Student Empowerment = Tech for Success: The EdTechquity Platform.

Maria Medrano joins me this episode to share her inspiring journey from humble beginnings to becoming a trailblazer in educational technology. Her dedication to breaking the cycles of generational poverty led to the creation of Inspirame, a tech company that empowers students transitioning from community college to a four-year institution. Maria's personal story and her parents' unwavering support highlight the power of education as she shows how Inspirame provides students with the tools they need to succeed academically and professionally.

With community college students often struggling to navigate their educational paths due to overwhelming student-to-counselor ratios, EdTechquity offers clarity. This innovative tech platform not only provides a roadmap for college transfers but also shares personal success stories, reducing barriers for first-generation students. By shining a light on the critical role of community colleges and lifelong learning, Maria emphasizes the need for adaptable educational content that caters to diverse student needs.

Our conversation also takes a critical look at EdTechuity's mission to blend education, technology, and equity. From introducing micro-scholarships for students facing financial hurdles to fostering collaborations with nonprofits, EdTechuity is on a mission to make education accessible for all. We champion the significant yet often overlooked contributions of vocational education and community colleges, advocating for increased support and recognition. Our dialogue underscores the importance of partnerships, innovative funding, and the power of education in shaping a brighter future for students and society at large.

To learn more, you can visit the EdTechquity website HERE.

Thank you so much for listening! We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates. https://www.nonprofpod.com/ And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.

Transcript

Maria Medrano: [00:00:00] There is something very personal about educational journey. It's something that I recognize because I've lived it and the families that we support live it every single day. That's the beauty of what we built with both Ed Equity and in speed me that they trust us enough to be able to share vulnerable aspects of their journey.

For us to say, we gotta come together and we gotta do something because we as a society miss out. We miss out in people's ability to contribute their innovation, their thoughts, their experiences, because simply these small things that get in the way of bigger opportunities for them.

Jeff Holden: Hi, I'm Jeff Holden. Welcome to the nonprofit Podcast Network. Our purpose and passion is to highlight a nonprofit organization in each weekly episode, giving that organization an opportunity to tell their story in their words, to better inform and educate the respective [00:01:00] communities they serve, as well as provide one more tool for them to share their message to constituents and donors.

Our goal is to help build stronger communities through shared voices, and to both encourage and support the growth of local nonprofit organizations through podcasting, thanks to our founding partners for their foresight in helping us transform the way conversations start. I. CAPTRUST fiduciary advice for endowments and foundations.

Runyon Saltzman Incorporated, RSE, marketing, advertising and Public Relations, creating integrated communications committed to improving lives and Western Health Advantage, a full service healthcare plan for individuals, employer groups, and families. Many of us with grown children have been there, even those listening who may be there now.

Our children are planning their college curriculum and trying to get the right classes in the right order at the right time. Oh boy, that can be frustrating. Maybe take [00:02:00] time to look at a different school, a different community college, a different state university. Getting that course load right is critical as it's the path of necessity and getting it right means saving money not wasted on placeholder classes In this episode.

I'm speaking with Maria Medrano on her remarkable journey from humble beginnings to founding Inspi Me a tech company committed to guiding students from community college to university success. You'll discover how their tools are revolutionizing academic support, making it easier for students to navigate their educational paths.

We also discussed the pivotal role of ED equity in providing resources to underserved schools and the innovative introduction of micro scholarships to help students overcome financial barriers. This is a for-profit, non-profit creative alignment that is quite impressive. We'll highlight the essential contributions of community colleges, the incredible power of [00:03:00] educational technology, and the inspiring stories of students who have turned their challenges into triumphs.

Whether you're an educator, a student, or a tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights on harnessing technology to empower student success and foster a more equitable educational landscape. Maria Medrano, welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. 

Maria Medrano: Thank you. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for the invitation 

Jeff Holden: and what a conversation we're going to have.

Education has always been significant and important to me. In my life, and it's where we've centered a lot of our contributions, donations, board time in educational aspects, because it's the easiest way to break cycles of poverty. And that's very similar to your situation, only in a much more dramatic way.

Would you explain what it was that got you started in. A [00:04:00] platform that really is education driven. 

Maria Medrano: Absolutely. And you're, you put it right on the money in regards to education, really being that catalyst that can really change, not just an individual, but I like to say generational poverty. And that was the case for me.

You know, I come from very humble beginnings. My mom was a teenage mom, had me at the age of 16. She became an orphan at the age of three, and so the earliest thoughts and conversations that I've ever had with my mom was the importance of education because she understood the importance of it. She, herself wouldn't, didn't have the opportunity to do the educational piece, but she knew that I would have the opportunity.

In addition to that, my dad, who I loved dearly as well, always talked to me about the importance of education. He grew up in Mexico. And as in many Mexican families in Mexico, he went up to third grade, although he had the love for reading and he came from a big family of 13. Oh my goodness. Yes. However, my grandfather, just like in many Mexican households, was working on this side to provide for my grandmother [00:05:00] and my uncles and my dad on the other side.

And so, although my parents were very young when they had me. There was this understanding of the importance of family, and I knew from a very young age that I was privileged because I had two parents that loved me and were with me daily, and my mom said, because of that, you will be the one that can actually go get that full education.

