College Unbound Set to Launch with Gala Fundraiser

Posted by Chris Flanagan on March 12, 2009

Friends of the BIF community know that Dennis Littky, co-founder and director of The Big Picture Company and The Met School, is one of the most successful school reformers in the country. His education model - based on the belief that schools must be personalized, educating every student equally, one student at a time - had led to the creation of 37 high-performing high schools across the country. Dennis has now set his sights on the college experience with a new school called College Unbound.

"The time has come for Big Picture Learning to move forward—into postsecondary education," Dennis told me last year. "The impersonal, lecture-based format of many traditional colleges simply hasn't been working for many underserved students."

Just as he did with the original Met School, Littky's plan for the college is to think big, start small and scale fast. "We kind of closed our eyes and said just like our first high-school, here's a chance to start from scratch. Rather than trying to tweak around the edges, let's figure out what's best for these young adults, what's the best environment that can help them learn," he says.

The curricula will emphasize students' interests, uniting personal motivation and discipline with seminars and real-world learning. Starting their freshman year, students will work in companies alongside mentors who will help them learn and understand what it is like to be entrepreneurial and the skills that go along with it. Groups of 15 students will live together and take part in team projects guided by a faculty advisor.

With a launch date of September, 2009, Littky says community support is vital to the college's success. To celebrate College Unbound's official unveiling, The Big Picture Company has assembled a Gala Performance and Duet with Jill Eikenberry & Michael Tucker on April 23, 2009. 100% of the proceeds will fund scholarships for College Unbound students.

Reception @ 5:30pm
Performance @ 7pm
Tickets: $150 per person

Please contact Tara Corso at 401.752.2640 or tcorso@bigpicture.org to purchase tickets. Or visit the event website for more information.

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