When Student Parents Rise, Families and Futures Thrive

When we invest in families, we create change that lasts. Amber Angel’s story – from student parent to funder – brings Ascend’s mission to life.

It’s a story of perseverance, purpose, and the ripple effect of investing in families. Years ago, Amber was a student parent working toward her associate’s degree while raising her toddler daughter and experiencing homelessness on her way to her Bachelor’s. Today, she’s an Ascend Parent Advisor, a Program Officer at ECMC Foundation, an Adjunct Instructor at the very community college she started at, and a fierce advocate for higher education and student-parent success. 

And this summer, she shared the stage with her now 16-year-old daughter Lennon at the NEXUS Global Summit, a global gathering of next-gen philanthropists, impact investors, and social innovators working to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.

At the summit, Amber and Lennon joined Abigail Seldin of Scholarship America for a plenary fireside chat on scholarships as systems change. The conversation focused on the long-term, multi-generational returns of supporting students at critical moments, showing how a single scholarship can uplift not just one learner, but an entire family and community.

It wasn’t just a conversation about systems change. It was a lived experience, shared from two generations, on one stage. Amber reflected on how a scholarship helped her pursue her education while raising Lennon, and how that investment shaped not only her future, but her daughter’s as well. Lennon shared how growing up while her mom was in college shaped her view of education, opportunity, and what’s possible for her future. This feels especially impactful given that Amber is the youngest of 8 children and the first in her family to attend and graduate with a college degree. 

“It was really something special. Prince Harry speaking after Lennon and seeing my youngest daughter, Everly, as our biggest fan in the front row is something I’ll never forget, but the highlight of the summit was seeing my daughter on stage, using her voice.” – Amber Angel

Stories like theirs are why Ascend exists. When we support parents and children together, we create change that lasts across generations.

This 2Gen moment reminds us that lived experience is not just valuable, it’s essential to shaping systems that work for all families. Amber and Lennon’s story reflects the heart of our work: centering families, grounding our work in real-life experience, and investing in bold leaders who are creating ripple effects that will be felt for generations to come.

As we mark National Student Parent Month this September, Amber’s journey is a powerful reminder of why it matters to support student parents because when they succeed, entire families and communities thrive.