Long time supporter and friend of Pathways to College, Oprah Winfrey, announced that Pathways will benefit from the sale of her newest ‘Favorite Thing,’ Teavana^® Oprah Chai, a new tea developed by Winfrey in collaboration with Starbucks. Ms. Winfrey, a global advocate of educational opportunities for children said, “Pathways to College … provides motivated teens with the … guidance and support to be the best high school students they can be (and) the best college applicants.”

Oprah Winfrey has been affiliated with Pathways since its inception. Among other gifts, she made possible the publication of Pathways to College: An Explorer’s Guide, a comprehensive college preparation guidebook written by Pathways for students in grades 8-12.

During the Starbucks annual shareholders meeting in Seattle, Ms. Winfrey acknowledged Pathways to College’s success working with motivated, first generation college applicants in struggling school districts. She announced that Pathways to College is one of four non-profits supporting youth education that will share in the proceeds from sales of the tea. Teavana® Oprah Chai will be sold in Starbucks and Teavana® stores across the U.S. and Canada starting April 29.

“This generous gift will be used to broaden our reach, add new schools and help many more motivated students enter and graduate from college,” said Judith Berry Griffin, founder and president of Pathways to College.

First piloted in 1994 and incorporated as an independent non-profit in 2003, Pathways has served some 2,500 students directly and thousands more have been impacted indirectly at our program sites. One hundred percent of Pathways to College graduates have been accepted to one or more colleges.