About Us

Graduation Generation knows the exponential power of access to education for our young community members. For some, it’s an uphill climb. We engage students more fully, involve families more regularly, and empower teachers more effectively so kids have every opportunity. We mobilize the students, faculty and staff, of Emory University to collaborate with K-12 schools and community organizations to provide and support effective programs and services with schools in the metro Atlanta area seeking to prepare students to graduate to the next level and be both career and life ready.  

History

Graduation Generation has a history of meeting the community during its hardest times. We were founded in 2010 during the great recession as an effort to invest in improving schools in local neighborhoods. Mr. Rick Rieder - a philanthropist, businessman, Emory alumnus/trustee, Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc., and member of the Communities in Schools National Leadership Council - donated $1 million to jumpstart the GradGen initiative. 

The GradGen Way

Genuine Presence 

Genuine presence in K-12 schools. Upholding Emory standards and K-12 school mandates through the fidelity and validity of our programs.

Effective Approaches

Effective approaches to learning and leadership. Implementing practices and procedures that provide structure and support success.

Numerous Connections 

Numerous connections within the program. Engaging the community by building community.

Our Mission, Vision, and Purpose

Mission

To mobilize the students, faculty, and staff of Emory University to provide and support effective programs and services with K-12 schools and community organizations seeking to collaborate and prepare students to graduate to the next level of being both career and life ready.

Vision

To educate and empower all members of the GradGen community to recognize their value and potential to make a profound and positive impact in their school, community, and world.

Purpose

To foster a community of support by empowering members of the Emory community, K-12 communities, and community organizations so that students remain in school, graduate, and achieve in life.

Impact

Across more than ten signature and affiliate programs, Graduation Generation is a consistent and valued presence in Atlanta K-12 schools. GradGen gives Emory students opportunities to provide service to others and to see service to others as privilege. Our approach of supporting experiential learning aligns with GradGen’s themes of college and career readiness, preparation, and exposure and has yielded tangible outcomes—not only for Emory students, but for K-12 students within the GradGen service area. Each semester, our efforts reach more than 300 local students across numerous schools and grade levels.

Beyond this direct involvement, GradGen also provides a variety of resources for Emory students, local educational professionals, and everyone in between. We frequently welcome local students to campus to give them a taste of life at Emory, and we also host roundtables and other events to connect students and educators with Emory administrators and professionals in a variety of fields.