On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, the Up2Us Career Readiness team joined the University of Maryland School of Public Health to host an information session on their online Masters of Public Health Program. 

With November being National Career Development Month, we wanted to highlight the work that Up2Us Sports has been doing through our Career Readiness program and hear from one of our full-time staff members, Brandon Pack.

In 2013, Nate LeJeune moved his family to New Orleans in pursuit of a sacred calling: to work with young people in a youth development setting, most likely a church program. He had no idea that this calling would lead him to Up2Us Sports.

Finishing school with a degree in Kinesiology in hand, Jerita Mitchell thought a career awaited her in a hospital or clinical setting. Instead, she discovered it on the playing field.

Up2Us Sports may be best known as the only national service program for sports. But beyond providing kids and communities with caring coach-mentors, Up2Us Sports supports its service members who wish to find full-time nonprofit and/or sports-related work.

To be of service seems to come as naturally as breathing to Up2Us Sports VISTA alum Rebecca Sayers: when asked why she serves, her response is simply, “Why wouldn’t I?”

Six months of national service with Up2Us Sports altered Josie Martinez’s career path forever. Settling back into his hometown of Miami, Florida, after 15 years in the United States Air Force, Josie Martinez landed a job in the construction industry. He had plans to build and operate his own business when he discovered Up2Us Sports.

There are many reasons why Up2Us Sports coach alum Janeicia Neely might describe herself as blessed. She was recently hired for a full-time coaching position at Up2Us Sports host site Langston Hughes Academy, in New Orleans.

While academia has lost one cultural anthropologist (for now), the nonprofit world has gained a passionate employee dedicated to helping youth and families. Up2Us Sports VISTA alum Angelica Flores was recently hired for a full-time position at the nonprofit organization Room to Grow.

Great mentors have often had great mentors and role models of their own. Up2Us Sports alum, founder of City Athletics Philly, and president of the youth development nonprofit City Athletics Community Partners, Curtis DeVeaux observed the power of a caring, community-oriented presence early in his life.

On Tuesday, July 27th, Up2Us Sports hosted an alumni panel event, “Where Are They Now?” with five Up2Us Sports Coach and VISTA alumni.

Up2Us Sports coach alumni Ebonee Arielle has transformed her dance program to be entirely online to accommodate the current stay-at-home and social distancing regulations in Los Angeles. Hear from Coach Ebonee on her experience and how she continues to help youth in LA through dance and movement.