We offer personal development workshops designed to empower our scholars with essential skills for success. These workshops are hosted by Dr. Keoshia Worthy, a licensed psychologist, consultant, entrepreneur, former college athlete, and aspiring writer dedicated to empowering the Kinnect Scholars. With over 15 years of experience, she designs and facilitates sessions on mindfulness, impostor syndrome, identity, and microaggressions. Dr. Worthy’s approach creates a welcoming space for scholars to build confidence, resilience, and self-awareness, equipping them to handle present challenges while preparing for adulthood. Her work with the Kinnect Foundation goes beyond mental health education—it fosters a foundation of personal growth and insight that supports their success in both academic and personal realms.

Navigating the college admissions process can be one of the most overwhelming processes for students and their families. As the College Access Consultant, Alberto Lainez is privileged to guide students on one of the most transformative journeys of their lives—discovering and pursuing their post-secondary dreams. His role goes beyond advising; it’s about empowering students to envision their potential, navigate the complexities of the college admissions process, and uncover opportunities that align with their passions and aspirations. Alberto supports students in every step of their journey, from filling out college applications and acquiring financial aid to identifying the best academic and financial fit for their unique circumstances. With a strong commitment to equity and access, he collaborates closely with parents, students, and educators to ensure that every student, regardless of their background, is equipped with the knowledge, confidence, and support they need to achieve their goals. Through his hands-on guidance and leadership, Alberto helps shape futures and open doors to limitless possibilities.

We offer professional development workshops designed to prepare our scholars for the workforce and future careers. Daryl Layson specializes in personal branding and LinkedIn, guiding students through the essentials of the platform and diving into strategic methods for building a powerful personal brand. The scholars learn ways to network effectively in order  to cultivate a personal brand, build connections, and discover valuable job, internship and volunteer opportunities. These workshops help students recognize the extensive opportunities within reach, regardless of location, background, or connections. We encourage our scholars to view personal branding as an intentional and strategic journey. Through this, the scholars gain the confidence to shape and share their stories purposefully and to organically attract opportunities while being authentic to who they are.

The Kinnect Scholar’s program offers financial literacy workshops to teach students practical skills that are often not covered in traditional school curriculums. These workshops cover topics such as budgeting, saving, understanding credit, managing debt, and investing basics. 

As the financial literacy consultant for the Kinnect Scholars Program, Aaliyah Duah is all about helping scholars understand money in a way that actually makes sense for their lives. Aaliyah teaches them the basics of financial literacy so they can make smarter decisions and feel more in control of their finances. But these workshops are more than just lessons— she makes it a point to connect with them personally. Aaliyah brings a fun, relatable and supportive spirit to  each workshop session, so that the scholars feel comfortable opening up about their thoughts and feelings about money. We also dive into entrepreneurship, where she helps the scholars see that they can potentially work for themselves and build something amazing. By equipping students with these essential tools, we aim to prepare them to make informed financial decisions.