Next Generation Men & Women (Next Gen), an Atlanta-based nonprofit that connects high school students to college and career opportunities, today announces its expansion into Macon, Georgia. This marks Next Gen’s first venture into a new market, where it will continue its mission for local students. 

Next Gen is a nonprofit organization that aims to close the opportunity gap for local high school students by providing mentorship and exposure to colleges, career options and support. Next Gen partners with under-resourced high schools around Metro Atlanta. Led by teachers with college students serving as mentors, the program has provided over 1,300 Metro Atlanta students with trips to local colleges and businesses, offering an opportunity to network with professionals and gain firsthand exposure to career and educational opportunities they may otherwise not have access to.

In Macon, Next Gen will offer the same services and opportunities to local high school students, with plans to expand this model into further markets across Georgia and the Southeast.

“This is a monumental step in Next Gen’s growth story, as we plant a flag in a new market for the first time in our organization’s history,” said Phil Olaleye, executive director of Next Gen. “Macon was the natural next step for us, as there is a strong network of businesses and professionals in the community who are willing to support local students and provide resources needed for our plans to be successful. We’re ready to hit the ground running and are thrilled to have already started building our ecosystem with corporate partners and leaders in Macon, starting with our exceptional new programs coordinator. We would also like to thank Superintendent Dr. Dan Sims, who has played an integral role in strengthening our partnership with Bibb County School District.”

Armand Brown, a graduate of Clayton State University and Howard High School in Macon, has been hired as the programs coordinator for Next Gen’s Macon initiatives. He will oversee the day-to-day operations, event planning and partnerships with local businesses and schools in the market for Next Gen.

“As a Macon native, helping students in my hometown achieve their dreams of career and higher education success is something that I am very passionate about,” said Brown. “We already have a number of exciting events and trips planned for our students, and I look forward to seeing the direct impact we make on the lives of high schoolers in our community. I’m honored to invest in my alma mater, which shaped me into the adult I am today, and pay it forward by helping to equip the ‘Next Generation’ with the tools needed to advance in their education and careers.”

Next Gen will work with students from Rutland High School and Howard High School in Macon, with plans to support students from additional schools in the future. The first day of programming for Next Gen’s Macon branch is Sept. 16. Plans are already in place to hold the first exposure trip, or opportunity for students to visit a local college or business, on Sept. 24 with MidSouth Community Bank.

For more information on Next Gen and its mission, click here.