How Persist Nashville Volunteers Help First-Generation Students Graduate College | Laurie Brown
Wed Feb 04 2026
WE HIGHLIGHT NEW ORGANIZATIONS EVERY MONTH ON THE FIRST AND THIRD MONDAYS
Support Doing Good: Donate Here
For anyone wondering how volunteer work can reconnect you to your purpose while transforming students' lives, Laurie Brown, CEO of Intrepid College Prep and Board Chair of Persist Nashville, shares why first-generation college students need more than just admission letters to succeed. We explore the critical gap between college access and college completion, discover how professional coaching changes outcomes for MNPS graduates, and learn practical ways busy professionals can find volunteer opportunities that fill their cup.
Featured Guest: Laurie Brown — CEO of Intrepid College Prep & Board Chair of Persist Nashville
What You'll Learn:
✅ Why the first two years of college are make-or-break for first-generation students and how coaching helps them persist
✅ How Persist Nashville's data-driven approach partners with MNPS schools to track student outcomes from senior year through college
✅ How to reframe volunteerism as a two-way investment that fills your cup while serving your communityChapters00:00 Introduction to Lori Brown and Her Journey
03:14 The Importance of Advocacy in Education
06:06 Persist Nashville: Supporting College Access and Persistence
09:00 The Role of a Board Chair in Nonprofit Organizations
12:00 Success Stories and Impact of Volunteerism
14:34 The Value of Micro Moments in Volunteer Work
17:21 Future Aspirations in Volunteerism and Advocacy
30:29 Introduction to Heart Work and Community Impact
30:56 Doing Good Outro 26-Video-Only-V3.mp4
Resources & Mentions: Persist Nashville Intrepid College Prep Teach for America Nashville
Connect with Us:
Website: Doing Good Social Media: All Links Blog: Featured Volunteers Support the show: Donate Here
Credits:
Produced by Azilee Maetke Music by Hartzmann Edited by Jordan RilleraAdditional Editing by Jay Wilson
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WE HIGHLIGHT NEW ORGANIZATIONS EVERY MONTH ON THE FIRST AND THIRD MONDAYS Support Doing Good: Donate Here For anyone wondering how volunteer work can reconnect you to your purpose while transforming students' lives, Laurie Brown, CEO of Intrepid College Prep and Board Chair of Persist Nashville, shares why first-generation college students need more than just admission letters to succeed. We explore the critical gap between college access and college completion, discover how professional coaching changes outcomes for MNPS graduates, and learn practical ways busy professionals can find volunteer opportunities that fill their cup. Featured Guest: Laurie Brown — CEO of Intrepid College Prep & Board Chair of Persist Nashville What You'll Learn: ✅ Why the first two years of college are make-or-break for first-generation students and how coaching helps them persist ✅ How Persist Nashville's data-driven approach partners with MNPS schools to track student outcomes from senior year through college ✅ How to reframe volunteerism as a two-way investment that fills your cup while serving your communityChapters00:00 Introduction to Lori Brown and Her Journey 03:14 The Importance of Advocacy in Education 06:06 Persist Nashville: Supporting College Access and Persistence 09:00 The Role of a Board Chair in Nonprofit Organizations 12:00 Success Stories and Impact of Volunteerism 14:34 The Value of Micro Moments in Volunteer Work 17:21 Future Aspirations in Volunteerism and Advocacy 30:29 Introduction to Heart Work and Community Impact 30:56 Doing Good Outro 26-Video-Only-V3.mp4 Resources & Mentions: Persist Nashville Intrepid College Prep Teach for America Nashville Connect with Us: Website: Doing Good Social Media: All Links Blog: Featured Volunteers Support the show: Donate Here Credits: Produced by Azilee Maetke Music by Hartzmann Edited by Jordan RilleraAdditional Editing by Jay Wilson