EJ Carrion is an afro-latino entrepreneur who builds social impact companies to level the playing field and create more equitable spaces for people to thrive.
He is the co-founder and CEO of Student Success Agency, a digital mentoring platform that helps schools support students anywhere, anytime from their electronic devices.
EJ was a special guest to the White House during the Obama/Biden Administration and recognized by the U.S. Departments of Education at their annual Education Datapalooza event for his innovative approach to increasing access to vital services such as academic tutoring, college advising, and mental health supports for underserved students.
EJ was recognized by Forbes as a top 30 Entrepreneur under 30 in 2018. Student Success Agency was listed as one of the top 300 startups to work for by Forbes in 2020 as he employed hundreds of near-peer mentors to support students who were stuck at home during the pandemic.
During school closures, EJ was also called upon by NBC, ABC, Fox News affiliates, and national agencies to provide expertise and guidance on supporting students in their virtual learning experiences.
EJ is a first-generation college student who received the prestigious Bill and Melinda Gates Scholarship and an ambassador for mentorship after one of his speeches about his stepdad got picked up by Goalcast and hit over thirty-five million views on Facebook.
He has presented to audiences across 46 states and around the world with the goal of being mind-expanding, dynamically enthusiastic, and a human possibility pusher for the audiences he has the privilege to engage.
SPEAKING TOPICS:
Educators, staff, and administrators are stretched thin because our jobs, community, and family demand more of our time. In this session, EJ inspires the audience to think differently about what it means to impact students. As an experienced education technologist and entrepreneur, EJ shares frameworks around scaling our talents and building systems that allow ourselves and our students to thrive. EJ will share best practices and innovative strategies to increase student support and school culture.
Learning Outcomes:
- How to increase the number of students pursuing leadership opportunities
- The practical value of hope and optimism with students
- How to create a compelling vision for their future
- How to increase student outcomes
- Understanding diversity and inclusion with all students
- Practical insights on being a students “Mike”
Fireside Chat: Interactive Q&A with EJ Carrion
Instead of presenting a keynote, EJ Carrion is available for an interactive Q&A session with your group.
Get EJ’s take on the challenges or questions your organization is facing and lean on his experience as an entrepreneur, thought leader, and education executive.
EJ provides a unique lens as he threads the needle between private markets and public institutions. He understands the tenacity and acumen you need to navigate hyper-localized communities while building scalable solutions.
Your team will gain new ideas, creative solutions, and fresh perspectives that will move the needle on the outcomes you are pursuing to achieve.
Learning Outcomes:
- Discussion of current research and analysis of education trends.
- Insights and perspectives for educators and staff.
- Tailored recommendations based on your organization’s needs.
- Foster an atmosphere of honesty and engagement with the audience.
- Discuss steps to improve outcomes for students and their families.
- Interactive Q&A session with EJ to explore innovative solutions.
- Foster a fresh and dynamic perspective by leveraging EJ’s insights.
EJ’s JUMP speech is a dynamic message that will have students at the edge of their seats. The goal of this presentation is to get students comfortable being themselves and not afraid to stand out. EJ will motivate the crowd by using humor and storytelling to connect with students about how they show up to the world and how they see their aspirations matter in their long-term success.
Learning Outcomes:
- Recognize fear and move through it to achieve success
- Understand the importance of showing up and bringing your whole self to create the life you want
- Learn when internal and external limitations are holding you back from achieving your goals
- Breakdown all aspects of purpose to create a more meaningful vision and outcomes around career, academics, and life
- Lead during times of discomfort
- How to grow outside your comfort zone
EJ went from a first-generation college student from a small town in Texas to a first-generation wealth builder who created world-class companies. In this presentation, the audience will learn EJ’s story and get his fresh perspective on how students should navigate this ever-changing world. EJ uses humor and storytelling to relate to the audience and teach them how to use entrepreneurial attributes to leverage the speed of change and their youthful relevance to capitalize on opportunities.
Learning Outcomes:
- How to use entrepreneurship as a way to excel through school and career goals
- Identify exponential opportunities to accelerate success
- Adapt to change and think through future trends quickly
- Innovate on strategies that might have been successful in the past but are no longer relevant without an update to the approach
- How to approach career goals and leadership opportunities to scale impact
The Team Must Reflect the Dream: How Diversity, Equity, and Progress Starts Within
This presentation focuses on analyzing equity and offering a fresh viewpoint on how we should approach improving racial, gender, economic, and health gaps.
This dynamic presentation is not just an external perspective but also an internal audit of how your organization, team, and self look at your responsibilities of building a more compassionate world. We can no longer acknowledge and ignore; we must ask ourselves what privileges, power, and advantages we are willing to give up to build a more inclusive and just community.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- How to communicate empathetically when discussing inequality and disparity gaps.
- Become a more observant and conscious member of the team when biases and systemic challenges need to be addressed.
- Patience and understanding that this work is a journey, not a destination which is why we go further together.
- How to reposition conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion to be seeing an opportunity for growth rather than an attack on one’s character.
- Create a vision and meaningful system changes that solve the more significant challenges that prevent others in your community from equal access to success.
- Understanding resistance is a part of the process.
