Since 2003, The Opportunity Network has committed to guiding underrepresented students to and through college and into thriving professional lives. Our world and the postsecondary ecosystem look quite different since 2003. And what we realized here at OppNet is that the work we do to ensure all students can create their own stories of personal and professional success – and the ways we share that work externally – needed to similarly shift and expand. In doing so, OppNet would be able to stand more boldly for educational opportunity and equity in our increasingly interconnected, diverse, and socially charged society.
Recognizing the crucial role race, class, and identity play in the college and career paths of underrepresented students, OppNet embarked on a comprehensive journey to better support OppNet students and their lived experiences in and beyond classrooms and professional spaces. This journey took shape in a multi-phase, all-stakeholder, year-long Discovery Series with the core goal of building the foundation to reimagine an OppNet that is more reflective of our institutional commitment to equity and organizational ambitions to best serve students and communities.
Using the insights generated by the Discovery Series, we were able to establish an evolved OppNet brand identity with a new supporting mission statement, vision statement, tagline, and through the partnership of design and branding agency Constructive, this incredible website to better illustrate the enduring power of college and career opportunity.
We know that what binds the entire OppNet community together is the shared commitment to maximizing the promise of college and career opportunity for all students, unbeholden to race, class, or zip code. What we firmly believe is that our new mission, vision, tagline, and website help us to do so, while also spreading as widely as possible the stories of student and community success and impact that commitment fosters:
Our mission statement articulates the work we do to support students to and through college and career – work that is fueled by the priority we place on building a culture of community and access where all identities are celebrated.
Our tagline captures the core aspects of our work, but more importantly, through the word “thrive,” it shows the premium we place on the well-being and personal growth of our students as they chart their journeys to and through college and into careers.
Our vision statement illustrates the depth and ambition of our work, and our hope for its ultimate impact. Our vision statement describes what becomes possible when community, agency, choice, and a fierce commitment to inclusion and access intersect in the lives of young people.
As you can see, there’s been quite a few changes and evolutions at OppNet, but what remains is our focus on equipping students and communities with the tools, skills, and mindsets for life-long success on their own terms. We are excited to continue this work with all members of the OppNet community to guard, deepen, and expand the opportunity for all students to author their own stories of enduring and vibrant success.
