The following was originally published by The Daily Gazette.
Since our beginnings in 1991, CFES Brilliant Pathways has helped over 100,000 students become college- and career-ready—and we’re committed to serving another 100,000 students over the next 10 years.
Opportunity is a Right
It’s hardly an exaggeration to say that the current backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion — or, more plainly, fairness and opportunity — is the most intense we’ve seen since the civil rights movement.
But at CFES Brilliant Pathways, a college and career readiness nonprofit based in Essex, New York, silence is not an option — not when so many young people need support now more than ever.
Today, the script has flipped.
By 2021, women outpaced men in higher education enrollment by a margin of 60% to 40%, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.
That gap is even wider for Black and Latino males. A Pew Research Center study found that men of color ages 25–34 were 15% less likely than white men to hold a college degree.
But you wouldn’t know that if you met the group of Schenectady,
New York students of color who visited the University of Vermont last month through the Brilliant Pathways Young Men of Talent (YMT) program.
Now entering its second year, YMT guides underserved young men through the complex and often unfamiliar path to college — and success beyond it.
Through mentorship, connections with professors and current students, and exposure to real career possibilities, these students gain not just direction, but motivation.
They also learn essential skills — like networking, teamwork and adaptability — that employers want but which most schools don’t teach.
And when obstacles arise, as they inevitably do, YMT ensures these young men don’t fall through the cracks. They’re supported by a network that believes in their potential and won’t let them give up.
They don’t need handouts. They need a roadmap. They need to know that success is possible — and that someone’s in their corner.
At UVM, they got that firsthand. They met professors who took an interest in them. They saw dorms, cafeterias and athletic facilities. They met students who looked like them.
To some, this might seem unremarkable. “So what?” you might ask. “That’s just college.”
Exactly. These experiences should be routine.
But for many first-generation college students — especially young men of color — they’re anything but.
“Before this trip, many of these Schenectady students may not have considered their future paths,” said Ken Mayfield, a school counselor who traveled with the group. “But after experiencing college life firsthand and engaging with mentors, they’re beginning to see the possibilities ahead.”
Those possibilities matter — not just for the students, but for the country.
Consider Kingstin, a high schooler with his eye on nuclear engineering, considering UVM, RPI and MIT.
Or Isaiah, who’s drawn to psychology and social work. One could unlock sustainable energy. The other could unlock human potential. And both deserve the opportunity to try.
“This experience was not only educational, but inspiring,” Mayfield said. “It opened our students’ eyes to what’s possible and helped them understand the steps they need to take to achieve their goals.” Less than two weeks later, one of those students submitted a college application to UVM.
All young people — regardless of race or gender — deserve the chance to build a life that’s meaningful and successful.
Equal opportunity shouldn’t be controversial. It should be the standard.