Because my, my, both my parents were not able to do so. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Maria Medrano: I remember my first memory being my mom, talking about the importance of getting ready to take a really important test. And I remember my mom telling me, you take that test so you can show everybody how smart you are. And I remember being so excited and we didn't have a car, right?

So we remember we walked to the school and we took this test. And when I look back and I reflect back. That test was a kindergarten placement test, and I remember it was connecting the dots and then telling what the picture was and the picture ended up being a house. And I remember seeing my mom's face when we were walking back home, or her just being so happy that I was able to show others how smart I [00:06:00] was because she knew that I was smart.

And that was the beginning of what I knew I needed to do, which was go to school. Mm-hmm. Whatever it took. And my mom reinforced it often. I have to continue to clean bathrooms, take other care of other people's children, whatever it is, you are going to go to school and that's your number one job. 

Jeff Holden: So fast forward to where we are today.

You start a company that is a tech company that is all about placement for students who are interested in the community college to the four year. College career, so to speak. Mm-hmm. Your academic career. And it allows them the opportunity to simply identify what courses they need, what they need to do, and it's dynamic.

So should they change, which many of us did when we were in college. My degree is gonna be this, uh, next six months. It's, man, I don't like that. That was a little too hard. Or whatever it is. We make [00:07:00] changes. Tell us a little bit about. In 

Maria Medrano: Great, in speed in Absolutely. Yes. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. 

Maria Medrano: You know, in speed. For those that don't speak Spanish is, is a simple.

Translated word into inspire me and the essence behind in speed is basically my own lived experience. My, my husband and my life partner's lived experience and our personal belief that every person just needs a little bit of inspiration in order to really find their path. And so we thought we started in speed out of our own, like I mentioned, lived experience, but also our own.

I would say in my case, corporate experience where when we started in speed May, I had already spent 20 years in the corporate sector and given where I told you I started to being spending 20 years in the corporate industry. I could have never, I didn't even know the world existed, much less even think what could come from that.

And the time that I spent in the corporate world was about creating products. So I was already in the business of creating products, but [00:08:00] products for big tech companies. And I also saw my husband day in and day out provide so much to support to so many students because fortunately he ended up becoming a community college counselor.

And so seeing the everyday task of him helping so many students. And at the end of the semester, him coming home with notes and letters and cards from so many students and parents till this day, who say, you changed my life. You gave me guidance. You, you helped me see what I didn't see. That I told my husband, we have to do something so you can actually help more people.

Because in reality, who he was helping were the same students that him and I were not too long ago. 

Jeff Holden: Mm-hmm. 

Maria Medrano: And so in 2019 is when in speed Me was officially born from a tech perspective, meaning that we were doing in speed me on paper and pen. But in 2019 it was like, maybe we can, we can put some technology behind here and we can create a platform that we make available to for free for our community.

Because we know by doing that we remove some barriers and we started building. And what happened? The pandemic happened. [00:09:00] The pandemic forced us both to be working in the same office at home and hearing the same questions and hearing the same responses and hearing the same uncertainty. I thought, okay. It just further cemented, this is why we need to put our focus on the community college.

They are a gem in our community and many in our community don't even know that they're there. They're open access, they're diverse in nature in regards to what they offer, and they're all across the state. And so for that reason, we built Deco Guide in order to ensure that. We don't replace counselors, 'cause counselors play a key role in the ecosystem of the educational journey.

We just make it more readily available for all students. Because I do wanna put a finer point. When we say students, we say students or anyone from 13 all the way to 101. Because I believe we can all be life learners and that's the opportunity that we see that we can unlock with our ethical guide platform.

Jeff Holden: And we've had several of the foundation leaders for the community college systems. Here to [00:10:00] talk about that situation of what they provide and to your point, the diversity of not only ethnicity and gender and age. Age especially, because we tend to think of a student. Student. Yeah. It's you. You're 18, 20.

Mm-hmm. Whatever it is. To your point, 30, 40, 40, 50 people absolutely rejoining their education that they had to stop for family. 

Maria Medrano: I like to say life happens. Yes. And it happens to all of us. 

Jeff Holden: Yes. To your description of the TECO guide. Mm-hmm. That is the product Ofpi me. Mm-hmm. And that is a tech product that's a tool for both counselors and students to use.

Mm-hmm. That will identify all the courses they need to get from point A. 

Maria Medrano: Correct. 

Jeff Holden: To see all the way through their four year degree? Correct. [00:11:00] Today, how is that happening? A student, I mean, there's thousands of students on the campus of a community college. Mm-hmm. They somehow get an appointment with a counselor, of which I'm sure there's a number, but it's a finite number.

Mm-hmm. And I'm sure there's way more students than there are counselors to see. That's gotta be a painfully slow process. 

Maria Medrano: It's a very slow process. It's a slow process that I like to tell folks. It really gets in the way of really ensuring that we can support our students. The reality is, within our community college system, on average, it's a 1000 student to one college counselor.

And the reality is students have lots of questions, and many times students don't even know what questions to ask. So when they have that question, it's not as easy as. Picking up the phone or going, making an appointment to talk to someone tomorrow, it's on average, a 30 to 60 to 90 day wait time to actually get an appointment.

So by the time a student actually gets that appointment, well the question has completely changed and it [00:12:00] just can completely derail a student. And let's be honest. Just the fact of being able to get an appointment already serves as a barrier because not everyone actually is already enrolled at a college campus.

