SF State and Braven provide students with career accelerator course at second CSU campus

SAN FRANCISCO — April 10, 2024 — San Francisco State University (SF State) and Braven, a national nonprofit organization, have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU). This new partnership between SF State and Braven will serve 4,400 sophomores, juniors and transfer students over the first five years, providing them with a two-part career-accelerating experience.

“We take pride in providing SF State students, many of whom are Pell Grant recipients or first-generation students, a clear path to strong jobs or entry into graduate school, “SF State Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Amy Sueyoshi said. “We are glad Braven also shares that same vision and look forward to working with them to help students achieve upward mobility.”

The experience begins with a three-credit undergraduate course (AU 220: SF State and Braven Career Accelerator). Students, who Braven calls Fellows, complete weekly online modules on Braven’s online platform and then apply that content through weekly virtual Learning Labs in a cohort of five to eight peers led by a volunteer professional called a Leadership Coach. Fellows complete assignments to grow their leadership in five professional competencies: operating and managing, problem solving, working in teams, networking and communicating, and self-driven leading.

Upon completion, Fellows receive continued access to the online portal, periodic events and/or programming, including a regular jobs newsletter and a one-to-one professional mentorship program.

In Fall 2024, about 300 SF State students are expected to take the course, joining a growing network of over 8,600 Braven alumni nationwide. Already in partnership with San José State University in San José, Calif., Braven’s partnership with SF State will be its second site within the California State University system, demonstrating the potential for creating a systemic solution for the college-to-career pipeline.

"Braven is thrilled to partner with SF State to empower students to seamlessly transition from college to fulfilling careers, enabling them to apply their hard-earned degrees to make a meaningful impact," said Aimée Eubanks Davis, Braven’s Founder & CEO. "This partnership would not be possible without the unwavering support of exceptional champions like Tipping Point and Crankstart, who have played a pivotal role in establishing our new San Francisco location."

Nationwide, Braven is showing promising results. Braven Fellows have outpaced the national average for strong job attainment before and amid the pandemic. Within six months of graduation, 60% of Braven’s 2023 graduates secured quality full-time jobs worthy of their bachelor’s degree, and or enrolled in graduate school (17 percentage points higher than their peers nationally). In addition, Braven Fellows have achieved a 91% on-time graduation rate. By comparison, about 7 in 10 of their peers nationally graduate college on time. Furthermore, 64% of Braven college graduates have at least one internship during college compared with 48% of all college graduates and 41% of students from similar backgrounds.

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ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY

San Francisco State University is a public university serving students from the San Francisco Bay Area, across California and around the world, with nationally acclaimed programs that span a broad range of disciplines. More than 23,000 students enroll at the University each year, and its nearly 287,000 graduates have contributed to the economic, cultural and civic fabric of San Francisco and beyond. Through them — and more than 1,900 world-class faculty members — SF State proudly embraces its legacy of academic excellence, community engagement and commitment to social justice. For more information, visit sfsu.edu.

ABOUT BRAVEN

Founded in 2013, Braven empowers promising, underrepresented young people—first-generation college students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students of color—with the skills, confidence, experiences, and networks necessary to transition from college to strong first jobs. Braven is embedded within large public universities and partners with employers to build cutting-edge career education into the undergraduate experience for low-income and first-generation college goers and provides students with a network of supporters and a sense of belonging. Braven Fellows are persisting in college and achieving exciting levels of internship and job attainment. For more information about Braven, visit bebraven.org.