History
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 a privilege. Our approach to 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.
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.
Want to learn more? Read these:
Grad Gen 2019 - 2020 Annual Report