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Tell us a bit about yourself, and a Future Forward CT coach will reach out within a few days.
Tell us a bit about yourself, and a Future Forward CT coach will reach out within a few days.
A college experience for students on a mission.
At Future Forward CT we help you earn your degree online while balancing work and life.
The students at Future Forward CT are a motivated group of learners and strivers. Students start each term as a cohort and meet each other through online and in-person events, study sessions, and more. Our community is also more than just students, it also includes mentors, coaches, businesses and so much more.
Most colleges simply weren’t designed around the needs of all students, especially those with busy lives and balancing the responsibility of work and family. Student-coach ratios can run as high as 1000:1, making it near-impossible for students to troubleshoot challenging course schedules or snags in financial aid. We are here to address key issues to ensure all students, including working students, parent learners, and first-generation students can be as successful as possible.
Community colleges
For-profit online programs
State universities
Future Forward CT is flexible and convenient for a working parent or anyone who has to work, or anyone who has a family and does not have much time left to attend college. For me, having the opportunity to go back to school with the flexibility and support of the Future Forward CT program works perfectly.
Future Forward began reimagining the college experience in 2023, working towards our mission to provide real support to real students.
We believe things get done when we work together. All members of our community are here to help our students succeed in their higher education journey.
As a non-profit, we aren’t in it for the money. Ultimately, your success is our success.
We believe that success should be possible for all who want and work for it. We actively challenge systems of routine and inequity.
We strengthen our capacity by helping one another succeed. We use our talents, influence, and ideas to contribute to our community.
We believe that the journey shapes our character and supports our path to achieving our goals. We celebrate little wins just as we do the big ones.
This refers to the net cost of a BA from SNHU with Future Forward CT, after factoring in grants/scholarships (but not loans).
This compares average loans for a BA at Future Forward vs a BA at a typical alternative Connecticut degree option
We’re your coaches, your admissions specialists, your advocates, and supporters.
Felecia is a lifelong educator and student champion and advocate. Throughout her journey, she has served in a variety of capacties such as: college recruitment, access, retention, advising, and student success. Felecia is the proud daughter of Nancy who decided to go back to college at the age of 40 to provide a better life and future for her family. Based on her personal and professional experience, Felecia has devoted her career to helping others have access to equitable opportunity to achieve their greatest postsecondary aspirations regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic status. Felecia has called CT home for many years and she is honored to offer CT’s working adults an innovative post-secondary educational experience that combines access to affordable education along with meaningful holistic support to create unparalleled opportunities for college degree completion, career advancement, and a critical path to economic security and upward mobility. Felecia earned her BS from the State University of New York Plattsburgh and her MS from the University of New Haven.
Cynthia is a proud Bridgeport native. She has worked as an educator for 7 years in the classroom and as a school social worker for the Bridgeport Public School system. As a first-generation immigrant Cynthia values education and community and believes they go hand in hand. In 2014, Cynthia graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BA in English Literature and a minor in Latino Studies. After teaching for a few years, she went on in 2019, to earn a Master's in Social Work from Columbia University. Cynthia believes that educational access is the way to continue to elevate the potential of our communities.
Driven by a profound belief in the power of education to change lives, Jason embarked on a career in student affairs and higher education. His journey began with a deep-seated desire to provide students with unparalleled opportunities, particularly in the realms of graduate and international programs. Witnessing the impact of personalized support and guidance on students' academic and personal growth has been the driving force. Joining FFCT was a natural fit for him. He believes in their unwavering commitment to student success aligns seamlessly with his own values and aspirations. He is particularly drawn to FFCT's student-centered approach, which prioritizes individual growth and development. As an enrollment manager, he is eager to challenge himself in this new role, contributing to FFCT's mission of empowering students to achieve their fullest potential. Outside of the office, he finds joy in spending quality time with loved ones. His girlfriend (Ny), a dedicated special education teacher, and him both share a passion for making a difference in the lives of students. Together, they prioritize family and cherish moments of togetherness. Jason received his Bachelor's of Arts degree in Philosophy & Religion from Albertus Magnus. In 2021, Jason graduated from the University of Bridgeport earning his Master's degree in Education with a specialization in Student Affairs Administration and Leadership. He is currently enrolled at the University of New Haven pursuing his second master's degree in Business Administration.
