The regular evaluations seem to have strengthened the program over the years and helped the organization to codify its mission and identify its core values: relationships, persistence, results, efficiency, responsibility, and excellence. Quality relationships between the counselors and students are considered the organization’s definitive driver of success. Bottom Line is also actively developing a career program to give its students credible professional experiences–like internships, networking, and career mapping–and career counselors to help them plan for success after college. It isn’t enough just to have a degree.
Joe Bogle, a 25-year-old Bottom Line alum, says the program made a difference in his life. “Bottom Line does a fantastic job of connecting students to resources through their partners or workshops. The Go Far Forum allowed me to practice my interviewing and networking skills which prepared me for the real world.â€
To learn more, to donate, or to apply to its College Access (rising high school seniors) or College Success (students who’ve been accepted to one of its 47 target colleges), go to www.bottomline.org.