STRIVE Birmingham graduates and staff at the pilot cohort graduation in August 2023.
STRIVE Birmingham has graduated its pilot cohort! We are deeply proud of this tenacious group of students who chose to believe in the power of STRIVE and put themselves first. Now, more ready to work and determined to succeed than ever, these graduates are building their careers and working towards the economic mobility that will help them transform their lives.
On Friday, August 25, 2023, STRIVE Birmingham gathered with community partners and loved ones for a culminating graduation of their pilot cohort. Led by Founding Executive Director of STRIVE Birmingham Quiwintre Frye, she and several community partners shared words of gratitude, pride and encouragement that charged the room with heartfelt emotion, optimism and a collective sense of growth.
“In preparation for this day, I have been reflecting on my own career journey,” said Quiwintre. “My first job after college was an administrative support role in a healthcare setting, just like what you all have now prepared yourselves for. So, when I say to you this is only the beginning, I truly mean it. And I can’t wait to see what you all do next.”
Keynote Speaker Angela Abdur-Rasheed, Director of Communications at Prosper, infused graduates with inspiration, helping them to always remember what they now carry thanks to STRIVE as they embark on their new career paths “Success. Tenacity. Integrity. Vision. Expectations”.
Perhaps most memorable among the speakers was STRIVE Birmingham pilot graduate Raven Bonner, who spoke passionately about her fight for a career and her belief in the power of STRIVE to get people on track and ready to achieve the success they desire.
“STRIVE has been so much more than a job training program,” said Raven. “Yes, I gained the skills and certifications I was looking for, and I learned a lot about my career path options, as I expected. But I was honestly surprised to get so much encouragement during the process. I found myself suddenly a part of this big support system. We are the first graduating class of STRIVE Birmingham, and over the past ten weeks, we have built a true sisterhood that will help carry us through whatever life throws at us from now.”
Dean of Workforce Development Education at Jefferson State Community College Leah Bigbee was visibly moved as she took to the podium following Raven’s testimony. She spoke on behalf of Jefferson State Community College, which provides phenomenal occupational training for STRIVE Birmingham students to ensure they are prepared with the skills and certifications that quality local employers are actively seeking.
“I’ll be honest, I’m a little bit shaky after hearing that testimony,” said Leah. “Thank you. This is why we do what we do.”
STRIVE Birmingham currently holds classes in a temporary workspace while our permanent home is established. Stay tuned for the announcement and ribbon cutting.
In our nonclinical healthcare & office operations training, each graduate earns the credentials needed to become a certified administrative medical assistant (AMA), helping them get their foot in the door to build a rewarding career with fair pay, good benefits and onramps to advancement. With strong employer partners like Ascension St. Vincent's Birmingham, Baptist Health Systems, Cahaba Medical Care, Christ Health Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, graduates of STRIVE Birmingham have the advantage of direct access to good jobs locally.
STRIVE currently operates in 14 locations across the country, including a recently announced site in New Orleans, slated to open in 2024. As we leverage new knowledge and insights from this expansion process, we will work to continue advancing growth in other new cities and existing locations over the next decade as we expand from serving 2,000 people annually in 2023 to 10,000 people annually by 2033.