Take on College’s mission is to make higher education accessible to all through dedicated mentorship.
Take on College was founded in 2019 to provide mentorship for first-generation college students, addressing the lack of affordable guidance. With college counseling costing over $100 per session, the founders, as students themselves, sought to offer accessible support.
Take on College is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit connecting undergraduate mentors with high school peers to remove the barriers to higher education.
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Alan Nava is the president of Take on College and a passionate advocate for advancing equity and opportunity. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in User Experience/User Interface Research and Design at the University of Michigan School of Information, Alan brings a unique blend of academic rigor and lived experience to his work.
As a first-generation migrant and college student, Alan earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan, where he majored in International Studies and minored in Latinx Studies and Community Action and Social Change. These fields of study laid the foundation for his commitment to empowering marginalized communities through education and engagement.
Alan’s current focus is leveraging technology to enhance the efficiency and reach of justice-oriented initiatives, creating tools and experiences that uplift disenfranchised populations.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Alan practices mindfulness through meditation, yoga, and journaling. He also enjoys boxing, weightlifting, and unwinding with a good movie in his free time.
Ngoc-Vy is an immigrant, a first-generation high school graduate, and now a first-generation college graduate with her Master’s in Health Administration from the University of Washington, where she was a proud two-time Husky! As the eldest daughter in a low-income and single-parent household, Ngoc-Vy has overcome tremendous challenges while navigating her journey in higher education. Now equipped with skills in navigating scholarships and grants, FAFSA applications, and successful school-work-life balance, Ngoc-Vy is excited to share her knowledge and give back students who come from similar backgrounds. Ngoc-Vy is currently the community health care coordination manager at Project Access Northwest, helping people from underserved communities gain access to health care and health-related needs. Ngoc-Vy also serves as the DEI vice-chair for the American College of Healthcare Executives, promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the health care space. In her free time, Ngoc-Vy likes to take walks with her husband, Conner, and her two dogs, Coco and Louis!
Immigrated from Hong Kong to the U.S. as a child, Susanna was the first in her family to
attend college and to earn a master’s degree. (B.A. at Pomona College and M.B.A. at the
Thunderbird School of Global Management) Susanna volunteered many years to benefit
her local community, and in 2018, she stepped up to serve even more by being appointed,
then elected to the Board of Education for the San Ramon Valley Unified School District
located in the San Francisco Bay Area of CA. She is the first and only AANHPI elected in the
history of SRVUSD and was Board President in 2021. Susanna is currently serving on
Executive Boards including the API School Board Members Association, the Tri-Valley
Chapter of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA) and San
Ramon Valley Council of PTAs. She is also active with Higher Education Consultants
Association (HECA), the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC),
and its Western affiliate (WACAC), professional groups serving as oversight for ethics in the
college admissions process to protect students and families. She also has her own
practice as an Independent Educational Consultant, where she helps high school students
and their families navigate the complicated college admissions process to find their best fit
colleges. She is excited to join the Board of Take On College to help even more students to
achieve their post-high school goals of accessing higher education.
My name is Lily and I am originally from San Diego, California. I moved to Tacoma, WA for college at the University of Puget Sound where I studied Business Administration and International Political Economy. After graduating in May, I started working as an Admission Officer for Puget Sound. I love the Pacific Northwest and being outdoors, eating good food with friends, and traveling! I am excited to be a part of TakeOnCollege and share expertise on college applications and admissions.
Lisa Young is a Washington native who earned her BS in Biology and BA in Psychology at the University of Washington. She is now a fourth-year medical student at Johns Hopkins. As a low-income student, Lisa is passionate about promoting accessibility and inclusion for first-generation and low-income students in academia. She enjoys hiking, swimming in oceans and lakes, and running in her free time!
Hi, I’m Nick, a recent graduate with a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. I’m a huge airplane nerd, engineer, and flight instructor. When I’m not working, I try to travel as much as possible – I’ve been to 45 countries so far!
