Minds Matter Seattle to Graduate its First Class of Seniors
New York, NY – April 6, 2016 – This June, Minds Matter Seattle will graduate its first class of students, many of whom have already received acceptance letters to prestigious universities. One student has been accepted to Princeton University, securing a loan-free financial aid package. Other students have been accepted to New York University, UCLA, Smith College and the University of Washington.
Minds Matter Seattle was founded in the fall of 2013 as the 11th chapter in the Minds Matter network. Since inception, Minds Matter Seattle’s class size has grown from six students in its first year to 20 students currently. Minds Matter Seattle is powered by nearly 80 dedicated volunteers.
Minds Matter is a rigorous three-year program that transforms the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families. Through standardized test preparation, skills development, and enriching summer programs, Minds Matter helps students gain acceptance to prestigious colleges. One hundred percent of Minds Matter students are accepted to four-year post-secondary schools, and over 70 percent attend schools identified by Barron’s as Most, Highly, or Very Competitive.
“We are so proud of our inaugural class of Minds Matter of Seattle mentees,” said Catherine Simonsen, president of the Minds Matter Seattle chapter. “They deserve all of the credit for the impressive admissions decisions they have received to date.”
“Enormous thanks go to our volunteers and all of our donors, large and small. We are particularly grateful to Perkins Coie, a partner that has generously donated the space where we have met for the last three years, and the Silver Family Foundation for their substantial financial support,” said Simonsen. “We could not help our students achieve their ambitions without these crucial resources.”
About Minds Matter
Minds Matter transforms the lives of accomplished high school students from low-income families by broadening their dreams and preparing them for college success. Through a highly selective and rigorous 3-year academic mentoring program, Minds Matter students accomplish the extraordinary. 100% of Minds Matter program graduates are accepted into a four-year college. More than 70% of them attend some of our nation’s more selective colleges. Powered by 1,900 volunteers nationwide, Minds Matter Chapters are located in 13 cities across the country. The national office of Minds Matter is located in Manhattan.