As a counselor at a southwest Houston high school, Victoria Doan noticed a shocking
trend among the graduating seniors: Of those who had committed to attend a community
college, nearly 70 percent dropped out before starting.Intrigued and troubled, Doan got to work. She partnered with Victoria Chen, another counselor at Sharpstown High School, and founded a nonprofit called BridgeYear to help students from underserved communities find success after high school. The program focuses on the connection between higher education and careers that require less than a bachelor鈥檚 degree and provides guidance to keep students from feeling lost.
In addition to running a nonprofit, Doan is a research assistant and full-time student in the higher education Ph.D. program at the 兔子先生 College of Education.
Although BridgeYear is not yet 2 years old, it won the 2017 Thorne Prize for Social Innovation in Health or Education from Yale University, where Chen earned an M.B.A. The award honors a student-led venture and comes with a $25,000 cash prize.
鈥淚 remember the feeling transitioning from high school to college with everyone asking what you鈥檙e going to major in and I had no idea,鈥� Doan said. 鈥淚 would say something just to appease them and I thought I could keep saying something until I believed it, but I don鈥檛 think I ever really believed it. That fear is pretty universal.鈥�
Doan (left) works with a high school student during a job fair that allows for test
driving careers.Doan, who has a bachelor鈥檚 in mathematical economic analysis and statistics from Rice University, has since delved into the research on 鈥渟ummer melt,鈥� the troubling trend of high school graduates never making it to college.
鈥淭his is a national phenomenon,鈥� she said. 鈥淔orty percent of low-income, community college-attending students drop out. I thought it was an isolated event at my school, but I quickly realized that it鈥檚 larger than that.鈥�
BridgeYear serves as an on-ramp for recent high school graduates, helping them discover careers obtainable with less than a four-year degree and connecting them to training at community colleges and other vocational programs.
To start, the organization holds a 鈥淐areer Test Drive Fair.鈥� Students put on the appropriate uniform and experience various jobs in a mock setting, all from their high school gym. For a half hour, they are no longer students but pharmacy technicians, electricians and web developers.
After test-driving careers, the students discuss which ones they liked, which ones they didn鈥檛 and why. BridgeYear staff then provide tangible pathways for the students to pursue their career of choice. Each of the careers showcased has a local, affordable training program through a college or trade school.
The nonprofit recently has drawn support from local foundations and companies such as the Marvy Finger Family Foundation, Baxter Trust, Project 88 and JPMorgan Chase.
Doan, slated to graduate with her Ph.D. from the UH College of Education in 2019, said schoolwork remains her first priority. Associate Professor Lyle McKinney, who serves as director of the higher education Ph.D. program, praised her commitment.
鈥淲hat stands out about Victoria is just how passionate she is, that she truly believes she knows how to change the college access process in ways that will really help more students enroll and be successful,鈥� McKinney said. 鈥淪he could be using her talents and efforts in a lot of other ways and spaces, but she鈥檚 using it to the betterment of others and providing such a useful public service.鈥�
鈥揃y Claire Andersen