In partnership with experiential education nonprofit, Groupon eases
transition for graduating seniors
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This graduation season nearly 130 high school seniors will begin their
postsecondary journey armed with the tools for success as a result of
Embarc Chicago’s Senior Success Series initiative, made possible
by Groupon (https://community.groupon.com/).
Embarc, an experiential education nonprofit that supports more than 900
Chicago Public School students throughout the city, introduces students
to positive models of success by taking them out of their neighborhoods
and immersing them in the cultural and commercial centers of Chicago.
Through the transformative power of these journeys, Embarc awakens
students to the possibilities of their potential by dissolving the
borders of the city in their minds. Groupon’s support of this program
made experiences possible for Embarc seniors during a pivotal moment in
their development as they transition out of high school.
The Senior Success Series included activities such as overnight
college trips, career fairs, financial literacy workshops, Decision Day
events, and post-graduation college preparation, equipping students with
important skills and resources needed to be successful in their
postsecondary pursuits.
“We love the idea that experiences shape a person’s identity. This
notion aligns perfectly with what we do at Groupon: help people discover
the amazing things to do and see in neighborhoods around the world,”
said Matt Kruse, head of social responsibility, Groupon. “That’s what
excites us most about partnering with this best-in-class experiential
learning program. With the help of Embarc, students get repeated
exposure to social and cultural experiences in and around Chicago — and
we felt like it made perfect sense for Groupon to be part of those
journeys.”
The transition from high school to college or a career is a critical
time for all students. The challenges magnify for students who may be
the first in their families to go to college or those lacking diverse
models of success. The Senior Success Series helps spark
confidence and motivate these high-potential students to pursue their
interests and surpass their goals. Groupon’s support of the program
extends far beyond a donation, with the company’s involvement in
important events and activities created to guide students throughout
their senior year, including the ProPath Fair and a Groupon Community
Social.
College isn’t always the right choice for all students, so Embarc
convened a ProPath fair where students learned about a range of
industries, from real estate to manufacturing to tech companies such as
Groupon as well as met professionals with similar life stories.
Similar to ProPath, companies like Groupon host their own networking
events, called Community Socials, to provide a platform for students to
sharpen their communication skills. Whether it’s ProPath students
preparing to pursue their career via face-time with those in the
industry or college-bound students honing their academic interests,
these one-to-one engagements help students learn that their story
matters.
“Thanks to the support of Groupon, I’m proud to say that every single
one of our 128 Embarc seniors was accepted to college, and 80% of those
students are currently enrolled,” said Imran Khan, co-founder and chief
executive officer, Embarc. “I’m incredibly humbled and honored to work
with these students everyday. With the help of key partners like
Groupon, we can help more young adults in Chicago reach postsecondary
success.”
There are some powerful systems in place that prevent students from
succeeding — violence, segregation, institutionalized racism, poverty,
and underfunded schools and programs. By supplying students with
positive models of success, Embarc helps students to take the necessary
steps to pursue their dreams.
“With a 97 percent graduation rate and a 94 percent postsecondary
success rate, there is no doubt that Embarc is positively impacting the
lives of Chicago’s youth, and Groupon is proud to help drive this
change,” Kruse added.
About Embarc
Embarc is a one-of-a-kind, three-year program that provides
experience-based learning opportunities to low-income high school
students in Chicago to prepare them for college and career success.
Embarc takes a holistic approach to education, combining intense
teacher-led academic enrichment and postsecondary preparation resources
with experiential opportunities that transforms the city into our campus.
Since 2010, Embarc has grown into a highly-demanded education program
serving students at 19 public high schools throughout Chicago each
school year. To date, Embarc has impacted more than 1,700 students,
transforming their long-term success with an average 97% graduation rate
and 97% postsecondary success. The public can learn more and help Embarc
continue to advance college and career success for Chicago students by
visiting www.embarcchicago.org.
About Groupon
Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) is building the daily habit in local commerce,
offering a vast mobile and online marketplace where people discover and
save on amazing things to do, see, eat and buy. By enabling real-time
commerce across local businesses, travel destinations, consumer products
and live events, shoppers can find the best a city has to offer.
Groupon is redefining how small businesses attract and retain customers
by providing them with customizable and scalable marketing tools and
services to profitably grow their businesses.
To download Groupon’s top-rated mobile apps, visit www.groupon.com/mobile.
To search for great deals or subscribe to Groupon emails, visit www.groupon.com.
To learn more about the company’s merchant solutions and how to work
with Groupon, visit www.groupon.com/merchant.
Contacts
Media Contact:
Groupon
Nick Halliwell
312.999.3812
[email protected]
Embarc
Lily Merritt
312.220.4226