Name: Megan Stanley
Location: Durham, NC
Alma Mater: University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill
Title and Organization: College Readiness & Success Manager at Student U

Professional Questions

Q: What brought you to the college access and success field initially?
A: My first experience involved college advising and peer mentorship work as an undergraduate student. I had the opportunity to mentor and provide direct application assistance to a first-generation college student through the Scholars Latino Initiative. Additionally, I mentored a small caseload of first-year students who recently transitioned to UNC through our minority advising program. To put it simply, I loved this work! The opportunity to connect with students and help them not only get to college but navigate the landscape of higher education to ultimately achieve their academic dreams was something I really enjoyed.

The second moment was a bit more imaginative and visionary. After graduating from college, I worked at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Centered in the historically Black Northside neighborhood, the Jackson Center is a community-based nonprofit and oral history hub rooted in community preservation. At the time, I oversaw our education program and primarily facilitated local civil rights and oral history workshops with students in K-12 and college settings. I was always inspired to hear how students represented their current understanding of civil rights and social justice, and how they imagined freedom in our present day world. The dreams they had for their lives, the ways they connected to the dreams of our Northside elders and other movement leaders, and the glimpses of a liberatory world with endless possibilities reinforced my commitment to access work. I believe in the power of education and want to continue supporting students in their educational pursuits as they aim to actualize their dreams.

Q: What do you love most about your role or organization?
A: I recently celebrated my third year at Student U! We are a student-centered organization that aims to empower and equip first-generation college students in Durham (NC) Public Schools, their families, and educators to become the leaders that will transform our city. Because our work spans sixth grade through college, our organizational commitment and care for our students and their overall well-being is a great strength that I am glad we carry. I love that we take a holistic approach to supporting students and families, and we strive to address systemic barriers that can impact their fearless dreams and success.

Q: What's your favorite thing about being an NCAN member?
A: Our organization was selected to participate in an NCAN grant project, “Strengthening Postsecondary Transitions for Students with Learning Differences,” funded by the Oak Foundation. This has been one of my favorite experiences as an NCAN member so far and demonstrates the Network’s ability to extend community, learning opportunities, and advocacy agendas to its membership!

I valued the opportunity to learn alongside and build relationships with my peer organizations (The SEED Foundation in Washington, DC, and Onward We Learn in Providence, RI) as we all worked to strengthen our efforts in supporting students with learning differences. The ongoing mentorship, resource sharing, and collaboration helped our team strengthen existing areas of our work while also identifying new priority projects and data metrics so that we can better support our students. The experience was incredibly valuable and shaped core aspects of our programming. I remain grateful for the opportunity to participate, and I look forward to continuing to access NCAN’s vast resources.

Q: What advice do you have for people who are new to college attainment work
A: Remain curious, maintain your values, seek community, and remember this touchstone: “When things get difficult, turn to wonder."

Personality Questions

Every month, our MeMos will be answering some fun questions to help us get to know their “out of office” side!

Q: If you were dropped into any movie or TV show as a new main character, what movie or TV show would you pick and why?
A: I would love to join the Abbott Elementary team as a club leader! This show is one of my favorites. It is authentic, joyful, and real.

Q: You get to host a dinner party with five people, dead or alive, famous or not. Who are you hosting?
A: In no particular order, I would invite:

1. Keke Palmer to fill the dinner space with positive vibes, laughter, and inspiration
2. bell hooks to share wisdom and discuss “education as the practice of freedom;”
3. EbonyJanice to explore the power of dreaming, particularly for Black women;
4. adrienne maree brown to map emergent strategies as we look to continue surviving and thriving in the years to come; and
5. Beyoncé to experience heart-to-heart moments just as people.

Q: What's on your to be read next list?
A: "We Will Rest!: The Art of Escape" by Tricia Hersey.