The Opportunity Network

College is a journey, and you don’t have to travel it alone! 🎓🌟 We asked our staff to share their words of encouragement for all of our Fellows heading back to campus or starting their college journey.

Now we want to hear from YOU! 💬 Drop a comment below with your own words of support, advice, or even a favorite college memory. Let’s help our Fellows feel inspired and confident as they dive into this new chapter. 🫶

Discover how Lucria Ortiz, OppNet's President & CEO, transformed her early challenges into a powerful mission to support first-generation college students. Her journey showcases the power of perseverance and commitment. Read the full article in Authority Magazine and be inspired! https://medium.com/authority-magazine/lucria-ortiz-of-the-opportunity-network-on-the-importance-of-professional-business-networks-9265ef84979f

OppNet is thrilled to celebrate our multi-year partnership with the Verstandig Family Foundation (VFF), a philanthropic organization founded by entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist Grant Verstandig.

VFF and OppNet share a fundamental value: expanding access to opportunity for underrepresented young people through education, innovation, and community. Thanks to a generous $1 million gift from VFF, OppNet has been able to expand the reach of our Career Fluency® Partnerships Program to the Washington, D.C. region.

This year, we will host our second annual community gathering in D.C., "If You Build It: Preparing Talent & Employers for Impactful Internships and More Inclusive Workplaces" on April 2!

To learn more about our partnership with VFF or, if you are in D.C., to register for our upcoming event, click here: https://opportunitynetwork.org/news/celebrating-oppnets-partnership-with-the-verstandig-family-foundation/

We’re delighted to welcome Colin S. Graham of Spencer Stuart to our Board of Directors! Colin brings deep experience and expertise in executive search, board advisory, and leadership development that will further our work to create pathways to success for underrepresented young people.

See our press release: https://opportunitynetwork.org/news/colin-s-graham-joins-the-opportunity-networks-board-of-directors/

Earlier this month, our Career Fluency® Partnerships Team collaborated with Detroit College Access Network (DCAN) to deliver our latest professional development workshop in Detroit. 📚🌟

🔍 Workshop Highlights:
• Attendees: 52 passionate individuals in Detroit
• Focus: Best Fit Careers
• Key Discussion Points:
◦ Aligning students’ passions, values, and skills with career paths
◦ Inspiring career exploration journeys

🤝 Special Collaboration: We had the privilege of teaming up with Francina and Roderica James, visionary owners of The Cochrane House Luxury Historic Inn. They shared their inspiring stories of how their passions, values, and skills shaped their remarkable career paths. 🌟🏨

🙌 Participant Feedback:
• “Great information! Truly appreciate the thought-provoking conversation.”
• “I thought the presentation was very informative, and I have some tools to use when consulting students.”

🌹 In Loving Memory: This workshop was dedicated to our cherished colleague, Sonia Koopersmith, who co-facilitated two impactful workshops in Detroit last year. The DCAN community joins us in sharing heartfelt condolences and beautiful memories of Sonia. 🕊️❤️

📸Olivia.B Photography LLC.

Are you an NYC-based high school sophomore? OppNet's six-year Fellows program application deadline is this Sunday, February 11th, at 11:59 pm! You can submit your application at opportunitynetwork.org/apply. Please review the eligibility requirements on our website before beginning your application. Feel free to email your questions to [email protected]. We hope to hear from you soon!

We are thrilled to announce Lucria Ortiz as the new President and CEO of The Opportunity Network! Following an extensive six-month search process led by a selection committee composed of OppNet Board members and senior leaders, we are thrilled to welcome Lucria, a nonprofit leader, attorney, and changemaker with a 20-year career in nonprofit, public service, and legal practice. Lucria is an extraordinary leadership, mission, and culture fit for OppNet, with career and lived experience that is deeply aligned with our vision for change and the thousands of young people we serve across the country.

Join us in welcoming Lucria! Read the full statement from our Board here: https://opportunitynetwork.org/news/announcing-oppnets-new-ceo/

If you like it, you should put 7 rings on it. 😉

shows us how to stack these gorgeous statement pieces from in support of ✨

Use code OPPNET to donate 10% of your order total, giving back is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season💛

Today is ! Thanks to our friends at the Hernan Lopez Family Foundation - HLFF, all gifts will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000!

