Baton Rouge Youth Coalition

This week was full of exciting reveals, and we are so excited to share the Fellows have been paired with their official mentors!

HUGE thank you to all of our wonderful mentors who are dedicating 75 minutes once a week to our Fellows. We cannot wait to see how these connections grow through the school year.

Join us in welcoming music coordinator, Mr. Ambrose to the BRYC team! 🎹 🎶

He comes in ready to share all of his knowledge with our community. Fellows, come visit Mr. Ambrose in the BRYC Downtown Music Studio now!

Why should someone apply to college? 🎓 Because education opens doors. Because your dreams deserve a chance. Because the life you imagine starts with one brave step forward.

Today we're celebrating Day and every learner taking that step toward their future. Whether it's a two-year or four-year school, applying to college is a milestone worth cheering for. 💙

So we're asking YOU: Why apply? Drop your reason in the comments and share the encouragement. 👇

American College Application Campaign

A huge thank you to the Cortana Kiwanis of Baton Rouge for having us at their weekly meeting last Thursday! They rolled up their sleeves and helped us package our mentor gifts.

This wonderful group has been supporting us since 2023, starting with their annual Christmas parade, and their generosity hasn’t slowed down since. We’re so grateful for partners who show up, give back, and pour into our community year after year.

Thank you, Cortana Kiwanis, for everything you do!

Last night, 10 aspiring BRYC engineers met their Exxon mentors for Year 3 of Engineering Fellows, our BRYC X ExxonMobil Baton Rouge partnership!

From September through May, Fellows and mentors will meet monthly to talk through what it takes to succeed in the workplace, with mentors also offering guidance on internship and job hunting.

Thank you, ExxonMobil team, for making this game-changing opportunity possible!

𝙒𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙍𝙔𝘾 𝘽𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝘿𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨! 🎉

𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗿-𝗧𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗻 joins us as a partner in Jones Walker LLP's Corporate Practice Group and a member of the firm's finance team. Lauren earned both her bachelor's degree and juris doctor from LSU, and her career includes roles with Mahtook and Lafleur and the Caddo Parish District Attorney's Office, where she was promoted to assistant district attorney–section chief. A former BRYC mentor, Lauren has served on the Jones Walker Pre-Law Fellows Scholarship Committee since 2023.

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗻 joins us as Assistant General Counsel for Louisiana State University. A graduate of Howard University and Southern University Law Center, Natalie was a research attorney with the East Baton Rouge Parish Family Court and practiced family law with Antwine Law Firm, LLC before joining LSU in 2022. Her connection to BRYC runs deep — her daughter Ava is a BRYC Alumna (Class of 2025) and a sophomore economics major at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Please join us in welcoming Natalie and Lauren to the BRYC Community! 💜

Program is SO back at BRYC!

We're excited to have all our fellows back and to get to learning and growing.🎉

It is the bittersweetest of news that 2026–2027, Mr. Lucas’s 15th school year with BRYC, will be his last. But BRYC will be in great hands: effective January 1, 2027, Chief of Staff Josh Howard, who has served nearly 10 years alongside Mr. Lucas, will begin his tenure as our next CEO.

Please join us in celebrating Mr. Lucas, a truly one-of-a-kind leader and educator who has impacted thousands of youth and families, while making BRYC a national exemplar for how to prepare youth for life after high school. He leads with his heart, puts students above everything, and has been a blessing to the BRYC Community. Congratulations, Mr. Lucas and Mr. Josh!

We recently hosted our second 2026 Young Professionals Conference — “Built for This: Thriving in Uncertain Times!” Attendees left feeling empowered and confident to take on challenges, embrace opportunities, and lead with resilience in an constantly changing world. 💪✨

We’re proud to invest in the next generation of leaders and create spaces where young professionals can connect, grow, and discover that they truly are built for this.

Thank you to everyone who spoke, attended, facilitated, and thank you to the alumni board for making this happen.