A Legacy of First-Generation Success
The Boston HERC began with a simple but profound belief: that every first-generation student deserves the opportunity and support to pursue higher education. What started as a grassroots initiative by a small group of community members has grown into a transformative force in Greater Boston, equipping thousands of students to break through barriers and become agents of change in their communities.
The Passport and Alumni Success Programs launch at Revere and Chelsea High Schools, paving the way for Boston HERC to extend its proven model to additional cities in need of greater college and career access resources.
Boston HERC reaches a milestone by partnering with 10 high schools and serving over 1,400 students annually.
Carolina De Jesus, a Latina first-generation college graduate who led the organization’s flagship Passport Program for over ten years, is voted in as the new Executive Director—only the second executive leader in Boston HERC’s 25-year history.
In response to the global pandemic, Boston HERC launched this program earlier than planned to extend support to students throughout their postsecondary education journeys.
The Boston HERC is named a 2020 Social Innovator by the Social Innovation Forum.
The Boston HERC receives its 501c3 status as an independent organization with a dedicated Board of Directors, further enabling its expansion.
In order to reach a much greater volume of students, the Boston HERC begins school-based programming during students' school days. The first school partners are Josiah Quincy Upper School and the English High School.
Some of Boston HERC’s brightest students enter college but quickly boomerang back home. In response, the flagship Passport to College Program is officially established as an after-school program for high school students. Using a cohort model, it equips students with the 21st-century skills needed not only to enroll in college but also to persist and succeed.
The Boston HERC operates as a college advising and access center, mostly working with students one-on-one and in SAT prep classes.
The Boston HERC is founded by a group of first-generation Latino community members from Congregation Lion of Judah, a Spanish-speaking church in Roxbury.