College Track Turns 25
Inspiring a Movement to Democratize Potential
Celebrating 25 Years of College Track
When Laurene Powell Jobs co-founded College Track 25 years ago, it was not simply the launch of a college access program—it was the launch of a movement to democratize potential. Every day, each of us contributes to that movement by affirming the talent within every scholar and leveraging our expertise and determination to dismantle the intersectional and systemic barriers that prevent them from thriving.
In 1998, when programming first began at our East Palo Alto center, there were 25 College Track scholars. (That’s some of them in the photo above.) Today, nearly 4,000 are pursuing their dream of becoming the first person in their family to obtain a bachelor’s degree, and more than 1,100 have achieved it. Every member of our staff is a part of those journeys, and I want to thank them for the expertise, tenacity, and passion they contribute to our CT community.
Our resilience is rooted in our willingness to listen to and learn from our scholars—to evolve our programming, organization, and community to best ensure that we are able to provide what it takes to catalyze our scholars’ agency and success in high school, in college, and as alumni.
Throughout this year, we’ll continue honoring our anniversary with moments of joy and celebration that highlight the authentic voices and experiences of our scholars, alumni, staff, and members of our CT communities and families. Hearing those stories and experiences won’t just remind us why we do this work—but how we do it.
2023 will be a big year for us, as we celebrate our past and create space for new successes that advance our movement. I look forward to a fantastic year—and to our next 25!
Shirley M. Collado, Ph.D.
President & CEO, College Track
