Pathway to Purpose partners with middle schools, high schools, colleges, organizations and corporations to enhance the college, career and life preparedness for all students.
Pathway To Purpose was founded by Samantha Sinclair. Samantha recognized students and families were still facing the same college preparation challenges she faced more than a decade prior. Pathway To Purpose was designed to provide students with the critical information needed to make informed college decisions. Pathway To Purpose provides students with the opportunity to explore college options beyond New York City through college tours.
Pathway To Purpose secured its first Department of Education (DOE) full school partnership and registered as a College Access For All vendor (CA4A). CA4A is one of New York City’s Mayor De Blasio Equity and Excellence for All initiatives. CA4A provides middle schools and high schools with funding and resources to create a college ready culture.
Pathway To Purpose secured 31 Department of Education (DOE) school partnerships. Students participated in a variety of services including; college trips, special events and workshops for students, parents and staff professional development.
Pathway To Purpose end of year review recorded 384 workshops with a total of 3,379 students attending. 68 Day and overnight college trips with a total of 2,034 students going on the college tours. 15 Parent workshops with a total of 130 parents participating. 14 Special Events with a total of 1,361 attendees. Pathway To Purpose also registered with New York City as a Minority-and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE). Miguel Anthony Melbourne joins Pathway To Purpose to provide strategic direction.
The business pivoted college and career prep service to virtual delivery. Pathway To Purpose launched College Study Flashcards. The company’s first product and innovative response to the pandemic’s impact on college and career prep. The engaging resource makes college preparation simple and fun for students of all ages. Perfect for use in the classroom, at home, or on the go. The flashcard categories include: Financial Aid, Types of Colleges, Affirmations, Entrepreneur and College Resources. Pathway To Purpose secured small business grant funding from several corporations that supported its college and career prep mission including; PayPal, SalesForce, American Express, Facebook, Financial Gym and Ifundwomen.
Pathway To Purpose successfully hosted over 190 virtual events including student and parent workshops, 1-on-1 college & career prep student meetings, and special events. Pathway Purpose also secured three mission aligned partnerships providing college and career prep services. B4TA (Built for the Trenches Academy) a grassroots summer football academy focused on providing middle & high school age student athletes with on and off field development. ButterflyDreams- an organization dedicated to helping young women fill the roles of leadership in the nation & world. Also Marcy Houses Memorial Scholarship Fund, a non profit organization empowering students who reside in the Marcy Houses to achieve their highest potential.
Pathway To Purpose launched Prep on Demand (POD). POD is an online college prep academy which offers a cutting edge digital solution for students, parents and schools. It offers flexibility, instantaneous and greater accessibility to college & career prep information that centers around academic, social, financial & professional prep. Pathway To Purpose’s big picture goal is to grow the number of students impacted with college prep services from 11,600 to 1,000,000 students within the next 5 years. The strategy for achieving this vision is to focus on innovative, easily accessible and sustainable resources for students early college, career and life prep.
Pathway To Purpose resumed offering college trips for middle and high school students. Pathway to Purpose also began training in-school staff to facilitate the Prep On Demand (POD) college and career prep course.
Samantha Sinclair is a Ph.D student Higher Education. She is a seasoned professional with over 11 years of experience in school enrichment programs such as College Now and GEARUP, and private consulting in Brooklyn, New York.
As a former NYC Department of Education, first-generation college student, Samantha uses her educational journey to inspire students to reach their untapped potential. Combining her research findings and work experience, Samantha strategically tailors her services to meet the needs of each individual student or group. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Social Welfare from the University at Albany and her Master of Arts degree in Higher and Postsecondary Education at Columbia University.
Founder and CEO
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Miguel Melbourne puts people, purpose and impact at the heart of his strategic thinking. He believes it takes a community to help our next generation of young leaders access a quality college education.
Miguel is a skilled professional who has spent nearly a decade driving growth and impact at companies such as New York Life Inc, Bloomberg LP and Justworks Inc. He currently uses his experience building efficient partnerships, to empower parents, schools, community and corporate organizations to help students become college and career ready. Miguel earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy from the University at Albany and his Master’s Degree in Business Enterprise from Fordham University.