Alex has dedicated his career to leading and supporting organizations in the non-profit and for-profit social sectors. He is Principal and Founder of Bannerstone Consulting and acts a Senior Advisor to FFCT. Notably, Alex was the Northeast Regional Director for Kaplan Inc. where he was responsible for the performance of 32 education centers serving 7,000 students. Next, Alex acted as a Vice President for Teach for America where he managed a full-time staff of 20 to successfully operate four teacher training institutes serving over 2,000 beginning teachers each year. After a decade living and working in New York City, Alex moved back to his home state of CT and assumed the role of Executive Director of a Horizons affiliate, a program offering academic and enrichment programs to 200 K-12 Bridgeport, CT students. For the past 12 years, Alex has operated as an independent organizational management consultant, philanthropic advisor and executive advisor serving clients across the social sector. Since 2021, Alex has worked with the Trio Network team and a group of CT based social sector leaders to assess the feasibility of and subsequently launch Future Forward CT. As a Senior Advisor to FFCT, Alex provides advisory support to the FFCT leadership team and contributes to the development of partnerships designed to enhance and sustain FFCT’s impact. Alex received a BA from Bucknell University and an Executive MBA from Columbia University.
Sivan Hines, M.D. is the Senior Director of College Partnerships and Scholar Success at Hartford Promise, an innovative and highly successful college scholarship program serving over 1,000 students from Hartford, CT. In her role at Hartford Promise, Sivan is focused on operationalizing Hartford Promise’s integrated college success model, providing students with the financial resources, support services and key relationships that lead to college success and economic mobility. Sivan is also very involved in community and philanthropic work and currently serves on the boards of The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Atlanta Youth Academy, and the Brown Medical Alumni Association. Prior to joining Hartford Promise, Sivan was a pediatrician in Atlanta for over 20 years and deeply committed to the physical and mental health of her patients. She has witnessed and understands the inextricable link between education, health and economic mobility and has fought to address many of the inequities in our educational and healthcare system. Sivan received both her Bachelor of Arts in American Civilization and her Doctorate of Medicine from Brown University.
Mark is the founder and owner of his own consulting business, leveraging his more than 40 years of Global business experience to deliver value to clients globally. Prior to this Mark was responsible for Global Sales Operations at Pitney Bowes. In this role he will implement a common set of sales practices, analytics and sales operations processes across all Pitney Bowes business units and geographies to drive excellence, insight and consistency. In Mark’s prior role as Senior Vice President of Global Operations for CA Technologies, he was responsible for the Sales, Service and Customer Solution units, as well as for overseeing the Education and Marketing functions in this global software enterprise of 14,000 employees. Prior to joining CA Technologies, Mark was with IBM where he retired as the Global Vice President for Business Partners in the Software group and had responsibility for 13,000 partners around the world. In his 32-year career with IBM, Mark held numerous senior executive assignments in Worldwide Sales, Corporate Finance, Operations, Business Partners, Sales and Marketing. He served as Global Vice President of Operations for the IBM software group before going on to create, implement and manage IBM’s global operations organization, responsible for all of IBM’s sales efforts globally as well as 3000 people in 170 countries. Mark was one of five senior executives appointed by the Chairman and CEO of IBM to lead a major worldwide transformation effort across the company. Mark earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Economics from Southern New Hampshire University. He is the past board Chairmen at SNHU, having served in that role for 9 years and the board for 26 years. Mark Is currently on the boards of the United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut, Connecticut institute for Communities and the Urban College of Boston.
Michael is a Program Officer at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation in Quincy Massachusetts where he contributes to making $14.4 million in grants throughout New England annually. He also serves as a Senior Advisor for the Trio New College Network. Previously, Michael worked at Duet, a non-profit that partners with the University of Southern New Hampshire to help people enroll in and complete degree programs. Through his work, he has built relationships between the Duet program and various organizations, including Boston Public Schools (BPS), Boston Centers for Youth and Families, and several community-based organizations. Michael is dedicated to community-centered service, as evidenced by his professional and volunteer experiences. After leaving Boston to attend college, it was important for him to return to the community he grew up in and positively impact young people of color. This commitment has led him to roles in community organizing, politics, nonprofit leadership, and community engagement initiatives focused on helping people achieve their educational and career goals. Michael holds a master’s degree in education from Harvard University and is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta Georgia
Cesar Aleman joined the Community Foundation in 2021, as Director of the CT Urban Opportunity Collaborative. In his role, Cesar facilitates and coordinates the team of community foundation chief executives and senior level staff from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and Fairfield County’s Community Foundation to develop collective strategies to dismantle structural racism and advance social and economic mobility; aligning the strategic and programmatic efforts of the three foundations to create an actionable plan that builds on each organization’s individual strengths. Cesar has previously organized for the Center for Leadership and Justice, where he developed racially-conscious leaders who act collectively on issues that intersect with race and poverty. Prior to joining the Community Foundation, he has held several positions in non-profits at the local and national level working on civil rights issues including housing justice, health equity, and educational equity. He centers an approach to his work that is community-led and that builds power to achieve racial and social justice. Cesar holds a BA in Communications Studies from Edgewood College. He lives in Elmwood, West Hartford with his partner and their blue-nose pit, Miles.
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