Featured Member- South Central Scholars

An Interview with Meredith Curry, Executive Director at South Central Scholars

When did you enter the field of College Access?

I began working for the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) at UCLA in 2001 under the leadership of one of my long-time mentors, Dwayne Cantrell. I also worked under Kevin Linell who has also been a positive role model in my life. I worked at various high schools in LA County as an EAOP Bruin Advisor, providing college preparation and outreach services to high school students. Some of the high schools I worked at included Morningside, Washington Prep, Fremont, and Manual Arts.

Can you share any recent "success story" for one of your students?

We have several! One of our scholars graduated from Temple University and now works full time as an Investment Associate at Blackrock in New York. We have a student that recently graduated from UC Los Angeles and was honored into the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He is currently interning in Washington on policy issues. Lastly we have a student that graduated this year from Claremont McKenna who now works with the Peace Corps in West Africa. Our students continue to succeed and excel in every way!

Being a highly active member of the network, how has SoCal CAN strengthened your work?

SoCal CAN has opened several doors for me to partner with orgs and other nonprofit leaders to strengthen our work and collaborate on projects. I enjoy working on the CREWS program and have a deep, fond respect for the committee members. I am a believer of collaboration and believe that SoCal CAN is an incredible vehicle to foster the kind of relationship-building and program-strengthening needed for each individual organization to contribute to a society-wide impact here in Los Angeles and throughout the Southern California region. In other words, SoCal CAN rocks!!

To learn more about South Central Scholars, visit their website at www.southcentralscholars.org