Student U is a community organization that uses the power of education, advocacy, and leadership to build a just and equitable Durham.

Every person is worthy of opportunities that help them grow and thrive throughout their educational journey. Unfortunately, this is not our current reality: structural racism, intergenerational poverty, and other injustices create significant personal and institutional barriers to success for entire communities across the U.S. and here at home in Durham, N.C. 

However, these challenges don’t tell the full story. Within an educational system that fails to allocate resources equitably, Student U sees brilliant students and engaged families who know that they’re capable of incredible things—and we’re here to walk alongside them. In order to break the cycle of poverty and help shape a new future for our city, we support first-generation students through middle school, high school, college, and beyond. 

We empower and equip first-generation college students in Durham Public Schools, their families, and educators to become the leaders that will transform our city for the better. We support this transformation with an approach that combines three key elements: our whole-families approach to college access and success programming; sharing our best practices in education; and our commitment to supporting student- and family-led advocacy and change efforts in our city. Together, we’re creating a Durham where all students succeed.