Newark

Highlights

1,382

Fellows SERVED

$57,684

Mean salary of most recent graduates at RU-N

Uplift in strong job attainment within 6 months of graduation (compared to peers nationally)

Empowering Newark’s diverse talent

There’s incredible economic potential in Newark, but its residents don’t yet fully access it. Lucrative work in the city too often goes to individuals who commute to it; a 2017 report found that Newark residents hold less than 20% of the city’s jobs, and the roles they have are more likely to be low-paid. The unemployment rate for Black Newark residents is double that of white residents, and around a third of the city lives under the poverty line. 

We must help ensure Newark’s young people have access to a more prosperous, equitable future. The city’s educators are working hard to prepare young people for academic success and opportunity. Local government and many businesses, nonprofits, and universities are collaborating to expand access to strong jobs and economic mobility, too. Braven is grateful for the chance to work alongside them through our partnership with Rutgers University-Newark. 

Source: New Jersey Institute for Social Justice

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Higher education partners

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Launched in 2015, Rutgers University-Newark (RU-N) was Braven’s second national college partnership, and its first on the East Coast of the United States. Braven and RU-N share a deep commitment to diversity, opportunity, and expanding access. RU-N is one of the most diverse schools in the country, and ranks highly for social mobility and “return on investment” for students from low-income backgrounds.  

Source: Carrie Stetler, Rutgers University-Newark. “Rutgers-Newark Among Top Schools Nationally for Success of Low Income Graduates.” August 1, 2022.  

 

Upcoming courses

Enroll in a Braven course at your college or university and jumpstart your career!

Braven Accelerator

Dates:

January – May 2024 | Spring

Priority Deadline:

Schedule:

Tuesday 6:00-8:00pm (In Person) • Wednesday 6:00-8:00pm and Friday 11:30-1:30pm (Fully Virtual)

Final Deadline:

Eligibility
Sophomore and first-year transfer students are preferred, but the course is open to all undergraduate students in all majors who are:

  • In good academic standing and able to register for a 3-credit elective course during the semester
  • Able to commit an average of 4-5 hours a week to this course

Course Description
This course prepares students for the increasingly competitive, globalized job marketplace. Through online and peer learning, interactive experiences, and reflection, students will build meaningful networks, discover their innate leadership, and cultivate the “hard” and “soft” skills and habits of mind needed to thrive in twenty-first-century workplaces. This course will require your commitment. Nothing good comes easy, but this course will be equally rewarding as it is challenging.

Course Section
The Braven Leadership and Career Accelerator is a 3-credit elective course.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students should be able to:

  • Exercise habits to persist through and thrive beyond college
  • Know and demonstrate the skills and mindsets employers hire for
  • Navigate the workplace
  • Build a record of achievement and apply skills to land a career-accelerating internship or research opportunity
  • Expand personal and professional networks
  • Lead with their assets and values

Location

  • Tuesday 6pm-8pm ET section will be held in person at the Rutgers -Newark campus
  • Wednesday 6pm-8pm ET section will be held virtually on Zoom
  • Friday 11:30am-1:30pm ET section will be held virtually on Zoom

Interested in bringing Braven to your campus?

Leadership

Staff

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Amanda Lawrence

Program Manager, Workforce Development

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Anastasia Hardin

Regional Managing Director

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Ashley Ferraro

Program Manager, Recruitment

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Bryanah Wilkins

Coordinator, Program Operations

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Camila Ventura

Program Manager, Accelerator

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Samantha Crockett

Executive Director

Board of Directors

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Jackie Rider

Executive Director and Private Banker, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

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Jonathan Simon

Head of Leadership Development and Diversity, Apollo Global Management

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Lisa Amato

Braven- Newark Board Member

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Liz Almeida

Chief Human Resources Officer, Panasonic North America

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Matt Iversen

Associate Vice President, Wells Fargo (Newark Chair)

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Rick Radice

Freelance Consultant

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Ryan Hill

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, KIPP New Jersey

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Solomon Steplight

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Prepfoleo

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Susan Dunn

Semi-Retired Teacher, Newark Community Volunteer (Newark Board Member)

We couldn’t do it without you

Higher Education & Employer Partners

UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
Rutgers University – Newark

EMPLOYER PARTNERS
LEAD
($250K+ and programmatic support)
Apollo Opportunity Foundation
Barclays
Deloitte
Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women
LinkedIn
NBA Foundation
Prudential Financial

ANCHOR
($100K+ and programmatic support)
JPMorgan Chase
ServiceNow

KEYSTONE
($25K+ and programmatic support)
ADP
AEA Investors
Amazon
Audible
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance
Blackbaud
Lazard Asset Management
Panasonic
UBS

INNOVATION
($5K+ & programmatic support)
Fortune Media
GLG
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
Indeed
IPG Health Network
IQVIA
McKinsey & Company
RSM 

IMPACT
(<$5K and/or programmatic support)
RWJBarnabas
Wipfli

Supporters ($10K+)

Anonymous
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation
Deloitte Foundation
John & Wendy Cozzi
Lisa & Joseph Amato
New Profit, Inc.
Susan & Thomas Dunn
Victoria Foundation

Interested in learning more?

We’d love to connect with you to share more about our model and partnership structure.