Empowering Youth event is a smashing success
On October 20, our local community of supporters, staff, and scholars gathered for our annual Empowering Youth Luncheon. It was the first time—since 2018—that we had the opportunity to meet up in-person to connect. The afternoon of conversations and scholar stories energized us all to continue the vital work of creating access to higher education for the students we serve.
CSF President & CEO James Dorsey highlighted CSF’s significant expansion of college services. Thanks to our incredible partnership with WSAC, we’ve increased our staff to include 25 College Success Coaches to help in an effort to increase college enrollment and persistence rates.
“Through this new and exciting program, we will be serving 5x more college students – that’s 4,000 college students – all across Washington state,” said James.
Event Chair Richard Galanti, Costco Wholesale Corporation CFO and a founding supporter of CSF, invited guests to invest in our region’s young people and create equitable access to a college degree.
“Today, you will empower our young people to achieve their educational goals and leverage their best talents in a world that needs them more than ever,” said Richard.
CSF Alum Emely detailed her life and educational journey in a very heartfelt speech delivered to our audience of 220 guests. From picking blueberries as a teen to joining CSF’s program through Eisenhower High School in Yakima to becoming a graduate student in social work at the University of Washington, Emely let us into her world where we heard first-hand about how CSF had transformed her life and helped her realize her dreams.
Despite my hardships, my college coach, Rosalynn, inspired strength and relentlessness in me. If not for College Success Foundation, I would have never left the fields of Yakima Valley and lived on to my full potential.
CSF Alum Emely
We also heard from CSF-Seattle Program Director Lakesha Knatt, who gave us an inside look at CSF’s programs. She spoke in detail about how CSF is responding to help increase college enrollment and college graduation after the pandemic’s devastating effects on underserved communities.
I am thrilled that we can reach 5x more college students all across Washington to increase persistence and ultimately college graduation rates,” said Lakesha. “It’s the perfect timing to sync up our robust high school resources that helped more students to get into college, that we would provide equitable resources for students to be successful in college as well.
CSF-Seattle Program Director Lakesha Knatt
Maynard Okereke, better known as the Hip Hop M.D., was the event’s emcee. A graduate from the University of Washington in civil engineering and a Costco Scholarship recipient, he set an upbeat and engaging tone for the afternoon as guests gathered to celebrate and better support student success.
Thanks to your generosity, you’ve raised $280,000 to support underserved students in Washington state to graduate from college. We look forward to seeing you at next year’s event!
Didn’t have a chance to attend the event? Join us now! You can help us reach our goal of $300,000 to support our programs.