And this is especially true for many adults, that at one point were a student and there's a lot of curiosity of like, look at this. Look like maybe taking another class to get that job or apply for this next job, and we lose out on that curiosity. That can really enable the ability for us to increase the skills of what we know we need inside of our workforce, 

Jeff Holden: right?

Maria Medrano: And so that is what we're looking to do with that guide is to compliment. What we can actually offer at these community colleges by reducing those barriers. And I like to tell folks, let's give the students the opportunity to harness all the energy they have and the excitement they have for going to school to actually learn, network, engage, and not have it be wasted on.

How do I get through? What questions should I ask? Can I get this question answered? Because in many times, students are just looking for that reinforcement [00:13:00] when they're talking to those counselors, and that's what we built with Deco Guide. Let's just help guide, enforce, and reinforce a lot of what they, we know they need to continue to move forward, especially for first generation students like myself who just didn't know what we were doing.

Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: Well, it's a roadmap. 

Maria Medrano: Mm-hmm. 

Jeff Holden: It literally is a roadmap through college. Mm-hmm. At that point in time that they think they know what they're doing. 

Maria Medrano: Correct. 

Jeff Holden: But it's also dynamic enough that it shifts should they change? 

Maria Medrano: Absolutely. So 

Jeff Holden: if I'm interested in Sierra College and I want to go to Sac State, I.

It will map for me the entire process. 

Maria Medrano: Absolutely. Sierra student, and I'm interested in nursing and I wanna finish, you know, at Sac State you're gonna get the classes you need to transfer to get into Sac State, and then you're gonna get the classes you need at Sac State. And not only you're gonna get that roadmap or like to say blueprint, we also add to the blueprint because you're gonna also get notifications that are gonna be.

[00:14:00] Personal stories of people that you can relate to around their journey so that you don't think that it's gonna be easy. 'cause a journey's not a straight line. I mean, it's zigzag, sometimes it goes backwards, right? And so we collect lots of stories of anyone that wants to share it to really ensure they have an understanding that.

They're not alone on this journey. And we like to say it's so much easier to provide blueprint so people know, ah, I gotta prepare for this. My husband likes to tell this story all the time. If I tell someone, let's go for a hike, and you don't really give details on the hike, I may show up just with my basic tennis shoes and a sweatshirt, but if I'm telling you we're gonna be doing like some.

Dome hiking. There is a complete different tools that you need in order to prepare for that. And that's the, the reason why we've spent so much time on Building Thecal Guide is, is to just ensure that everybody has the tools that they need in order to get the skills that they need to get 'em into the workforce.

Jeff Holden: And the beauty of that hike, so to speak, is let's say you change forests or mountains, [00:15:00] and maybe I don't want to continue at Sierra. I want to go to Santa Barbara. Mm-hmm. And I want to do something down there. You connect with the community college there and, and then you can identify which four year school you want to go to.

Maybe it's Cal Poly and off you go. It's dynamic enough to absorb the information you've already got from the courses you've already taken. 

Maria Medrano: Correct. 

Jeff Holden: And. Morph them into what's appropriate for those particular campuses. Correct? 

Maria Medrano: Absolutely. Reapply it. So even if you're doing, let's say the students started at Sierra, then says, you know, maybe it's not Sierra, now it's Sac City College, and instead of going into nursing now, actually I'm interested in.

Biology specifically, well, that's gonna change the entire blueprint, but we, they're gonna know that blueprint's gonna change in 12 seconds because it's gonna be known in their platform because of that information is being given. And they're gonna also see that all the classes they've taken. Where does it count so that they're not losing track?

I mean, I have big visions of being able to [00:16:00] have billboards all across the state that says, got college credits and dunno what they're worth. Let that go guide inform you because we all carry around currency that many don't know is actually valuable and useful. Mm-hmm. Whether it be to be on that transfer path, or it may even be a certificate path, which are all offered at our beautiful community colleges, but many students.

Don't know, don't know, don't know at all. And where there's programs where there's weights or lottery systems, we like to tell our students, okay, you may be waiting for that lottery, but in the meantime, go take these other classes. Because if that lottery doesn't work out, guess what? There's so many other careers.

It exists in the healthcare industry. It's not only becoming a nurse and not only becoming a doctor, but there's a huge variation there. And that's the other piece that we spend a lot of time and we put a lot of care into is. Let's get students what they need just to create that basic survival, but then know that they can come back when they're ready to take that next class or take that next certificate to continue to build up that skill that maybe needed for that next role or that next [00:17:00] opportunity.

Jeff Holden: How does the student acquire. The app, is it free to the student? 

Maria Medrano: It is completely free to the student. It's also complete to parents who are wanting us to help better understand how to support their student. We're finding a lot of individuals that work in school settings are also on our platform after school program.

Tutors, mentors, because again, we have so many folks that we know education is so important and we wanna support so many of our students, but it gets complicated. Mm-hmm. And so another feature that's within TECO Guide is our TECO ai where anyone can ask any question regarding the educational journey and we provide you the response.

So then you have kind your own little cheat sheet that enables you to help support students. And so we get the word out by. The obvious things on being on social media. We like to say, we like to meet people. They are. We also participate in a lot of community events, so you can find us at. Cultural events, you can find us on the radio show at times.

