prep for Prep students will be able to nurture their whole selves by participating in affinity groups, and by developing relationships across their contingent, with peers at their independent schools, and with alumni who are a part of their advocacy team. As a result of this support, students will experience greater feelings of belonging at their independent school.

Informed by more than 40 years of experience engaging with students of color and independent schools, and the data gleaned from this work, Prep for Prep will use its position as a thought leader to elevate the national conversation about educational equity and access.

Through our work with peer organizations and partner schools, we will develop an aligned definition of inclusion and determine the types of supports and resources schools need to become more inclusive.

By sharing research findings, publishing articles, and offering professional development, Prep for Prep will become the go-to resource for educational access programs and independent schools seeking best practices, data, and training models for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our re-energized Smart Connections initiative will provide consulting and technical assistance, networking opportunities, and professional conferences for academic enrichment programs and charter schools, resulting in improved life prospects for students in the United States and around the world.