Chief Strategy Officer
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I enjoyed how everyone was engaged in the conversation. It was very fun to attend because mr. Miguel had so much energy and helped give very important information that I had never heard. I wish we could do more of these workshops.
Crystal
My son received a full four year $208,000 scholarship and I must say it was possible because of Samantha’s help. I asked Samantha for help with his college applications because I had no knowledge of the process as I grew up in Trinidad. It was the best decision I ever made because she explained everything about college to me very meticulously. I really enjoyed the eight weeks we spent together. I saw my son mature under Samantha’s guidance. She taught me to dream big for my son’s future. Moreover, she showed us the importance of accomplishing education goals early in life. She opened my eyes to the vision that my son was capable of going to a very prestigious college and that he will do great there.
Marlene H.
This information will really help me and my mother plan my future and in advance prepare for my brother’s future. Thank you once again
Kimaya G.
I cannot express how grateful I Am for this program! I love it! The fact it is a pathway filled with purpose inspires me. I am seriously a Major fan of this program. I do Not want these sessions to ever end. Yes it was very informative, and a great take back for the students to hear from kind of like their peers because they not too long ago graduated… Your enthusiasm about your presentation and the way you carry yourself also especially for the boys they want to mimic that. Your personality would help them through advocating for themselves in college and open doors. Its key.
Chantel F.
If I am being honest, I thought that this meeting would be a waste of time however it was far from that! I will definitely be implementing your recommendations so I can be prepared for life after high school.
Jayden B.
I wanted to thank you and Mr. Melbourne again for all the helpful tips and information you both provided in every session. It was an amazing experience and I will always cherish it 😀
Marylyn C.
Student, MCLS
I’ve been working with Pathway To Purpose for the past 4 years. We really think about equity and how our students of color have access to the best education. We want our students to see people like them…people of color who have gone on to college… who continue to pursue higher education…who are doing so many wonderful things in our community…and in the world.
Claudia R.
Thanks for all the great workshops, it has been a great experience and I wish we could have even more in the future. It really has been a wonderful journey!
Adam R.
It was a fantastic informative session! I enjoyed it.
Kerane S.
The UConn trip was great. The tour was excellent and Kathleen was incredible. Our students really enjoyed it.
Dana L.
What I enjoyed the most were the conversations in the chat. The presenter was very enthusiastic, and he had great energy. I feel so much more educated about college. I want other schools to know that after leaving the workshop, you will be so much more educated.
High School Student
I enjoyed the amount of enthusiasm shown by the presenter because it helped me become more engaged in the presentation. I really want others to know that these student workshops are actually good to go to since they not only help show students the best ways to prepare for college, they also make it clear and understandable for students of different grades (9-12).
Maximus
Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity of this workshop. The work is highly appreciated!
Fatoumata T.
I loved this 1:1 meeting, every workshop was so informative and fun!
Maia N.
Your presence has been transformative: your professionalism, your manner with colleagues, your wisdom, and your perspective.
Elizabeth W.
I enjoyed coming, knowing that I was able to obtain new information and take a good hand out of all the meetings.
High School Student
Thank you for the wonderful experiences you were able to put together for our students on the three tours we did together. You are very good at what you do, which is much appreciated.
Michael M.
I cannot express how grateful I Am for this program! I love it! The fact it is a pathway filled with purpose inspires me. I am seriously a Major fan of this program. I do Not want these sessions to ever end. Yes it was very informative, and a great take back for the students to hear from kind of like their peers because they not too long ago graduated. Your enthusiasm about your presentation and the way you carry yourself also especially for the boys they want to mimic that. Your personality would help them through advocating for themselves in college and open doors. It’s key.
Chantal F.
I wanted to thank you and Mr. Melbourne again for all the helpful tips and information you both provided in every session. It was an amazing experience and I will always cherish it.
Marlyn C.
It was wonderful working with you! I look forward to planning next year’s spring college trip with you!
Tara W.
