Subscribe to Receive Venkat’s Weekly Newsletter

Tracy got her PhD from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. For years after that, she taught college students in programs called “Semesters at Sea”. During that time she was also an instructor for the Outward Bound with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

She noticed that all her students were wealthy.

That insight led Tracy to found the STEP - an amazing program to provide guidance to high achieving, low income students to get to college.

Tracy joins us on our podcast to talk about her background, the origins of STEP, The Organization and the program, How to apply for STEP, Success Stories, and finally Tips for High Schoolers.

In particular, we discuss the following with her: 

• Tracy Baynes’ Background
• Founding STEP
• How to Apply
• Learnings from STEP

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Introducing Tracy Baynes, Founder, CEO of STEP []
• Hi Fives - Podcast Highlights []
• Background []
• Origins of STEP []
• The STEP Org []
• Becoming a STEP Student []
• Internal Motivation of Students []
• Engaging Parents []
• Success Stories []
• What makes STEP tick? []
• How Students have changed in 20 years? []
• What’s Next? []
• Closing Thoughts []

Our Guest: Tracy Baynes is the Founder and CEO of STEP - Student Expedition Program in Tucson Arizona.

Memorable Quote: “What we say is, we can't want this more than you do. Like in the end, you have to do the hard work, and you have to do the hard work when nobody's looking, you have to do the hard work when nobody's giving you accolades. And that's what it takes, right?  Anything you want, is on the other side of hard work.” Tracy Baynes.

Episode Transcript: Please visit Episode’s Transcript.

Similar Episodes: College Experiences, College Application Workbook 

Calls-to-action:

• Follow us on Instagram.
• To Ask the Guest a question, or to comment on this episode, email podcast@almamatters.io.
• Subscribe or Follow our podcasts at any of these locations: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.