Hong Ta (she/her) is an education advocate and the founding Executive Director of Take on College. She graduated from the University of Puget Sound and also works at the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition.
Hello! My name is Jazmine Bailey and I graduated from the University of Michigan in the class of 2023 with B.S.E. in Industrial and Operations Engineering. I am currently working as a Credit Analyst at Synchrony based in New York City.
Hi everyone! My name is Smriti and I just graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, I work as a Marketing Analyst at Reynolds American Inc. I have been part of Take on College for over four years and super excited to continue doing good work and helping first generation students get into college. Hook Em’
I am a first-generation college student who graduated from the University of Michigan in 2023 with a B.S.E. in Industrial and Operations Engineering. I currently work in Grand Rapids, MI as an operations manager in the packaging industry. I’ve been the administrative director at Take on College since 2020 (just before the pandemic). Ask me how many languages I speak for a long winded answer!
I am a first-generation undergraduate Nursing student at the University of Pennsylvania. My family immigrated from Vietnam to Georgia when I was 5 years old, and I grew up attending schools within a federally funded public education system. I believe that everyone has an opportunity to share their “why” college story, and my job is to fan that spark of passion and commitment for higher education
Hello! My name is Sandy, and I am a student at Cornell University’s ILR School. As a first-generation student, I took part in the ToC Summer Fellowship Program and the Fall Mentorship Program, which proved to be tremendously helpful and supportive in my transition post high school. In my free time, I love exploring cafes with friends, collecting stationery, and playing mahjong.
Hello! My name is Lena and I’m currently a student at the University of Washington studying psychology and am on the pre-med track. I’m a first-gen Vietnamese student. Outside of school, I love to crochet, knit, and hang out with my dogs or friends!
Hi! My name is Amal and I attend the University of Southern California majoring in neuroscience on the pre med track. I am a recipient of the trustee scholarship which is a full merit tuition scholarship. I’m excited to become a mentor because take on college helped alleviate a lot of the stress that came with the college application process. Happy to be of help :)
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Hello! My name is Anish Bhamidipati, and I am a sophomore at Saint Louis University studying biology! I love to play basketball, football, and hike in my spare time in the Great Northwest! I am excited to aide you guys in you own individual journeys for applying to your dream colleges!
Hi, my name is Amy! I’m a molecular biology and psychology student at the University of Washington. I’m interested in pursuing a career in medicine, and I like to spend my time, outside of school, swimming and playing badminton with my family!
Hi! My name is Velerie and I am an undergrad student at the University of Washington. I am on the pre-nursing track with a minor in nutrition. Aside from academics, I enjoy jewelry making, sewing, making or trying out new foods, playing volleyball, and. hanging out with my loved ones. Coming from a military family, I’ve moved from place to place and met so many interesting people. As a ToC mentor, I am looking forward to meeting and learning about you to help you work toward getting into a school you’ll love!
Hi! My name is Shafaq, and I’m a student at the University of Washington, majoring in biology (physiology) and minoring in music. In my free time, I love dancing, traveling, and cross stitching. During my college application process, I was a mentee at Take on College, and having someone review my essays was incredibly helpful. I’m thrilled to now have the opportunity to help others navigate their college applications!
Hi there! I’m Cynthia Arenas, a current senior from Portland, Oregon! I’m an aspiring Software Engineer and will be pursuing a Computer Science degree at Harvey Mudd College this upcoming fall. When not coding games or websites, you can find me on the tennis court or at a boba shop. I’m beyond excited to be a mentor for Take on College this year and can’t wait to get started helping you all with your college applications!
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Hi! My name is Katelyn Alemán, and I am interested in studying finance in college. I live in Los Angeles, CA. My hobbies include painting and relaxing at the beach!
Hi, my name is Dave! I’m a biology and psychology student at the University of Washington. I’m interested in pursuing a career in either medicine or research. Outside of academics, I like to spend my time playing badminton, swimming, chess, and going hiking!