I learned facts about the types of colleges, how to prepare for an interview, how to develop a growth mindset, the importance of professional etiquette, and much more interesting information that is actually worth listening to. I would, without doubt, recommend this workshop series to every school I know…because students will be inspired and encouraged to seek or work hard for a higher education once they understand the college application process and the amazing world of college life.
Melany C.
The information and energy was great.
Linda B.
I am so grateful to you for the work you do for our youth and in our community. Thank you for being ever loyal to the needs of our community and mindful of the value of our children. Your presence and support has been invaluable.
Sharon H.
I would like to thank you for the session today, as that was quite informative.
Sambit S.
Thanks for the great advice about money and college.
Valeria G.
I want to sincerely thank you for EVERYTHING. From the first day I contacted you about embarking on this trip to the very last day, you were amazing, extremely communicative, and very accommodating. This trip was a success because of your dedication.
Nicole Y.
I believe that Middle School is the last frontier for students to hone their skills in core courses and in life skills. This is the time where they are learning skills in discipline, self-regulation and persistence. By the time they get to high school, the pace of life is faster and the stakes are higher academically. Therefore, introducing discourse around college expectations early is valuable to middle school students to become familiar with college types, college life, financial aid, and many other features of college. This way, they are not surprised or intimidated by the prospect of going to college during their junior or senior year of high school.
Camilla C.
I enjoyed learning about ways to make money in college and scholarships. I also enjoyed the time management workshop. I want schools to know that the student workshops are very informative and interactive and provide multiple tips on how to have an easy going college life.
SueAnn
I enjoyed coming, knowing that I was able to obtain new information and take a good hand out of all the meetings.
High School Student
That was a very informative and energetic presentation! Thank you for all the information you supplied.
Genevieve M.
Just wanted to say thank you for a great trip and tell you what a positive impact you had on our boys. It warmed my heart to see how they were talking with you. Several of them said it was the best trip of their life.
Tara
Thank you so much for the opportunity to learn more about college and all the benefits and skills needed to get through college. Wonderful meeting Ms. Kathy and Samantha.
Hailey G.
Mr. Miguel had such good energy and made the whole vibe of the zoom wonderful. I learned a lot and I hope to stay in contact with Mr. Miguel in the future.
Jonathan F.
Thank you so much! I am so grateful and I will definitely be attending future events/works! I had such an amazing time attending this event and I learned a lot. I will definitely use it in the future.
Ashrqat S.
I wanted to thank you for the work with the students. I know they can be difficult at times but they genuinely enjoyed your workshops!
Laura F.
We’ve been working with Pathway To Purpose for the past 3 years…this program came into our school because we decided that we were not having enough conversations about college with our middle school students. Through the process we developed the Financial Aid Fair and College and Career Day. We educate the kids on how to pay for college and it has grown to be a giant success that the kids love and the principal looks forward to…and we all enjoy it! It’s a great day for us and we absolutely appreciate this partnership!
Tiffany B.
Your energy and passion for what you do is evident. We are lucky to have you join the team.
Malinda D.P.
Samantha is an amazing counselor and person, who is dedicated to her students. She will work nonstop in order to make sure you, as her student, get into college.
Anthony H.
It was very engaging and fun. I loved their positive energy!
Aliya
I enjoyed how informing [the student workshops] was. Before these workshops, I wasn’t as confident in the knowledge I had in college but now I am. I think other schools should invest more into bringing more people like Miguel because it was extremely informing.
Ruth H.
I just want to personally thank you for your hospitality and awesome workshop on college readiness. The 7th graders were beaming when discussing the workshop on Friday. Some of the comments they made were extremely positive and worthy of some quotes, “inspiring”, “I never knew the process of college but it is making me more motivated to begin this journey in the next few years”, “I cannot wait for February’s workshops and the trip to Rutgers University”.
Michael A.
Thank you for engaging our students through a successful workshop on time management yesterday!
Malvina A.
I enjoyed your college workshops because they were very informative. I learned so much about how to apply to college, the common application, time management, and financial aid. I also learned about leadership and commitment. It changed my view about the world, education, and colleges.
Hames S.