You can find us in many unusual places. 'cause we [00:18:00] usually are the only folks that are there from an educational perspective to really ensure that we can get the information out to the students. And clearly we're looking to find partnerships also, what the community colleges and the universities and non-profits, because we really just wanna spread the word to say that collectively we can really, truly create a nice, strong ecosystem around education to ensure that more people are getting through versus, versus not.

Jeff Holden: As we're learning and getting smarter from Maria Medrano in this episode, let's get some wise counsel from the people who make this program possible. 

Scott Thomas: Hello, this is Scott Thomas with CAPTRUST in our Sacramento office. I specialize in working with local nonprofits and associations annually. We survey private and public nonprofit organizations across the country to better understand challenges they see in today's environment.

In our more recent survey, we heard concerns about proper board governance, mission aligned investment, and how to implement alternative investments. If you would like a copy of the survey or to discuss your organization, [00:19:00] look me up, scottThomas@captrust.com. 

Jeff Holden: I'm thrilled to have Western Health Advantage partnering with us as they do so much to support so many nonprofit agencies in our community.

As a truly local health plan, you'll find individual and family options, employer options plans for CalPERS and Medicare Advantage. From medical services to pharmacy health and wellness support, as well as behavioral healthcare. Western Health Advantage has a plan that fits what you need as an employer for profit or nonprofit business, individual or family.

You can find more@westernhealth.com. That parlays beautifully. Now to the next question. Somebody's paying for this in some way, shape or form, and whether it be through sponsorship and or the community colleges have some skin in the game. Mm-hmm. If they take advantage of it. But that's where antiquity absolutely comes into play.

And you recognize that. Boy, we need to get this to the students. We need to get this in their [00:20:00] hands. We need to continue to develop. I think you said you have 60 of the 115 community colleges. Correct. Okay, so how does that happen? And that's where. And equity was born as the nonprofit portion of it.

Maria Medrano: Correct. 

Jeff Holden: Tell us about that. 

Maria Medrano: ED Equity was born out of that sole reason. If the look at the name ED Equity, it's what I like to say. It's education, technology, and equity. And that's what forms ED equity. Mm-hmm. And the name came from just my own source of understanding that. Education is what gave me the opportunity to sit at the table of these big technology companies, but gave me the ability to accelerate what I've been able to do when building technology was that technology piece.

And so at Tech Equity was formed in order to ensure that we can provide the same amount of services to the schools and organizations that. Need it most and generally don't have the funding in order to ensure that they can partner with us in a way that is uniquely supporting their outcomes. And so Ed Equity is there to [00:21:00] ensure that we always are able to maintain the Deco Guide app for free.

That is the primary, primary objective. The second piece is also we wanna establish micro scholarships where we can actually have what I like to say, an easy button within the Deco Guide app to ensure that students can tell us at any moment they have an inkling that they think they're gonna drop outta school or stop going to school because life happens.

Whether it's a flat tire, whether it's paying a portion of rent, whether it's a lost textbook, I mean, things that. Are so small in the minuscule things, but they're so big, especially when you're first in your family to go to school, and we want to ensure that we can provide the funding as soon as possible.

Again, because the usual scholarships and things usually take a process, there's usually some qualifying piece. We wanna ensure that we're removing those barriers so we can increase the outcomes. 

Jeff Holden: You know, it's interesting you say that too, because we had that same conversation with both of the foundation leaders.

It's just something that small, a flat [00:22:00] tire or a small car repair. A battery. Mm-hmm. Where they're out. Mm-hmm. That's it. They're so fragile on that balance mm-hmm. Of getting through school and the ability to support themselves that something that small could send them off to where they just have to go to work and they can't afford to finish school.

Maria Medrano: We had a student who was work, we worked with over a couple of years, went through all the motions. Community college, SAC City, transferred to Sac State. Celebrating getting ready to graduate and could not graduate, or I was on the verge of not graduating because they had two parking tickets, two parking tickets that put a hold on their record that prevented them from actually being able to apply and say that I'm ready for graduation.

And they were getting ready to. I mean, it's just, it's two parking tickets, but we can't, right. And it's easier to just walk away than to really say, I have these parking tickets. And there is something very personal about educational journey. It's something that I recognize because I lived it, and the families that we support live it every single day.[00:23:00] 

That I think that's the beauty of what we built with both Ed equity and in speed, that they trust us enough to be able to share vulnerable aspects of their journey for us to say, okay, mm-hmm we gotta come together and we gotta do something because. We as a society miss out. We miss out in people's ability to contribute their innovation, their thoughts, their experiences, because simply these small that we see are small things that get in the way of bigger opportunities for them 

Jeff Holden: as we go down the antiquity line.

Mm-hmm. Who is it that you see yourself collaborating with? You did mention something that got me excited because a lot of the conversations we have are with organizations that serve. Foster youth. Mm-hmm. Organizations that serve underserved youth. Mm-hmm. Again, student opportunities that get stuck somewhere along the line.

Who is it that you see yourself collaborating with? 

Maria Medrano: I'm looking to collaborate with nonprofits. Nonprofits are pillars across so many communities, and many times, like I tell our nonprofit leaders, they are the [00:24:00] experts in serving their communities. And there is not a single community leader that I have not met that does not acknowledge that education.

