SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Sept. 21, 2023) – ECMC Foundation Program Officer Amber Angel will join the Equity Avengers as their featured guest on #EquityChat, a weekly conversation held on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter), on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
In her role at the Foundation, Angel oversees the Single Mother Student Success Initiative. Formerly a first-generation, single-mother student, Angel is passionate about scaling student-parent support and brings more than ten years of experience in higher education to this role. Before her position with ECMC Foundation, she served as a Program Manager at Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) Family Resource Center and as a Student Parent Advisor for Ascend at the Aspen Institute. Amber teaches workforce readiness courses as an Adjunct Instructor at LAVC and has presented nationally on student-parent success, including at the U.S. Department of Education Summit. PBS NewsHour Weekend featured her personal story of overcoming higher education obstacles as a single parent.
“One of our missions as Equity Avengers is to highlight the often overlooked or unseen struggles that many community college students face,” said Evergreen Valley College President Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson. “Amber is the perfect example of a student who, given the proper support and resources at the right time, can persist, complete, and thrive in their postsecondary journeys. We are excited to hear more about her story and ongoing legacy as a champion for single parents in her role as Program Officer at ECMC Foundation.”
Based in Los Angeles, Calif., the Foundation is a nationally focused foundation working to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis, which together work to help students succeed.
In pursuit of system change, the Foundation’s grantmaking and investing are concentrated on the three following strategic priorities:
- Removing barriers to postsecondary completion
- Building the capacity of organizations, institutions and systems
- Transforming the postsecondary ecosystem
The Foundation uses a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments through Education Innovation Ventures, to invest in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures.
#EquityChat is held weekly on Wednesday evenings from 5 – 6 p.m. on the X platform from September through June. Follow the Equity Avengers on Twitter @EquityAvengers or LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/equity-
To learn more about the Equity Avengers, visit equityavengers.com.
Media Contact:
Lauren McDermott
(415) 933-9975
About the Equity Avengers
The Equity Avengers are community college presidents, Dr. Keith Curry of Compton College, Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson of Evergreen Valley College, and President Emerita Dr. Pamela Luster of San Diego Mesa College. The Equity Avengers have made it their mission to lead the charge for a more equitable higher education landscape, increasing access for those historically marginalized by academia.
The Equity Avengers host the popular #EquityChat on Wednesday evenings on Twitter and are regularly invited to speak at state and national conferences to share their vision. The College Futures Foundation has generously supported the Equity Avengers’ mission through a grant, allowing them to support and develop leaders who act and drive large-scale change toward achieving racial equity in higher education nationwide.
About ECMC Foundation
ECMC Foundation is a Los Angeles-based, nationally focused foundation whose mission is to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments to remove barriers to postsecondary completion; build the capacity of organizations, institutions and systems; and transform the postsecondary ecosystem using a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to support both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Working with grantees, partners and peers, ECMC Foundation’s vision is for all learners to unlock their fullest potential. Learn more about ECMC Foundation by visiting www.ecmcfoundation.