P OS S IB IL ITIE S |
KATHARINE GAMMON
COLLEGE PREP
Samantha Sinclair’s Pathway to Purpose helps students from diverse backgrounds acclimate to the college application process.
W
hen Samantha Sinclair was a high school senior, she wanted to visit colleges in
attended the University at Albany (SUNY), where she was
her home state of New York. But she
a campus tour guide for the Educational Opportunity
had no clear path to do so, since there
Program. She would welcome hundreds of students from
were no college preparation resources at
New York City to Albany, and through dozens of tours,
her school or her home. When she was
a few things stuck out: “All the students had the same
interested in visiting the State University
questions about affordability, the application process,
of New York at Fredonia, she bought a
and sometimes did not feel confident enough to complete
Greyhound bus ticket and took an eight-hour ride alone to get there. As challenging as it was to visit a college on her
the application process.” That memory stuck with her as she completed
own this way, the in-person visits made it possible for
a master’s degree in higher education at Columbia
her to envision herself there as a student.
University in 2010. She still had a great interest in
Now Sinclair works to ensure high schoolers from diverse backgrounds have the skills and resources to prepare for college admissions — minus the long, lonely
working with underserved students, and she started to work in college prep positions. Sinclair’s goal is to help students make intentional
solo bus rides. “I was able to do it, but many students
college decisions. Many students are making their way
can’t do it or won’t do it. I wanted to bring the resources
to college despite their socioeconomic backgrounds, she
right to their schools,” she explains.
says — the challenge for colleges is to retain them until
In 2016, Sinclair created Pathway to Purpose, an
graduation. “Understanding what factors to consider
organization that has partnered with 48 middle schools
when choosing a college is key. It’s about making sure
and high schools to provide early college prep services —
students are set up with the mindset, the terminologies
college trips, workshops, financial aid fairs and college
and family support to get them through college.”
awareness days — to give students and parents the critical information needed to make informed decisions. Last year, Sinclair, now a doctoral candidate
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Sinclair’s interest in this career was sparked when she
Pathway to Purpose tackles these challenges in several ways. It has partnered with schools in 23 districts across New York City, helped more than 10,000 students and
in higher education at Seton Hall, was selected by
started introducing college preparation as early as
American Express for its 100-for-100 Founders of
seventh grade. It hosts college tours for students —
Change program aimed at recognizing and assisting
many of whom have never left their hometown, or even
Black women entrepreneurs.
their neighborhood, Sinclair says. “For many students,
