Students and Alumni
College Now helps students reach their full potential through college education. Many are from low-income households and are first-generation college students. We assist over 20,000 students in a school year. Without College Now, of these students never would attend college and graduate career-ready. Our students are nearly twice likely to graduate from college than other low-income college students.
After college, our alumni go on to have rewarding careers and strengthen our community. Their contributions will attract new employers and grow businesses, making our region more competitive in the global economy. College Now students and alumni have become educators, CEOs, social workers, engineers, councilmen, playwrights and entrepreneurs. They make Greater Cleveland a better place to live, work and play. As a result, we are pleased to introduce you to a few of the individuals we have had the pleasure to serve.
Victor Ruiz
High School: Cleveland School of Science (now Garrett Morgan)
College: Baldwin-Wallace College
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in English
Career: Currently the Executive Director of Esperanza, Inc., an organization dedicated to enhancing educational and economic opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
Learn more about Victor
Angela Thi Bennett
High School: Shaw High School
College: Case Western Reserve University
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Political Science; Master’s in Business Administration; Juris Doctorate
Career: Director of Community Development, City of East Cleveland
Learn more about Angela
Ed Vargo
High School: South High School
College: Case Western Reserve University
Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Management, with a concentration in Information Systems and Marketing
Career: Ed is a certified financial planner with Ameriprise Financial
Learn more about Ed
Belinda and Ronda Kyle
CSP Adult Learner
College: Cuyahoga Community College; Cleveland State University
Degree: Associate’s Degree in Accounting; Bachelor’s Degree in Communications
Learn more about Belinda and Ronda
Stan Garber and Alex Yakubovich
High School: Mayfield High School
College: Case Western Reserve University
Degree: Stan graduated with a Bachelor’s in Finance and Management; Alex graduated with a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering
Career: O-Web Technologies, a web design firm they founded with a friend while studying at CWRU.
Learn more about Stan and Alex
Corttrell Kinney
High School: John Hay High School
College: Morehouse College
Degree: Bachelor’s of Science in Biology
Graduate School: Case Western Reserve University
Degree: Ph.D. in Physiology and Biophysics
Career: Vascular Development Researcher at the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute
Learn more about Corttrell
Sarah Jamieson
High School: St. Joseph Academy
College: Ohio University
Degree: Sports Management with a concentration in Journalism
Career: Sarah is currently the Communications Manager for the Lake Erie Monsters and the Web Coordinator for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Learn more about Sarah
Jessica Brickey
High School: St. Augustine Academy, Class of 2004
College: Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University
Degree: Bachelor’s in Sociology; Master’s in Social Science and Administration, certificate in Non-Profit Management
Career: Supervising Case Manager for Homes for Homeless, a homeless shelter in the Bronx, New York
Learn more about Jessica
Ginger Koesel
High School: Olmsted Falls High School, Class of 2006
College: University of Dayton, Class of 2010
Degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Entrepreneurship, minor in Spanish
Career: Marketing Coordinator, Farmers Insurance
Learn more about Ginger