News

Minds Matter Continues its Unprecedented Success with a New Mission Statement

Core of 100% successful program stays the same with new clarity and refinement of purpose

November 30, 2020

New York, NY

Since its inception in 1991, Minds Matter has been dedicated to transforming the lives of
accomplished high school students from low-income families by broadening their
dreams and preparing them for college success.

The results of that work are clear: in 29 years of existence, 100% of Minds Matter graduates
nationwide have been accepted to four-year colleges and universities.

That work has struck a chord and fulfilled a need across the country, and in doing so Minds
Matter has organically spread from a few students in New York City to hundreds
of students across 14 major cities nationwide. With thousands of volunteers
supporting these students, Minds Matter's impact is dramatic and marked. Its
core programming is the key: college access has repeatedly been shown as one of
the most powerful levers to break free of the intergenerational cycle of
poverty.

Along with the nationwide expansion came a desire in Minds Matter leadership to reference and
honor the fundamental motivation of its students, the level of investment that
tens of thousands of dedicated volunteers and supporters have made in those
students, and the life-long benefits that accrue for the students in whom we
invest.

Which is why, after 29 successful years, all 14 Minds Matter chapters and the national office
unanimously decided to update the mission statement to reflect these and other
important elements as the program embarks on its fourth decade of success. The
organization is excited to announce that it has refined its mission statement
to reflect the benefits of the research-based, deeply-impactful Minds Matter
program nationwide.

The revised mission statement reads:

Minds Matter connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the
people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their
future, and change the world.

Sara Elaqad, Chair of the Minds Matter Chapter Leadership Council, reflects that "This updated
mission maintains the important and persistent focus of our work, while also
bringing to the forefront the innate skills and impact multiple stakeholders
bring together to promote equitable access to higher education and a lifetime
of opportunity for our students nationwide."

Ashish Shah, Co-Chair of the Minds Matter National Board of Directors, shares that "this new
mission showcases the energy and research-based best practices that our 14
chapters share as well as highlighting the dedication of our students. This new
mission statement describes our work—and all that Minds Matter has to offer—in
a more meaningful way."

"The focus on people, preparation, and possibilities showcases the resources we bring to bear
to provide unprecedented successes for our students. In light of the global
Covid-19 pandemic and nationwide conversation around systemic inequity, it's
clear that our mission is critical," says Shah. "At the end of the day, this
new mission statement unifies the work across our 14 chapters. Our community is
strong, and our work continues."

About Minds Matter

Minds Matter connects driven and determined students from low-income families with the
people, preparation, and possibilities to succeed in college, create their
future, and change the world.

Through a highly selective and rigorous 3-year academic mentoring program, Minds Matter students
accomplish the extraordinary: 100% of Minds Matter program graduates are
accepted into a four-year college and more than 70% of them attend the nation's
selective colleges. Powered by over 2,000 volunteers nationwide, Minds Matter
chapters are located in 14 cities across the country. The national office of
Minds Matter is located in New York City.

For more information about Minds Matter, please contact Minds Matter's Chapter
Leadership Council Chair, Sara Elaqad, at [email protected]