QuestBridge: Scaling College Access with Ana Rowena Mallari

Sustainability

QuestBridge's sustainability efforts were pivotal in scaling their impact. Ana Mallari recounts how a new executive's rigorous management style helped them focus on scalability, despite initial resistance to losing the personal touch 1. This shift allowed QuestBridge to reach exponentially more students by stepping back from micromanaging every detail 1.

He was able to convince us in a very compelling way that actually we could do much more if we just stepped back a little bit and allowed our energies to go towards a larger number of students at one time.

--- Ana Mallari

Scaling challenges also emerged, particularly when trying to replicate their high-touch summer program across multiple campuses. Despite the program's success, it proved unsustainable due to high costs and logistical difficulties 2.

   

Partnerships

Key partnerships were instrumental in QuestBridge's growth. Initially, many colleges were reluctant to offer full scholarships, but Ana Mallari and her team convinced them by showcasing the potential of high-achieving, low-income students 3. Today, over 50 colleges partner with QuestBridge, providing significant financial aid to scholars 3.

One dean in particular took four or five of our applications, brought it to his board of trustees. And he said, look, do you want students like this on this campus? And they said, yes.

--- Ana Mallari

These partnerships have enabled QuestBridge to help over 30,000 students attend college, transforming educational access and opportunities for underserved communities 4.