HMI Goes To CUNY

Helping LGBTQ youth with non-traditional paths to college to achieve their dreams … helping  the young person get into college and helping the college be better for all LGBTQ  young people.

We have been working on developing a new partnership with CUNY, through the CUNY K-16 Office and their College Bridge for All program, and with the CUNY LGBTQI+ Student Leadership Program.

We are so excited to announce that HMI has been adopted as one the sites for the College Bridge for All program and has completed the initial steps to get our own College Bridge program launched. The College Bridge For All program is designed to increase college enrollment by offering a student-centered approach to effective guidance by hiring and training a current college student – “College Coach” – to support graduating seniors to complete all the steps to matriculate in post-secondary opportunities.

The vast majority of College Bridge for All programs are established through the Department of Education and run out of public high schools, so HMI’s program is being uniquely designed to serve LGBTQ students with non-traditional paths to college and post-secondary education (Harvey Milk High School, High School Equivalency, students with gaps between high school and college, etc.) and to address their needs as they begin the process of enrolling in college.  We are calling our version of the program “HMI Goes to CUNY.”

HMI has hired a College Coach who is both an HMI member and a graduate of Harvey Milk High School, and a college student in the CUNY system currently. Our College Coach has been trained through CUNY for this position, and will work at HMI throughout the rest of the summer, to connect with youth who have their high school diplomas, and begin providing support, guidance and coaching through their next steps, using social media, texting, emails, phone calls, and in-person support at HMI.