Peak Education and Partners Design InterWoven App to Disrupt the Way Underrepresented Students Connect With Colleges and Universities

The App, Offering Peer-to-Peer Insight and Support, Will Give Students More Agency in the Admissions Process

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Peak Education, an organization that supports low-income students with the college admissions process, today announced a planned Spring 2024 release for a new college access web platform, InterWoven, that is designed to disrupt the way underrepresented students connect with colleges and universities during admissions. The platform will connect prospective students with peers attending participating colleges to answer questions and share insight on degree programs and campus life.

"The time has come for innovation in college recruiting, and InterWoven is a bold new approach that offers organic solutions from the community," said Peak Education CEO Carlos Jiménez. "Decades-old prescriptive processes don't always serve low-income students effectively, and new approaches are urgently needed after the Supreme Court decision on race-conscious admissions. InterWoven is a forward-thinking solution that prepares students to overcome old and new challenges."

The traditional admissions process is largely passive for students, typically comprising college recruiting fairs and high school visits, and rural areas are often left out. In partnership with participating colleges and universities, Peak Education is developing and testing InterWoven to give students more agency. Peak Education has partnered with several colleges and universities to advise and support on building out the platform. The current college advisory group consists of leading professionals from across the admission and college access space including:

• Heather Daniels, Executive Director of Admission, Colorado State University Fort Collins
• Kim Medina, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Colorado Mesa University
• Corinne Smith, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Yale University
• John O'Connor, College Counselor, Natrona Public Schools
• Michelle Rasich, Director of College Counseling, Rowland Hall School
• Natalee Deaette, Program Director and Chief of Staff, Access Opportunity

The app is intentionally designed to alleviate student stress during college admissions and incorporates input from development experts nationwide to promote social and emotional wellness. It appeals to the target age group with social media features that empower students to take positive action. Peak Education scholars, the advisory board and college admissions partners are also providing input during the development phase and will work with Peak Education to promote the app next spring.

Jiménez says future plans for the InterWoven app include expanding peer-to-peer support beyond the admissions process to include enrolled students, recognizing that scholars in underrepresented groups face unique challenges not just during admissions but throughout their college experience. Mentoring from peers who share participating students' backgrounds and experiences may help elevate graduation rates, particularly for scholars who are the first generation in their family to attend college.

Find out more about Peak Education and its mission to close opportunity gaps at www.peakedu.org.

About Peak Education
Peak Education disrupts the status quo by closing opportunity gaps in the community. We believe all students deserve an opportunity to reach their full potential and that all willing learners can do so. We advance our mission by working to enact change at multiple levels, including and beyond the assistance we provide to individual students who participate in our programs. Peak Education's work also impacts families, schools and the community to further access to education as well as social and economic inclusion. Learn more about Peak Education and how to support our work at www.peakedu.org.

Media contact
Olivia Odendahl
[email protected]

SOURCE Peak Education