Is that catalyst for them, but they're just not sure. They don't know about the education piece, and so I like to say, let's come together as a community of nonprofits, continue to do what you do, but let's partner, and you can include us in any type of projects you're doing as that educational component that's actually anchored on technology.

The beautiful thing about that is we get to personalize it. We get to ensure we can scale and grow, and on the backend we can actually see the impact that we're having. So when we're having a collective conversation on the value proposition of nonprofits, it's backed by data, it's backed by actual experiences, and it's backed by actual blueprints that we can continue to provide to our, to our community.

Jeff Holden: You know, with a demonstration of. Activity because anytime a student touches the app, you know, 

Maria Medrano: all we know, we know. We know what gets 'em excited. We know the modality of information that is relevant to them. Is it a piece of content that is [00:25:00] in video form? Is it audio form? Is it written form? How many times does a student truly change their mind?

What classes actually resonate for them. I like to tell community colleges we can give you actual data to show you, you know, two semesters from now, we have over 5,000 students in our area that are looking to take statistics. One, let's make sure we're offering it during these times of the day. 'cause that's when students are available.

And then we get away from having to cancel classes, having to rearrange classes. Because right now. We're sticking to the old usual ways of what we've done. The same classes offered at the same time, with the same professors at the same moment. And we're not really appreciating the moment that we have students that are working full-time and most of our students are part-time students.

And so that is truly the value proposition that we look to bring. Mm-hmm. To truly ensure that we can meet all students that we have today. 

Jeff Holden: And to your point, you may see a. Tech and or maybe a low tech [00:26:00] welding, something that somebody's really interested. We know that there's a shortage of welders and all of a sudden, wow, what if the demand on that particular course or course curriculum from A to B, whatever it covers.

Overwhelming. Maybe there's an opportunity to expand that and diminish some of the other ones that have very little demand. 

Maria Medrano: Exactly. We have, there's another story I can tell on that piece of it. A student that came to us and they came to us because they were really looking to continue to go to school, but they just, they couldn't get back in.

It was this, it just. Kept not getting questions answered and we asked the question, are you actually taking the right classes? Because the classes he was, he was taking, it was very clear he was not doing well in the classes. He goes, well, I don't really like these classes, but I have to do these classes. I was told that I have to do them.

We asked a couple of more questions and he actually loves to work with his hands and we introduced the welding classes and within three semesters he had his welding certificate [00:27:00] and he started working at Siemens. Helping to contribute to build the bridge a year and a half later, he's actually owns his own welding company now.

Jeff Holden: Wow. 

Maria Medrano: And before it had no clue that welding was a piece. And that's why I say both the, you know, traditional longer, you know, skilled going into the university and the skilled base around. Plumbing and electrical and HVAC are equally important in our society and many in our community are just simply not aware.

Jeff Holden: And the beauty of that is our community colleges do service that 

Maria Medrano: they service all of it. Right. 

Jeff Holden: And are looking to do more. Exactly. Because we know the demand is there. Not everybody's meant for a four year college degree. 

Maria Medrano: Exactly. 

Jeff Holden: And those are elements that are within the platform, 

Maria Medrano: all within the platform 

Jeff Holden: to, to where you would start from whatever the basic course is.

Welding 1 0 1. You would then see your journey to getting your certificate? 

Maria Medrano: Absolutely 

Jeff Holden: amazing. How about funding for the organization? How are you funded? 

Maria Medrano: So we are funded. [00:28:00] On the in speed side we're funded, self-funded. Again, I, again, I'm blessed in the fact that we were able to, I was able to work in the tech industry in self-funding there and, and we have our investors.

So it's, it's a fully fledged organization of investors that help continue to ensure that we are building and innovating on the product. On the ED equity side, obviously it's donations from local organizations. Donations from folks that have seen the impact, what we've done in the community. Obviously we look to go after grants as well and be written into grants and just look to take a balanced approach there.

We are blessed in that we have an opportunity to contribute to so many families that families will also provide us some donations. And I, I am a firm believer of the collective good, and that is what enables us to do that. My vision is to ensure that we have stronger funding so we can do more faster. I feel like there's a sense of urgency around.

Where we are now in regards to the lack of skills in our community and the desire for folks to gain skills, but just being confused about what path to take. [00:29:00] And so that is the biggest opportunity that we see today. 

Jeff Holden: And the IQuity side of it, the nonprofit side of it. Again, because the platform is free to the students.

Mm-hmm. It's really meant. To be a support mechanism to allow you to do some more things to support the students, which may come as those micro scholarships, but also to. Possibly support the community college system as well. Yes, 

Maria Medrano: absolutely. Absolutely. There is more to be said around the engagement piece about being able to provide them insights that without our platform, they would not be aware of.

Right? This, there's so much around how do we really ensure that we're engaging our students in a way where students feel that they have a stake in it. And so when we think about it from an ed equity perspective, I'm going so far as to say that I would love to create this movement about. The value that community colleges have, because not many folks will take responsibility and say, I started at a community college.

Right? And I say that because I've been in the corporate sector for so long that unless I talk to them about what we've we're doing with the [00:30:00] community colleges, no one will ever admittedly say, I started at a community college and then transfer to university. Mm-hmm. They like to talk about their university experience, and I'm like, no, no, no.

