Braven

Empowering students with promise toward strong first jobs post college

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Braven’s mission is to empower promising college students with the skills, confidence, experience, and networks to successfully transition from college to strong first jobs. Each year, only about 30% of the 1.4 million low-income and first-generation college students who enroll in college will secure a strong first job after graduation. Without a quality first job, roles that require or make meaningful use of a college degree, students will earn only 66¢ on the dollar compared to their higher-income peers. Braven partners with higher education institutions and employers to provide its Fellows with credit-bearing course and post-course experience that offers access to career exploration and skills, mentoring and networks, and pre-career experiences. Since its beginning in 2013, Braven has supported more than 12,000 Fellows across the country through its core higher education partner program, and more than 1,300 Fellows have participated in BravenX, receiving a stipend in lieu of course credit.

Axim is partnering with Braven to scale its program, aiming to reach 80,000-100,000 college students by 2032 and expand its impact across the U.S. to help them secure quality jobs after graduation. This partnership will focus on building the capacity and capabilities that Braven needs to achieve these ambitious goals, deepen understanding of social capital’s role in student success, expand Braven’s reach through collaborations with additional broad access institutions, and evolve its data infrastructure to refine the model for greater impact and scalability.