Eli Weinzveg for 10,000 Degrees (College Graduates Who Change the World)
Our speaker for August 24, 2023, was Eli Weinzveg, a director of College Pathways for Sonoma, Napa, and Lake Counties for 10,000 Degrees, a Marin-based non-profit. Eli is a Sonoma County native, obtained a BA in History and teaching credential from Cal. State Sacramento, and taught at the Roseland School District as a high school Social Science and AVID teacher. He also worked as an administrator at Roseland Prep School for several years. Eli transitioned into the non-profit sector in 2022 with 10,000 Degrees so he could use his skill and passion for a non-profit organization that seeks to provide further access to post-high school education for “furthest from opportunity students.”
10,000 Degrees’ mission is to achieve educational equity and support students from low-income backgrounds to and through college. 10,000 Degrees was founded 40 years ago in Marin County. It now services 8 Northern California counties from Santa Clara to Lake. Last year 10,000 Degrees helped students obtain $7 million in scholarships. In addition to providing scholarships and helping students obtain other scholarships and grants, 10,000 degrees offers career services, professional development, college success, and post-graduate services and jobs. 10,000 Degrees staff members, including Eli, go into local high schools and talk to students about what they’d like to do when they graduate, how the students can accomplish those goals, and generally educate them about post high school opportunities, including community colleges, 4-year degrees, and trade schools.
10,000 Degrees has a staff of 120, about ½ of whom are Fellows. Most of the Fellows are alumna of the 10,000 Degrees program. Fellows work closely with students and school counselors to identify students’ varying interests and help them navigate their college success journey. 100% of the students helped by 10,000 Degrees are low-income, 93% are Black, Indigenous, Latinx and people of color, and 92% are the first in their families to attend college. Less that 10% of 10,000 Degrees’ students attend trade schools, but that number is growing with increased investment.
Thank you, Eli, for the great presentation, and for your involvement in this amazing program!
View a limited-time recording of Eli's presentation by clicking HERE!