We have to get comfortable about talking about the value proposition of community colleges because without that, it goes down to. What impact it has, even with our students that are in high school mm-hmm. Who are always ready and willing to apply for the university, but no one's really talking about the excite and what awaits 'em at the community college.

And so I really do see an opportunity to have a joint value proposition with our California community College system and what we're doing at, AT equity because we, we are in it to ensure that we can create more visibility on their value proposition that awaits them 

Jeff Holden: while we're on the topic of funding.

You have an event coming up. This is gonna be a first time event. For the organization that is Young lady Latina plus one Yes. Empowerment event. Explain the plus one first of all. 

Maria Medrano: Yes, so I, I shared the story about my mom and the role that she's played in my life about being the person that [00:31:00] wanted me to go to school.

The other side of it is that she had no clue what it weighted me as it related to go to school. She kept supporting. You can do it. You can do it, you can do it. But she was not someone that I could go to and ask for help with my homework at times. Definitely could not ask her, what class do you think I should take this semester, mom?

Because she had never stepped foot inside of a college system. And so I unfortunately lost my mom three years ago, very unexpectedly. And the ed equity piece is in honor of my mom and the champion that she was to get me to where I am now. The young Woman conference plus one is in honor of her in that I have been fortunate enough to travel the world because of the companies that I work for and have gone to hundreds, if not thousands, of conferences that really provide community and provide more learning.

And I thought, I wanna bring that piece, that experience to Sacramento, not only for the young ladies, but their plus one. Because every time I went to any conference, I always was, how can I bring my mom with me? How can I bring her into this conversation and [00:32:00] more so just so she could experience it, so she can see, wow, this is what this is.

Because without that, she would've never seen it. Mm-hmm. So the plus one for this conference will be, let's teach our young ladies what they need to be preparing for, and at the same time, let's take the young moms or whoever that plus one is, maybe a sister, maybe an aunt, maybe your dad, whoever that plus one is, so we can teach them how they can better, you know, support their person.

Questions, food, because there's a lot of, I would say on my mom's case, she wasn't sure what to do and there's like, I just don't know. Or I'm, my mom would tell me often I'm not smart enough. I don't know. I'm like, I don't need you to be smart. You're smart enough. I just need you to, you know, make me a plate of hot food because the storm food is just support me.

Yeah. It's just support me. So that's the essence of this conference. It's bring an actual unique experience for our young ladies and make them aware that bringing that plus one person is akay. Because I can tell you, being the first in my family, being the first in the corporate sector, I always felt like, oh gosh, I'm gonna bring my mom.

They're not gonna understand it. It [00:33:00] was a huge differentiation for me. For her, there was so much learning, and I think that's gonna be our opportunity and that's, that's the whole purpose behind the plus one. 

Jeff Holden: And as your first event, you see this being as an annual event, I would assume? Yes, 

Maria Medrano: absolutely.

Jeff Holden: Absolutely. Alright, and when is it? 

Maria Medrano: We're looking for it to be in the September, the September timeframe in regards to students coming back to school again, really excited about what to do with the year ahead. We're looking for partners, obviously looking for a venue in the Sacramento area and looking for partners to bring this together, uh, for Sacramento area.

So really open on that piece of it. But we would really love to do something more towards the, the end of the year to get them excited for the new school year. 

Jeff Holden: Okay. And you mentioned you prefaced this next question a little bit in the opening conversation or start of the conversation, but if money were no object for I Equity, what would it look like?

Maria Medrano: We would have, we would, deco Guide would be known as that one platform that anyone at any moment could go in. And just explore what was possible for them [00:34:00] and also be the platform that they could actually make decisions, life decisions that could help them in being able to gain the skills that they need to be able to move forward, to contribute in the society in a way that's very, very meaningful.

I. We see Deco Guide, even pre LinkedIn for those that are on LinkedIn around our communities, and really building that piece of it around getting 'em the skills they need and then being able to make that jump between the education sector into the workforce, because that itself is a big, big piece. So for me, I envision Deco Guide being able to map every connection from an education perspective across the state to be able to ensure that anyone across the state.

Can really explore and not just explore, but also then get into the game and really participate. Do their part, gain the skills, get those degrees, you know, and ensure that our, our workforce is, is alive and thriving. And obviously with that, taking this all across the nation. I take it one step further, I see an opportunity even with our international students, lots of international students that are excited to come to United [00:35:00] States and we just do not have a holistic strategy to how we ensure that we cultivate the learning aspect and the educational aspect.

And I want that echo guide to be that platform of choice that provides that opportunity. 

Jeff Holden: 60 community colleges today, 115. So you'll have that complete at. By the end of the year, 

Maria Medrano: that is the goal. Okay. By the end of the year and get all 115 community colleges in parallel. We're already in conversations with a couple of our CSUs, so getting those CSUs and those our ucs there.

That is the goal. This is the year to get everyone tightly connected so that we can, like I said, flip the switch and just ensure and see all of the great activity that's happening because there is immense need. We are on our social media platforms now, and millions of comments. We have over 30,000 users on those platforms, and the questions that we get there in the comments are, I wish I had this when I was in school.

Mm-hmm. I'm gonna save this for my kids. My daughter's only five, but this is so important. Or no one's ever told me this. Why don't we know? Why don't we talk [00:36:00] more about this? And so it's just opening up those lines of communications because people are eager to get those skills. They just don't know how.

