Masters of Scale QuestBridge: Scaling College Access with Ana Rowena Mallari
May 30, 2024
Ana Rowena Mallari, Co-founder and CEO of QuestBridge, dives into the transformative mission of her non-profit that connects low-income students with elite colleges. She shares inspiring success stories, including a former QuestBridge scholar's journey to MIT. Mallari discusses the evolution of college access efforts, detailing innovative strategies that have provided $5 billion in scholarships. The conversation highlights the importance of community support, empathy, and the organization's outreach in empowering bright minds to achieve their dreams.
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Cody Coleman's QuestBridge Story
- Cody Coleman, from a humble background, received a QuestBridge letter offering a full ride to elite universities.
- Initially skeptical, he applied and got into MIT, changing his life trajectory significantly.
QuestBridge's Evolution
- QuestBridge evolved from a summer program to a national organization funding undergraduate degrees.
- This demonstrates how focusing a mission and growing impact may require changing initial plans.
Start Small, Iterate
- Start small, test your assumptions, and iterate based on learnings.
- QuestBridge began as a small summer program before scaling nationally, demonstrating the value of iterative growth.