Starting Your Journey As A Champion
Together, we make the journey better! The College-to-Career journey, though distinct and often challenging, becomes not only manageable but enjoyable when we walk it with a Circle of Champions by our side. When we come together as a team, we harness the collective strength, creativity, and resilience that each member brings. Together, we can overcome obstacles, achieve our goals, and savor the triumphs along the way.
Guidelines for Success
As a Champion, you play an important role in supporting a student's College-to-Career Journey. The guidelines below explain how to stay engaged and make the most impact.
Join the Circle of Champions Network
Champions are nominated by students, because they're someone that the Student feels that they can trust, and that they can rely on to support them through their College-to-Career journey. We recommend that Students nominate three to five Champions to build a support team that's dedicated to helping them succed. A Champion may be nominated by more than one Student.
We use a login to keep your information private and secure.
Stay Connected
You will receive messages from your student, your student's coach, other Champions, and occasionally program staff. We keep communication light, knowing you have other commitments.
Please respond to messages —especially those from your student or their coach— even if it's just a brief reply.
If you ever need help, there's a Support area you can access when logged in, and we have a team of real humans ready to help.
Keep Your "My Profile" Updated
To communicate with you effectively, we ask Champions to maintain a simple profile. Most information is collected during registration.
If your contact information changes, please update your profile so we can stay in touch.
Support and Engage With Your Student
Your most important role as a Champion is to support your student. This often means showing encouragement, empathy, and belief in their ability to succeed. You may support your student individually or alongside other Champions in the Circle.
Don't forget that your experience matters, even if you never attended college yourself! Your experience in the world, including both your successes and things that could have gone better, are all valuable things that others can learn from. Your student will benefit from your perspective and your encouragement.
You will typically receive regular updates from your student. You can also reach out at any time by reviewing their profile and sending a note of encouragement. Staying in regular contact makes a meaningful difference.
Take Part in Research
We partner with UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania to better understand how the Circle of Champions supports student success and how the program can be improved.
You may be invited to complete surveys or participate in interviews. Your feedback helps strengthen the experience for future students and Champions.
Protect Student Privacy
You should celebrate your student's success, and your encouragement matters! While students provide consent to share progress, we ask that you use discretion when sharing details publicly.
Avoid posting specific information such as grades, GPA, schedules, contact information, Social Security numbers, or student ID numbers. Instead, use general language (for example, "I'm proud of my student's hard work this semester").
Optional: Enroll in a No-Cost, Non-Credit Course
Champions may choose to enroll in a free, non-credit course offered through one of our partner community colleges. Enrollment is optional, costs nothing, and does not provide college credit.
The course is designed to support you as a Champion, offering practical tools, language, and strategies based on what students say helps them most. Participation also helps keep the Circle of Champions program free for students, colleges, and Champions. Courses are offered several times per year, and Champions are asked to provide consent before enrolling.