Giving Students Access to Opportunity and Better Choices with Yoon Choi

This episode is for teachers, administrators, and parents who want to learn about a free and holistic approach that helps underrepresented students prepare for the SAT and ACT tests used for admission to US colleges. It discusses how to build confidence in underserved youth, especially those about to become first-generation college students. And, it offers three simple questions to help those exploring their career direction make better choices for their life and work.  

Today, Maria talks with Yoon Choi, the CEO of CollegeSpring, a national nonprofit that helps schools provide free SAT and ACT preparation to students from low-income backgrounds by equipping teachers with the resources and specialized training needed to close the testing and college opportunity gaps. Under her leadership, CollegeSpring has supported hundreds of educators and provided test prep to tens of thousands of students. 

Yoon was born to Korean parents who fostered a sense of independence and creativity and gave their daughter the opportunity, when she was only 13, to either go back to Korea with them or stay in the US and pursue a better education. Her decision led her down a lifelong learning path guided by her passion for pursuing what she loved & her commitment to making an impact. 

She has over a decade of leadership, management, and fundraising experience, primarily with organizations serving underrepresented youth. In 2020, she was named a Presidential Leadership Scholar by the program led by the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson. 

Prior to joining CollegeSpring, Yoon served as the co-president at Spark, a national nonprofit career exploration and self-discovery program for middle school students. During her time at Spark, she transformed the organization by building strong corporate partnerships, increasing revenue, and strengthening its overall program model.

Yoon earned her doctorate in anthropology from the University of California at Irvine, a master’s degree from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree from Scripps College. Her published articles about testing and college access can be found in leading publications such as Inside Higher Ed, The Hechinger Report, and EdSource.

Tune in to learn from an inspirational leader in the nonprofit education sector who believes deeply in the power of education to transform lives and communities. Every day, she works to expand educational opportunities so that all young people - no matter their background - are equipped to learn, explore, and achieve their full potential.  

 

 Listen to this episode and explore:

Introducing Yoon Choi and sharing highlights from today's episode (1:32)

Reflecting on Yoon's love for learning early on in her childhood (5:00)

How Yoon decided to stay in the US when her parents moved back to Korea (6:00)

Exploring her passion for learning without having a specific career path in mind (8:48)

How her father ignited her interest in English Literature and her undergrad journey (11:12)

Pursuing her Master’s and PhD in Anthropology on her way to an academic career (14:10)

Getting her first experience in education nonprofits as a grant writer (16:46)

Joining a local nonprofit and learning about fundraising and partnerships (18:16)

Becoming Executive Director at Spark: how she developed her leadership and discovered her strengths (19:00)

Building character and skills during her overall career in education nonprofits (21:36)

Why Yoon decided to join CollegeSpring as their CEO (23:50)

CollegeSpring: what problem they solve, who they serve and how they help students prepare for college admission (25:16)

How they support underrepresented students by offering a free and holistic SAT/ACT test preparation in school (27:26)

How they develop their proprietary curric