America Needs You awarded $1,000,000 by Apollo Opportunity Foundation to expand mentorship for firstgen college students

ANY awarded $1,000,000 by AOF to expand mentorship for first-generation college students—the first major investment following a new strategic direction for ANY.

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, November 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- America Needs You (ANY) is the recipient of a $1,000,000 grant from the Apollo Opportunity Foundation (AOF). Over the next two years, the annual $500,000 commitment will support and expand college-to-career mentorship services for first-generation college students following ANY’s plans to grow their impact.

AOF, which launched in 2022 with a $100 million commitment from Apollo Global Management, seeks to expand opportunities in communities worldwide by deploying capital and engaging Apollo employees to invest in career education, workforce development, and economic empowerment.

The grant was announced at the annual ANY Gala by Apollo Principal Stanislav Shamayev, a first-generation college graduate and Governing Board Member at ANY. AOF’s gift is the second largest in ANY’s 16-year history and marks the first major investment in the organization’s strategic plan to double its budget, triple its geographic locations, and quadruple the number of first-generation college students it serves by 2030. CEO Alicia Guevara, the new ANY Executive Leadership Team, the Governing Board, and partners at Boston Consulting Group shaped this new organizational strategy.

“This contribution by the Apollo Opportunity Foundation underscores the power of mentorship and the potential for developing a dynamic and prepared workforce by supporting first-generation college students. This increased investment is a bold validation of our strategic plan and catalyzes action toward our vision for a better future. We are deeply grateful for their leadership and hope it inspires others to join us,” said Alicia Guevara, America Needs You CEO.

“We are proud to invest in America Needs You to drive its ambitious growth plans. By pairing our financial investment with the skills of our Apollo team, we can best support ANY to achieve its new strategic plan,” said Lauren Coape-Arnold, Global Head of Citizenship at Apollo Global Management and Executive Director of the Apollo Opportunity Foundation. “ANY is helping to create value across our communities by focusing on the power of mentoring; we look forward to expanding opportunity by providing more first-generation students with access to the resources needed to launch meaningful careers.”

Over 50% of all college students in the United States are first-generation, the first in their families to attend college and graduate, but fewer than one in four graduate. 96% of ANY first-generation Fellows graduate, and Fellows go on to earn a median salary of $70,000 to $80,000 six months after graduation, compared to $50,000 median annual salary nationally for first-generation college students, up to four years after graduation (America Needs You, U.S. Department of Education).

About: America Needs You is a national nonprofit headquartered in New York City with locations in New York, New Jersey, and Chicago connecting first-generation Fellows in a 1:1 mentoring relationship with professionals who help them graduate college, understand workplaces, develop skills, grow networks, and launch their careers.

Contact: greta.karris@americaneedsyou.org and learn more at americaneedsyou.org

Greta Karris
America Needs You
greta.karris@americaneedsyou.org
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