About The Upward Project

Our Mission

The Upward Project’s mission is to create lasting upward economic mobility for exceptional first-generation and low-income students in Boston. We work to disrupt inequities and close opportunity and wealth gaps by equipping our Scholars with the skills, resources, and networks they need to succeed in college and launch thriving careers in high-wage fields.

By helping Scholars achieve academic success as well as social and cultural capital, we empower future leaders to achieve lasting impact and generational wealth.

Why We’re Unique

Every Scholar is supported and championed as an individual. By keeping our cohorts small, we build deep and trust-filled relationships. Our staff share the lived experiences of being first-generation and low-income students themselves, and so our coaching is culturally responsive and rooted in empathy—creating a community where Scholars feel understood and empowered.

We believe early and intentional career planning opens doors. From the start, we help our Scholars chart a path toward competitive and high-demand careers. Our program is designed to prepare Scholars not just for graduation, but for long-term success.

We are deeply connected to Boston and the surrounding community, where the wealth gap is one of the largest in the country. Our professional relationships within Boston open doors for Scholars to explore industries, gain support, and secure internships that lead to impactful career opportunities.

Our commitment doesn’t end with a college diploma. We walk alongside Scholars as they transition into the workforce by offering career guidance and financial advising. It’s important to us that our Scholars learn how to build savings, grow wealth, and step into adulthood with stability and confidence.

Our History

The Upward Project was founded in 2018 to address a problem our co-founders had witnessed for years: even the most driven and academically successful students from low-income, first-generation backgrounds were struggling to build careers that matched their potential.

Our co-founder, Mindy Wright, launched TUP after nearly two decades of working with high-achieving students in Boston. Again and again, she saw students who had overcome tremendous odds to earn spots at selective colleges still face systemic barriers — especially when it came time to launch their careers. Despite strong GPAs and drive, they lacked the networks, mentorship, and early exposure needed to break into high-growth industries.

A Personal Perspective

Mindy also drew from her own experience. As a first-generation, low-income student at Colby College, she experienced firsthand what it meant to arrive on campus without the social capital, professional know-how, or financial safety net that many of her peers took for granted. That personal perspective, combined with her work in college access and success, shaped the foundation of The Upward Project’s model.

Growth with Purpose

From the beginning, The Upward Project was designed to be personal, long-term, and career-focused. We launched with a founding cohort of just six students and one part-time employee. Our approach centered on intensive advising, wraparound academic and career support, cultural navigation, and financial assistance — all delivered through a small-cohort model that allowed us to build deep, trust-based relationships with each Scholar.

Since that first year, we’ve grown steadily and intentionally. Today, we serve 71 Scholars across eight cohorts, guided by a team of five. While our size has expanded, our commitment to individualized support, cultural responsiveness, and long-term outcomes has remained constant. Each Scholar receives the same hands-on guidance and care that defined our earliest days — because we know that’s what makes the difference.

Lasting Impact

What started as a response to a clear gap has become a model for what’s possible when first-generation students are not just seen, but supported. At The Upward Project, we believe that talent is everywhere — and with the right tools, networks, and encouragement, our Scholars can transform their futures, families, and communities.