Pathways to College Scholars from East Side High School in Newark, NJ, spent a day networking with Novartis executives during the company’s 24th Multicultural Teen Corporate Mentoring Program. The students discussed career options and expectations with Novartis staff members, and had the opportunity to practice their presentation skills.

“Experiences like this reflect what we focus on in Pathways by presenting real time experiences with exciting speakers, getting an up-close visual of seeing what success looks like,” said Rick Scotton, Pathways teacher and English and special education English teacher at East Side High School. “This brings excitement by letting students get the feel that school is a pathway that they need to take seriously. Partners like Novartis help show Scholars that there is a world out there where people actually want to help and see you succeed.”

The skills-based focus of the field trip reflected some focus areas of the after-school program’s proven curriculum, including critical thinking, public speaking, time management, and the culture of work.

The Novartis US Foundation has generously awarded grants to Pathways to College for the past 16 years, in support of the nonprofit organization’s work to impact health outcomes through rigorous preparation for higher education, for students of color in under-served neighborhoods.

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Contact: Alyssa Alston, Director of Communications | communications@pathwaystocollege.org | 202-924-1691

Pathways to College is an after-school program providing information, guidance and support to help African American and other students of color become the best high school students, college applicants and college students they can be to prepare for lifelong success. Although we welcome all students of color, we focus on under-served African American high school students, whose potential has been marginalized for generations.