Year Up Dallas/Fort Worth to Host First Graduation Ceremony
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) July 20, 2017 -- Year Up Dallas/Fort Worth (“Year Up DFW”), a one-year workforce development program for low-income young adults, is proud to announce that it will host its first graduation ceremony this Thursday, July 20, 2017. Dale Petroskey, President and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC), will deliver keynote remarks to graduates of Year Up DFW’s Class One and their families, along with internship partners, faculty, staff and Year Up alumni.
Year Up DFW launched in Fall 2016 on the campus of El Centro College. The one-year intensive training program combines professional skills development, college coursework and internships at some of America’s top companies, including JPMorgan Chase, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Bank of America, New York Life and Liberty Mutual.
Mr. Petroskey, Year Up DFW’s inaugural graduation speaker, oversees one of the largest and most established business organizations in the state of Texas representing more than 1,100 member companies. The DRC works to strengthen the business community by attracting companies and talented workers from around the world, improving education, advocating for pro-growth public policies, and enhancing the quality of life for all in the Dallas Region. Mr. Petroskey’s career also includes service as Assistant White House Press Secretary to President Ronald Reagan; as Senior Vice President for Mission Programs at National Geographic; and as the President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
“Dale’s record of leadership and his commitment to improving the fabric of life for all residents in the Dallas Region aligns directly with our mission at Year Up,” said Scott Snyder, Executive Director, Year Up DFW. “Closing the opportunity divide is a priority we share with Dale and we are honored to have him speak to our graduates as they transition into the workforce equipped with the skills they learned at Year Up.”
“I am honored to be the first keynote speaker at the first graduation of Year Up DFW students,” said Mr. Petroskey. “Like Year Up, the Dallas Regional Chamber places a high priority on education and I look forward to working with this important organization to help its students become successful members of the business community – and role models for future Year Up students.”
Year Up DFW’s lead founding donors include AT&T, W.W. Caruth Jr. Foundation and Lyn and John Muse. Year Up DFW has also been generously supported by its numerous internship partners, including Bell Helicopter, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, ISNetworld, JLL Inc. and Sidley Austin LLP.
The graduation ceremony will take place at El Centro College’s Performance Hall at 801 Main St, Dallas, TX 75202 on Thursday, July 20th. Students, family, faculty, alumni and friends are invited to join Year Up DFW’s Class one on their graduation day.
About Year Up
Year Up's mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Year Up achieves this mission through a high support, high expectation model that combines marketable job skills, stipends, internships and college-level coursework. Its holistic approach focuses on students' professional and personal development to place these young adults on a viable path to economic self-sufficiency. Year Up currently serves more than 3,600 students annually across 24 campuses in Arizona, Baltimore, Bay Area, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Greater Atlanta, Greater Boston, Greater Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, National Capital Region, New York City, Providence, Puget Sound, South Florida and Wilmington.
To learn more, visit http://www.yearup.org, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter: @YearUp
Roberto Zeledon, Year Up, http://www.yearup.org, +1 (857) 305-9995, [email protected]
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