Upswing Named Rise Prize Finalist Honoring Innovative Solutions Supporting Student Parent Success

Upswing, an online student engagement organization, was chosen as a Maturity Stage finalist for the Rise Prize, presented by Imaginable Futures—a venture of The Omidyar Group—and Lumina Foundation, honoring innovative solutions to support parents’ postsecondary education success.

The Rise Prize acknowledges impact-driven changemakers based in the U.S. working on tools, programs, or initiatives that support student parents to succeed.

Student parents are often-overlooked but represent nearly 20 million parents pursuing postsecondary degrees or credentials. These students are incredibly motivated to achieve economic mobility and overall family well-being, not just for themselves but also for their children. Postsecondary success is one of the most evidenced drivers of economic mobility and well-being.

“We’re honored to be among the 26 incredible Rise Prize finalists who are addressing the unique needs of student parents and working to remove the barriers to degree equity. This ensures our workforce is educated, more diverse, and inclusive with people from all backgrounds, so they can achieve the social mobility that comes with earning a college degree,” says Upswing CEO Melvin Hines.

Rise Prize finalists were selected from more than 300 applications throughout the U.S. representing a wide range of solutions, including early stage proposals seeking to pilot new ideas and mature solutions that have had a proven track record of impact.

Upswing is recognized for its integrated student services connecting struggling nontraditional and online students with critical on-campus tutors, advisors, support counselors, and more through a single platform.

It uses live interactions on the platform supported by data analytics on student performance to increase the likelihood of student success.

Upswing works with colleges and universities across the country, including 14 historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), to support online, nontraditional, and first-generation learners by addressing their most critical needs remotely.

Fourteen Rise Prize winners will be announced in early July, with five winners in the Mature Stage category receiving $200,000, and eight Early Stage winners receiving $50,000 each, and one Risers’ Choice award of $100,000—selected by two of judges who are student parents.

About Upswing

Upswing is an Austin, Texas-based online student engagement organization focused on removing the barriers to degree equity. Learn more about Upswing at https://upswing.io/