This incredible support will help OppNet guide our young people as they double down on their dreams. Because when students have access to the tools, resources, and mentors to help them on their journeys to and through college and into thriving careers.

Double your impact this Giving Tuesday and help us power the dreams of our young people: https://theopportunitynetwork.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/givingtuesday

OppNet is hiring! We are looking to hire a Senior Coordinator to join our dynamic, growing Partnerships team.

To view this job and others, and apply, click here: https://opportunitynetwork.org/jobs

Don't miss out on OppNet's free virtual workshop, "If You Build It: Preparing Talent & Employers for Impactful Internships and More Inclusive Workplaces" on November 2! Join us to discuss the importance of internship opportunities in creating equitable work environments for our young people and employers alike. Together we'll workshop strategies to foster meaningful internship experiences that impact interns’ short-term experiences and change organizations’ culture and practices long-term.

Register to participate today! https://lnkd.in/eWqPfu5J

If you're interested but can't make it, don't worry! There will be another iteration of the convening on February 15, 2024.

It’s not every day that your organization’s founding story and its 20-year impact on individual lives are featured in a premier publication!

Congratulations to The Opportunity Network’s Co-Founder and Board Chair Emeritus Brian Weinstein and OppNet Founder and Strategic Advancement Officer Jessica Pliska for being named Variety's Philanthropists of the Year!

🎉🎉

Read on to hear how they live their values out loud through their dedication to OppNet and how they mobilize their influential networks to do the same for our amazing community: https://variety.com/2023/film/focus/opportunity-network-brian-weinstein-jessica-pliska-1235721536/

Today AiLun Ku announced that she will step down from her role as OppNet's President and CEO this fall. The OppNet community is deeply grateful for AiLun's wisdom, strength, and leadership throughout her tenure: she has had a transformative impact on this organization. A full statement from OppNet's Board of Directors can be found at: https://opportunitynetwork.org/news/board-ceo-letter/

With this announcement, we publicly launch a rigorous search process for OppNet's next President and CEO. Help us by heading to this link and sharing the job description with your networks: on-ramps.com/jobs/2980

OppNet had an amazing time at This Is BTIG's New York office, where our Fellows had the chance to interact with celebrity guest trading partners and learn from presentations by BTIG's talented employees across different teams. Thank you, BTIG, for welcoming our students!

You're invited to OppNet's annual Night of Opportunity Gala, celebrating our 20th anniversary!

We have the immense pleasure to celebrate and welcome into the OppNet community our esteemed honorees: Michael Rees and Blue Owl, Trevor Noah, and Anré Williams, as well as student honorees from OppNet's Fellows program.

Join us on May 3 at Cipriani Wall Street, New York, to raise a glass to 20 years of impact and many more to come!

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: https://opportunitynetwork.org/gala-2023/

Announcing our third and final honoree for this year's Night of Opportunity Gala on May 3: a man who needs no introduction—Trevor Noah! As the former host of The Daily Show, as well as a best-selling author, producer and philanthropist, Trevor is a vocal champion of equity and opportunity for all, and OppNet is thrilled to welcome him into our community at our Gala.

We invite you to join us in celebrating Trevor, Anré Williams, Michael Rees and Blue Owl, and our student honorees at Cipriani Wall Street on May 3.

To learn more and purchase tickets: https://opportunitynetwork.org/gala-2023/

We are thrilled to announce our second honoree for this year's Night of Opportunity Gala on May 3: Anré Williams, CEO of American Express National Bank & Group President, Enterprise Services at American Express! Anré is deeply connected to OppNet's mission and we couldn't be happier to honor his work and commitment to opportunity, access, and inclusion.

To learn more and purchase tickets for our Gala on May 3 in New York, click this link: http://opportunitynetwork.org/gala-2023/

We are SO excited to announce our first honoree for OppNet's 2023 Night of Opportunity Gala. Every year, OppNet honors industry leaders who have committed to expanding equity, inclusion, and access in critical ways.

