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We're very proud of our 20 year history of being a launchpad for startups and small companies across the globe to get noticed and become profitable. The Marcy Lab School is a non-profit private institution that is located within Brooklyn, New York, which aims to offer outstanding postsecondary education experience to help youngsters into lucrative and fulfilling careers in the tech sector.

We made this donation of $100,000 to the Marcy Lab School as a part of our 2020 commitment to assist organizations in eradicating the racial discrimination.

We had a conversation with the Marcy Lab School's executive director Reuben Ogbonna II, about how The Marcy Lab School is aiding in the creation of opportunities for Fellows to discover their potential and find career opportunities in the field of technology with no four-year college degree.

: Marcy Lab is a relatively new company, so why did you choose to start a non-profit?

Reuben Ogbonna II: After spending 14 years serving students of color--along with my co-founder Maya Bhattacharjee-Marcantonio--in the charter and public school systems, we repeatedly watched as our former students with limitless potential slipped through the cracks of higher education. What's not talked about about college at the moment in our country in the United States is that each year, a plethora of diligent high-potential students are accepted to the university of their dreams but not have the money to attend or persist to graduation. We were astonished at the massive debacle of "college promise" that left the college students of our country and their families with life-threatening financial burdens and other seemingly insurmountable challenges.

We founded and manage Marcy Lab out of the belief that children in our society of color, and, frankly all children, should have the chance to gain equal and fair accessibility to opportunities and possibilities that previously were only accessible for those who had attended a four-year university. Marcy Lab School Marcy Lab School offers a alternative to a postsecondary education which is reimagined and based with the goal of creating lifelong opportunities for economic advancement and choice for those who want to pursue in pursuing careers that can change their lives in technology.

SQSP: This program is described as an alternative to a college education for students who are not in the same class. What is the reason it's important to you to know that The Marcy Lab offers this way to gain employment?

ROThe challenges I witnessed my students face in person were one of the biggest obstacles for students from communities of colour. The reality was that the system of postsecondary education in our nation was not delivering what college promises many young people want with regards to social interaction, motivation in academics, as well as alignment with not only the job but also with a the future. It's the conscious mixture of these components which form the basis of Marcy Lab and are some of the key elements which give students confidence in choosing an alternative path.

To fulfill our promise to you, we ensure our Fellows are undeniably ready to enter in the workforce upon completion of the 12-month course, and are equipped with the skills to embed their skills into fast-paced teams that add value on the first day. Fellows gain expertise in technology through an industry-friendly and well-informed program that is adaptable and responsive to the constantly changing technological demands. And alongside building a strong technical skill set The Fellows also participate in our Leadership & Development curriculum, that focuses on racial identity, gender equity, the preparation for professional life, as well as financial literacy. This is complemented by famous writers like James Baldwin, Michelle Alexander, Safiya Umoja Noble, and the late Dr. Beverly Tatum.

We're very proud to report that the Marcy Lab School graduates are on the hunt for attractive jobs only available to graduates from competitive four-year colleges. It's a double win. This isn't just about seeing our students and their families were able to secure positions with security in their finances, but it also is a sign of how companies are radically changing their hiring policies to accept the non-traditional workforce, to encourage and retain those who are not traditional workers.

SQSP: Can you tell us more details about the effect that you've observed the Marcy Lab School have on the students who attend the program?

RO:Even in the five-year span working in this field, it has not lost on me just how revolutionary it is to observe our young and talented individuals take on roles which average around $108,000 annual income between the ages of 19 and 20 years old in one of the most companies worldwide, without loans. These young people are contributing to teams at firms like The New York Times, JPMorgan, Cockroach Labs, Spotify, , and others and are increasing their income by around $75,000 per year, and also allowing their investments to go back into the local community by purchasing houses, aiding their families' businesses, and supporting their families.

However, before our Fellows break into the industry We watch them grow, evolve and develop as individuals. They are working harder than they have ever been in their pursuit of goals, and building the belief that they are a valuable asset to every room they walk into. Every day, they become more curious and more keen to witness change expand beyond the borders of Marcy and ultimately, their own workplaces. They work alongside their instructors as well as with one another that they're constantly aware of the fact that their skills, talents and talents will help people to dismantle old systems of injustice because of their own experiences as well as their training to create strategies for benefits to society and the need for change in the society.

SQSP: What part does technology play in the success running of the Marcy Lab program and its fellows--both as subject matter as well as in the running of the program?

RO:Our tech-oriented curriculum's effectiveness is based on a symbiotic relationship with our partner from the employer side for establishing an ongoing feedback loop on our fellows' technological and professional skills. Any areas of improvement that are relevant go right back to our teaching team to ensure that our curriculum will evolve and modify as required in response to the requirements of employers as well as on-the-job-performance.

This aligning of curriculum and performance of students is a result of the development of new hiring partnerships with businesses who recognize that these close connections will result in improved or more equal hiring results. The highlights include:

Working with established companies in order to reduce the requirements of degrees for software engineers. This is a case of The New York Times and . These companies have since hired our Fellows as well as other talent who aren't traditional.

We are developing a brand new Capstone course of study together along with J.P. Morgan Chase Asset and Wealth Management that has a specialization in the backend engineering of data course for our capstone phase in order to satisfy their requirements and train our Fellows for taking advantage of the growing demand for analysis based on data.

SQSP What are your vision in the near future for Marcy Lab School?

ROWhat makes me feel hopeful about the direction of Marcy Lab and the potential of the space that we work in is the changes happening in the world of business in the wake of companies changing away from the necessity of degrees to hire according to skills. This has unlocked the potential for businesses similar to Marcy Lab to even exist.

I see major employers across the nation including IBM and Barclays to major partners such as the company I am employed by, with a significant quantity of mid-career and junior executives and senior executives who came from the Marcy Lab School, similar the Stanford University pipeline that connects companies in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. Once they have gained experience and know-how within these top businesses I'm witnessing our students develop their own companies and establishing their own business and transferring their wealth through hiring teams that are similar to those they worked with.

In the end, I see Marcy Lab as a part of a bigger fair system designed to assist hundreds of high-achieving students in school from communities of color into careers that break the cycle of poverty within a generation.

SQSP: How can individuals who are interested in the Marcy Lab School's mission get in?

ROIf you feel that the purpose of this organization and activities resonate with you and you're keen to be a part of it and joining us, we would like to invite you be part of the growing community of ours. We hope to help other people to be inspired when they join in with us! We often offer three choices for those who aren't sure how to joining us and want to get involved:

Enter our Brooklyn campus located in Industry City and meet first-hand those children and teenagers who are dedicating their lives to their ambitions and the formidable team who pushes it forward.

It is possible to volunteer to give your time and expertise with fellows who are navigating the rigorous requirements of our one-year course in order to prepare them for job searches and go on to different. Our volunteers serve as tutors, curriculum advisers and guests lecturers as well as recruiting participants. They are an essential part of our program. They aid in keeping our program focused on industry and also ensure an overall success for every individual fellow.

In the end, giving to us means we are able to continue this program tuition-free for our students.

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