KIPP NJ alums selected for national program

For Immediate Release 

Contact:
Jessica Shearer, KIPP NJ
201-290-5892
jshearer@kippnj.org

TWO KIPP NEW JERSEY ALUMNI SELECTED FOR NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR

Newark, New Jersey – November 27, 2018 – Two graduates of KIPP New Jersey schools - Khalil Idris and Lauren Simmons - have been selected to participate in KIPP’s national Alumni Leadership Accelerator program, a year-long fellowship for KIPP alumni leaders in their 20s and 30s. Khalil and Lauren are among 26 KIPP alumni nationwide who were selected as fellows this year, chosen from a competitive pool of 67 applicants nominated by their KIPP regions. KIPP partners with Management Leadership for Tomorrow to deliver the program.

The Accelerator, now in its third year, aims to support KIPP alumni in reaching top positions of leadership and decision-making at the local, state, and national levels. Selected fellows receive 12 hours of personalized, executive leadership coaching; attend the Aspen Ideas Festival; have access to
networking and skill building opportunities; and join a tight-knit cohort of peers who graduated from KIPP schools across the country. Fellows in this year’s cohort attended KIPP schools in seven different communities – Baltimore, Eastern North Carolina, Houston, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York City, and Washington, D.C – and represent an array of career fields including law, finance, technology, health, education, military, and the arts.

“We believe KIPP’s alumni are poised to be leaders in whatever fields they choose,” said Rich Buery, KIPP’s Chief of Policy and Public Affairs. “We’re honored to be a part of helping Khalil and Lauren and all of the other fellows reach new heights in their careers and make the impact we know they are capable of making.” 

Khalil and Lauren were selected as fellows based on their achievements, leadership experience, and vision for impact. Khalil, a fashion entrepreneur, has launched two brands: Amenity, a clothing brand launched out of his dorm room, and Khalil Idris, a luxury brand selling made-to-order shoes for men and women. Khalil completed two years at Essex County College with a concentration in Marketing and Economics and is currently building both brands while pursuing his bachelor's degree in FinTech at the
New Jersey Institute of Technology. 

“Over the next 5 years, I will expand my business, Khalil Idris, by building partnerships with luxury hotels, corporations and luxury boutiques,” said Khalil. “In the next 20 years after gaining success in the fashion realm...I am looking to build an incubator in Newark to find the best talent within the
technology, engineering and entrepreneurial sector.”

Lauren graduated from Kennesaw State University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in genetics and a minor in statistics. Today, she is an Equity Trader for Rosenblatt Securities. At the age of 23, she became the youngest female and the second-ever African American woman working as a trader at the New York
Stock Exchange (NYSE).

“We are so pleased that Khalil and Lauren have this chance to enrich their professional experience,” said Ryan Hill, Founder and CEO at KIPP New Jersey. “They are already incredible leaders, and the Alumni Leadership Accelerator will help them expand their impact by further building their skills and their
networks.”

Through this program, KIPP aims to help 1,000 KIPP alumni reach top leadership positions by 2040. This year’s cohort is the largest yet, bringing the total number of Accelerator fellows to 60. 

“The Alumni Accelerator amplifies the critical voices of our alumni leaders and empowers them to make meaningful change,” said KIPP CEO Richard Barth. “Each fellow has accomplished so much in such a short time, and has great vision and clarity of purpose. This program allows them to make the most of
the resources and support available, so they can deepen their impact on our world.”

About KIPP New Jersey

KIPP New Jersey schools are part of the nationally recognized “Knowledge Is Power Program” non-profit network of college-preparatory, free, public charter schools educating elementary, middle, and high school students. In 2002, KIPP New Jersey first opened its doors in Newark’s South Ward as a single class of 80 fifth graders and has since grown to serve over 5,900 students in grades K-12 in Newark and Camden. More than 88% of KIPP New Jersey students currently qualify for free or reduced meals.

In the next few years, KIPP New Jersey will have fifteen schools in Newark and seven in Camden. By offering highly effective educators with strong bonds to families, more time in school learning, services that support a variety of student needs, and a culture focused on achievement, our students are on the
path to and through college proving that demographics don’t define destiny. Visit KIPPNJ.org to learn more.