And that's what we wanna provide. 

Jeff Holden: And this isn't only for underserved students at all. This is anybody, anyone. I can't 

Maria Medrano: tell you countless students that are actually at the university that are using our platform, that are realizing, you know, I thought this university was for me, but I'm not really jiving here.

And so it's like, okay, great. Then let's, you wanna go back home? Yeah. Then the community college is a great option. Let's finish here and then let's figure out where you wanna go. So it's not for the underserved student or for the low income student? We 

Jeff Holden: Any student. 

Maria Medrano: Any student, yeah. Because all students need support.

Jeff Holden: What today is the greatest need that you've gotten to make? QU agnostic. It's, it's used everywhere to, you go to the community college. That college is supporting students through it, because I would imagine today as the counselor, it's gotta be burdensome to figure out what classes it's, I'm sure [00:37:00] there's some technology, but for the most part, by each individual student, it's manual.

And if they're starting to shift around on what it was and it's restructuring every single time 

Maria Medrano: it is, and the minute that student walks outta that office, if that student does not follow that plan by the T, it's void. It's invalid. And so what we need are partnerships. We need all of our community colleges and our CSUs and our ucs to just reach out and say, let's partner.

It's in service. I like to tell them, think of us as a new way of marketing to students and servicing your current students. And that's the real opportunity that we have today. It's, it's really, let's get out of our own way. Let's acknowledge that we have an opportunity to improve our transfer outcomes.

Our transfer outcomes are not the best when we look at it across the community college system. The state auditor released a report that after four years, anyone that starts. Only 21% complete. 

Jeff Holden: Mm. 

Maria Medrano: And if you are black or brown, the number drops to 15%. We have to do a better job of improving our transfer [00:38:00] process, 'cause that impacts our universities.

And that's why we see the low enrollments in the universities. And that has a direct impact into our workforce. And so we really have to do a better job of supporting our students in a holistic way. 

Jeff Holden: So I kind of sidetracked that with that comment. What, what is the greatest need for I? 

Maria Medrano: The greatest need is?

The funding in order to ensure that we can continue to build out the app so that it's completely available to all students regardless of what schools they're going to re regard regardless into what they want to actually focus on. Because there's such a disconnect when we're looking, when we talk to even our high school students about, the only thing that students really know is, oh, I can only go to a university.

And we know that that's not a reality for all of us. Mm-hmm. There's not enough seats. There's just not enough seats. And so the funding and the capital, the donations into a equity enable us to build the app to ensure that we can get it into the hands of all of our students 

Jeff Holden: and to continue [00:39:00] to keep it free.

Maria Medrano: Absolutely. Which is, it has to be free. It has to be free. We cannot charge students. That's just another barrier. 

Jeff Holden: What's the best way I'm, I'm a student and maybe I do know, maybe, I don't know. Somebody says something about this thing that I can go to. I can get an app on my phone and it will help me. How do I go there?

What? Where's the best place to go? 

Maria Medrano: The best place to go is if you do follow us on any, if they're on social media, they're gonna find us on TikTok. And we know a lot of our students are on TikTok, so we are constantly creating very intrusive, direct, quick, you know, pieces of guidance and every piece of guidance is followed.

You wanna learn more? Download our app. Come on for free. So we make that very, very clear. Mm-hmm. So we're meeting 'em there, but we also, as I mentioned, we're in the community and so we are definitely sharing across the community. And I think that's a big ask as well, is spreading the word and just making sure that if you are working with students, if you are working in the classrooms, if you are working with adults that are curious, just say, Hey, if you heard about what NSB M is doing, what AEC is [00:40:00] doing.

Download the Echo Guide and you can download it directly from the app, the Play Store, and you can meet us there. And the minute that you download the app, we've made it so simple that you answer a few simple questions and you're quickly on the app. And once you're on there, we take care of ensuring that we're dropping those welcome notes to make sure that we can guide people through that.

Jeff Holden: Okay, so once they start, then you engage them? 

Maria Medrano: We engage them 

Jeff Holden: actively, very aggressively. I would imagine 

Maria Medrano: we say very intrusively. Yes, because we get 'cause you need to. 'cause you need to, because a lot of things that we say that we find with educators and they say, well, we'll ask the student what they need.

I'm like, students don't know. They know what they need. They don't know what they need. So we're very, very intrusive in that. But we're intrusive in a way where we, like I said, very personalized. So we know if they are a foster youth, we're getting them the information that's relevant to them. If they're first generation, if they're a dreamer, if they're a parent, all of these pieces matter.

So we're making sure that they're hearing and they're getting what they need, but that we're constantly being intrusive, which is why the way that guide is built is standalone. What that means is that we do not require any integration across [00:41:00] any system because we don't wanna put this work on the schools or the colleges.

They have a lot to do. Leave it to us. That's the biggest thing that we bring. We own the application because we want to be intrusive, we want to be engaging. We wanna make sure that as we see things dropping, that we can offer them resources. We'll ask 'em a question, how are those classes going? And if they're saying not well, well, let's introduce you to what a tutoring service is and let me show you where this tutoring services on that campus, and we can just be that additional guidance that's there in their pocket.

