“It’s hard to be what you can’t see.”
These powerful words are attributed to Marian Edelman, Founder and President Emeritus Children’s Defense Fund. This call for representation is an important part of the First Gen Cohorts commitment.
I have 24-year old twin daughters. They should be comfortable within the career landscape since I started the advertising agency, Copacino+Fujikado, when they were barely a year old. They don’t know life without a working mother. Still, like many others, they grapple with issues we all faced--gaining credibility, building relationships, a lack of confidence, and adjusting to business culture. I’m grateful they’re willing to come to me for advice and support. I try my best to offer coaching without hovering (which is hard for my Type A personality). They realize they benefit from having parents who are college graduates and have experience in the business world.
I’ve long admired organizations like College Success Foundation, Rainier Scholars, College Possible, among others who are dedicated to leveling the playing field for underserved and low-income students to enter, persist and succeed to college graduation. As a ten-year Trustee at Western Washington University, I saw the hard work of these organizations as well as the university’s student success initiatives. I often wondered from my Trustee seat: What happens post-graduation? Is training and support left to employers? Is that enough? I knew navigating the transition from school to work is challenging.
As CEO of Copacino+Fujikado for the past 22 years I’ve witnessed the difficult transition for our hires, regardless of their background and experience. I also learned that 56% of students attending college in 2016 were first-generation college students. It seemed to me that the transition from school to work may be even harder for first gen since our professional development, even at the best of companies, tends to be one-size-fits-all.
This year I sold the agency to long-standing agency leaders, four years in the making. I suddenly had freedom in what would be next. Within a month I started Success Cohorts, a coaching and community-building program for underserved groups, with Carla Corkern. First Gen Success is our first program.
We’re in the Alpha Cohort (or pilot) stage right now, partnering with College Success Foundation where we can learn from and work alongside their expertise. We purposefully hired coaches who are first-generation college graduates who have succeeded in their careers. Representation matters. As Marian Edelman says, “It’s hard to be what you can’t see.”
And so the journey begins. Welcome to our blog. We’ll give you updates on where we’re going and what we’re doing from cohort members, coaches, partners, staff, and companies.
