CONNECTDMV

Unlocking Excellence for Students of Color in the DMV

CONNECTdmv is committed to empowering students of color across the “DMV” (DC/MD/VA) region. Our organization is dedicated to providing essential resources and support to students of color attending independent (private and parochial) Schools. Through a range of tailored programs, we focus on fostering personal development, nurturing career aspirations, preparing for college success, ensuring accessible transportation options, and building community. As our tagline says, we are committed to “Creating Opportunity. Connecting Us All.” It is important to us at CONNECTdmv to not only help nurture the next generation of diverse leaders but to make sure that we all – folks of all backgrounds and skin colors – work together on today’s critical racial and social justice issues.

Scholars (Cohort) Program
While CONNECTdmv has programming for all students (and parents), we created our Scholars Program to help those who are especially committed to participate in nearly all of our programs, for a full four years. Beginning when the students are in 9th grade, this cohort becomes part of a civically engaged, high-achieving community of student leaders, families, and alumni that gets connected on multiple levels. The Scholars benefit from year-long social, academic, and professional resources, plus events designed by CONNECTdmv to support them. Younger students are provided with an upper school mentor and, as the program continues throughout a student’s high school years, we encourage the Scholars to take on increasing responsibility and leadership roles within both our organization and the school community.

Finding Success at Independent Schools
Transitioning into a DMV-independent school can be difficult for both students and parents, especially for people of color (“POC”). To help, at the beginning of each new school year newly admitted parents and students our hosted at one of our partner schools to hear panels of veteran independent school parents and students, who share tips and strategies on how to thrive at these primarily white institutions (“PWIs”).

Empowerment Summit
This popular, annual event for parents and students creates a robust, personal development experience that inspires, connects, and affirms families of color at independent schools. The day-long summit ignites confidence by giving families the skills to thrive and the confidence to be successful. Our special guest speakers – outside experts and diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) leaders from our partner schools – provide tips and techniques for dealing with uncomfortable situations, heath and well-being, and offer strategies on how to best focus on our dreams and purpose while participating in DMV independent school programs.

Athletes of Color Affinity Group
Because student-athletes of color within PWIs often face specific difficulties that non-athletes may not, CONNECTdmv created a new affinity group just for this important demographic. The goal is to bring together student-athletes – both male and female – to share common experiences, gain wisdom from former players and coaches, and empower the students to live their best academic, athletic, and social selves within their school communities.

Career Networking Event & Program
There is some truth in the saying that one’s success often is determined by who you know. As a result, we created this popular networking event – plus 365-day-a-year student access to our mentoring network, made available on our website – to help students learn about fields of work that they may have previously only been able to dream about. The in-person networking event features both a prominent keynote speaker and a panel of diverse professionals from the DMV community who discuss their jobs and career paths, as well as jobs and internships available at their place of work. After the on-stage presentation, students in small groups go into breakout rooms with each of the guests so that they can ask questions that they might not have felt comfortable discussing in front of a large audience. We have found that there is always great follow-up and interaction between the students and professionals post-event, where long-term relationships are formed.

Professional Insights Career Tour
As part of our continued efforts to expose our students to the many work experiences available to them, every summer, for one day, we rent a shuttle bus to take 10-20 students to top places of work around the DMV, giving students a behind-the-scenes look at what it might be like to work at that company and/or in that occupation. In the past, students have visited The Atlantic media company, Lyft’s DC headquarters, Clark Construction, Howard University, The Education Counsel (a mission-based consulting and lobbying firm), and ServiceNow. Top executives from the firm spend quality time with the students and they are given a tour of the facilities. We have found that the companies are excited to host students of color, plus the students’ eyes are opened to great career possibilities.

College Conference & Fair
This event is to help students explore colleges and for the universities to recruit the best and brightest students in the DMV. Often held at American University in DC, the College Conference & Fair includes programs and workshops to discuss admissions, paying for college, transitioning from high school to college, and a college fair itself, where students (and parents) can meet with representatives from the best schools of higher education in the DMV.

Shuttle Bus
When the founders of CONNECTdmv launched the nonprofit back in 2017 we asked school administrators, DEI leaders, parents and students what was the biggest need for families of color. They overwhelmingly said “transportation.” As a result, since that year, the organization has provided a shuttle bus for 10 families from Bowie, MD into four schools: National Cathedral School, St. Albans, Sidwell Friends and Maret. Originally underwritten by Toyota’s social innovation division, today the schools pay 75-100% of the transportation cost, helping to close the access gap for our families.

Projects for Change
Projects for Change is for any high school student who would like to get the tools to help change the world for the better. Using a college curriculum and overseen by a college professor, students in the 8-week summer program learn how to become social entrepreneurs and community activists, solving a societal problem of their choosing, with like-minded students from schools across the DMV. Assisted by college-aged mentors throughout the process, at the end of the program the students pitch their ideas to a panel of judges – which, in the past, has included representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ashoka, Calvert Investments, and McKinsey & Company – to receive feedback on their innovations. CONNECTdmv then provides seed funding to help the students launch their ventures.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Celebration
In an effort to celebrate all of the positive work our students and partner schools are doing on the DEI and community service fronts, we created this end-of-school, celebratory event. Featured is a keynote speaker and speeches from students and school DEI leaders – often with accompanying videos – to tell everyone about the great work they are doing to help bring the entire community together. In the past, we have given scholarship money to students with the most inspiring projects as well as trophies to the school administrators.

Coming Soon….

BIPOC / Allies Summit
As part of our organization’s mission to “Connect Us All,” we are planning a BIPOC/Allies Summit for 2024. Created by students, for students, the goal is to facilitate a discussion on how to create a growing understanding between students of all backgrounds, with an outcome of creating innovative and constructive solutions to address racial and social justice issues in DMV independent schools. We will emphasize the concept of becoming “changemakers,” and we will work with the students to bring their ideas back to their own schools to affect positive change.