Jeff Holden: This episode could be shared with students, certainly will get shared in. The academic circles, and certainly from my perspective, I'm gonna share it with certain nonprofits to say, Hey, is there an opportunity here? What would you say to the audience? 

Maria Medrano: There is such a huge opportunity for us to be able to create a brighter future that really includes all of us.

And I like to tell students, especially like [00:42:00] the, the future is brighter with you in it, and it can only have you in there if you actually have the skills and necessary in order to contribute in meaningful ways. And for all of what students of today are participating in, I remind them you're on the consumer side.

Let's get you more on the creator side, and that's the big opportunity that I see when I think about what really awaits us all to ensure that we actually have a very vibrant and also a very diverse workforce and future that enables everyone to participate. So when I think about. My own experience, there's no way I could have ever imagined the little 5-year-old me or even the little 18-year-old me or the even the 25-year-old me to be sitting here talking about what we've built for the world at large.

But it was my own curiosity and my fear is that we've lost a lot of that curiosity. We've gotten so complacent with just what is, and that this is what we've always done, that we need students to [00:43:00] really think bigger, and I want them to know they're not alone. We are here to support them and that's the whole purpose behind Dego Guide for them.

Jeff Holden: That's awesome. And I will put the social handles in the show notes, so anybody can just go and either link through it or grab it and, and I'm smiling because you are absolutely the first guest that I've had that didn't say, well go to the website and you know, here's the URL and, and, and that's how it works.

It's much more contemporary. It's a younger audience. Mm-hmm. And you're appealing to a, a different person than maybe a traditional non-profit. So, so you have two sides. Your service side is to the student mm-hmm. And to the community colleges and our, our four year campuses as well. Mm-hmm. But you have that other side that is the, the nonprofit side that's still looking for funding.

That's. More likely than not gonna come through a visit to the website. Exactly. In an outreach. 'cause that's a different group of people. And [00:44:00] that's edtech.net? Yes it is. Right. 

Maria Medrano: edtech.net. 

Jeff Holden: And, and to be clear, that's E-D-T-E-C-H and then A-Q-U-I-T-Y. Dot net, not org or com, but.net. Yes. Thank you. 

Maria Medrano: It 

Jeff Holden: is, yeah.

And 

Maria Medrano: there obviously people can go to the website, but like I say, if you can tell I'm about meeting people where they are, but the website does have a donate me button, right? And it's there for, for anyone that has the ability to provide donations through that. But more importantly, it, my biggest ask is let's get the word out about the importance of this and let's get folks on the app.

And I believe by doing so. The rest will come in ensuring that our collective community will do all that we can to ensure that that app maintains free to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to work 

Jeff Holden: well. And the more demand on the app, the more likely you can demonstrate the value. And I think you said what, 30,000?

Maria Medrano: Yes. 

Jeff Holden: That's an amazing number in a relatively short period of time for something that is not fully engaged in the system yet. 

Maria Medrano: Exactly. 

Jeff Holden: So congratulations on that. 

Maria Medrano: Thank you. 

Jeff Holden: [00:45:00] What you're doing. Helping students continue through their system or continue through their process in the system, which can be very confusing at times and very difficult.

And we know we have a graduation rate issue. Mm-hmm. We have a transfer rate issue. Mm-hmm. Anything we can do, anything that helps that, that helps the student just builds the community to a, a greater level. 

Maria Medrano: Absolutely. And 

Jeff Holden: the more people that transfer to the four year university, the more likely they are to graduate.

The more people that are in the four year university knowing how to get through the system, the more likely they'll graduate. And what I love about it is making it simpler. Mm-hmm. And eventually. It should allow the counselors to do even more because they're using technology to minimize the time. 

Maria Medrano: Oh, I like to tell folks again, my partner in this work is a counselor himself.

We are in the business of. You know, ensuring that we don't even have roles as we say, right? That we really ensure we simplify it [00:46:00] as best as possible. That we take care of the tactical aspect of what most, what all students go for. What classes do I need? How long is it gonna take me? And how do I pay for it?

Let us take care of that, that the technology, and let's make sure the counselors are available for the social emotional aspect of what's needed even more in today's time, that would unlock so much more value because that is what's missing in regards to ensuring students feel confident. Feel ready to actually be in the classes and be ready to learn.

And then the other piece is providing that exposure so that students know the vastness of what's awaits to them at the community college because there's people just don't know. That's what really is exciting part about what we're doing. 

Jeff Holden: Well, I can't wait to talk to you in two years, Maria, and see where it's all at.

At least give everybody an update and I'm sure we'll be hearing about it as as time goes. And we have other guests who are saying, well, yeah, you had somebody in, there was this thing that they're using and it's great for the students. That would make me the happiest I could possibly be for you in terms of what you're doing for the [00:47:00] students.

Maria Medrano: Thank you so much. I really look forward to being back and sharing 'cause I do believe that nothing happens by accident. So anyone that's interested in connecting, please do. Feel free to connect us. This is the opportunity to be doing good together, and that's what I look forward to. 

Jeff Holden: Well, thank you. I appreciate your time.

Maria Medrano: Thank you.

Jeff Holden: Thank you for listening to the Nonprofit Podcast Network. I hope you enjoyed the episode. If what you heard moved you, please reach out to that organization and do what you can to help. If you like and appreciate what we're doing to support local nonprofits, please give us a positive review, subscribe and share.

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