Without further ado, this year we will honor Michael Rees and Blue Owl, one of our long-time partners and a leader in the field of alternative investments. We are thrilled to call Michael and Blue Owl part of the OppNet community.

Follow along as we announce the rest of our honoree slate in the coming weeks: it is not to miss!

To learn more or purchase your tickets for the Gala: https://opportunitynetwork.org/gala-2023

To read the press release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-opportunity-network-celebrates-20-year-anniversary-with-night-of-opportunity-gala-301770969.html?tc=eml_cleartime

Last week, OppNet was so fortunate to have 40 of the most influential women in NYC gather in support of our students. Hosted by filmmaker and women's health advocate Tonya Lewis Lee, our 'Women of Impact: A Winter's Welcome" event celebrated the power of professional networks and the achievements of women across multiple industries.

Event co-chair and Founder/CEO of 3:08 Collective Chanda Gibson told students, "Your is something no one can take away from you" and we couldn't agree more. We're so grateful for the incredible women who gathered to open theirs. A special shoutout to Lioness Cuisine LLC for catering!

OppNet is deeply disappointed and angered by the recent release of the College Board's new African American Studies AP course curriculum, which excludes the work of many influential Black activists, writers, and educators.

The voices removed share a theme–they explore intersectionality, the q***r experience, and Black feminism.

In caving to the Florida governor’s criticism of its original framework. The College Board profits (over $1 billion in revenue annually), and far-right politics win plenty. At the same time, the young people of this country continue to lose out on the quality education they deserve.

Our communities deserve so much more.

Read our full statement: https://opportunitynetwork.org/news/oppnets-response-to-college-boards-new-african-american-studies-ap-course/

In celebration of , OppNet is proudly partnering with LinkedIn and other nonprofit organizations to inspire more professionals to provide career mentorship to job-seekers, helping mentors and mentees alike expand their networks. As more and more studies demonstrate the long-term benefits of a strong professional network, we encourage you to share this resource far and wide: even a 15-minute conversation can make a big difference in someone's professional journey! To learn more and sign up to volunteer your mentorship, click here: https://socialimpact.linkedin.com/programs/mentoring

As we gear up to celebrate OppNet's 20th anniversary next year, we’ve been looking back on just how far we've come. From serving 10 Fellows in 2003 to over 1000 Fellows in New York City today, plus the additional 41,000+ students across the country we cumulatively reach through our Career Fluency Partnerships®, serving 20,000+ this year alone, we are so proud of the growth we've been able to achieve thanks to our community of friends, volunteers, and partners.

We are so excited for what the next 20 years will bring, and we hope we can count on your year-end gift to help us along our journey to create access to for even more students.

And, thanks to our friends at the Hernan Lopez Family Foundation, all gifts up to $25,000 will be matched dollar-for-dollar until December 31st, doubling the you have on our students.

All of us at OppNet are so grateful for your support and consideration. Please help us kick off this milestone year by donating here: https://theopportunitynetwork.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/yearend

There's still time to give this ! Remember any dollar you donate, the Hernan Lopez Family Foundation - HLFF will double your gift. Your gift is one that keeps on giving, and there's still a chance to make a difference today.

Donate now: https://theopportunitynetwork.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/givingtuesday

Today is , and we have more than one reason to be thankful. Hernan Lopez Family Foundation has generously partnered with us this giving season, offering to match all donations to Opportunity Network.

We share the same goal: to improve career prospects, and therefore the quality of life, for people of diverse backgrounds.

Give the gift of a positive future. Donate today: bit.ly/3u95b5f

This giving season, your dollar has double the giving power! Our friends at the Hernan Lopez Family Foundation are doubling your impact. For every dollar you give, they will match.

Give the gift of opportunity this giving season. Donate now: https://theopportunitynetwork.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/givingtuesday

This giving season, give the gift of opportunity in more ways than one. While we help college students from under-represented communities, our partners at Hernan Lopez Family Foundation - HLFF help improve diversity in the workforce. We're a perfect match, and that's why they're partnering with us this giving season.

For every gift you give, Hernan Lopez Family Foundation - HLFF will double it.

Give the gift of opportunity this upcoming : https://bit.ly/OppNetDonation