Thursday, July 23
The White House * 11:00 AM ET – As part of her Reach Higher initiative, First Lady Michelle Obama will welcome more than 130 college-bound students from across the country to participate in the 2015 Beating the Odds Summit. These students are being sponsored by 70 non-profit organizations, and represent a mix of urban, rural, foster, homeless, special needs, and under-represented youth who have overcome substantial obstacles to persist through high school and make it to college. This event will focus on sharing tools and strategies students can use to successfully transition to college and the resources they will need to complete the next level of their education.
This day-long event will include a panel moderated by E! News co-host Terrence Jenkins, which will feature First Lady Michelle Obama, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, musical artist Wale, and Manuel Contreras, a rising senior at Brown University and co-founder of 1vyG. Wale will also perform a concert for the students.
Additionally, students will participate in workshops and panels led by the U.S. Department of Education, Google’s Jaime Casap, and other leaders in K-12 and post-secondary education.
Press Components:
Open Press
The First Lady’s Panel – 11:00AM ET
Wale’s Performance – 2:45PM ET
Available via White House Livestream
Jaime Casap’s Panel – 9:45AM ET
The other breakout sessions will be closed press