Encoura’s Commitment to Our Students

As an organization that serves students, it’s vital that we stay true to our mission and our purpose. We have all watched and have been affected by the events that have unfolded over the past two weeks across the country. Education is the great equalizer and our mission remains more important than ever.


At Encoura, we pride ourselves on being a mission-driven organization with a strong commitment to our purpose. Our purpose is to encourage and inspire lifelong learning so every student and institution can achieve their goals.

Today, we must look inward and reflect on what drives us as an organization, and as part of the broader educational community. This past week has left us with an incredibly heavy heart. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others have once again exposed the vast injustices and disparities that African Americans face every day—whether it’s through police brutality, poor access to quality health care, or through a lack of educational and economic opportunities. We recognize and stand with our employees, members, partners, and students who have suffered similar injustices, but whose stories are not in the news.

As a mission-driven organization, we have a responsibility to understand why these disparities remain deeply rooted in our society. We have a moral obligation to better understand what brought us here, and just as importantly, what our organization—and the education system—can do differently to overcome these injustices moving forward. We remain committed to being a trusted resource for all of our members and providing meaningful insights on the complex issues facing our students, institutions, and the broader industry.

All students of color will not be fully free to achieve their goals as long as they have to live with fear, discrimination, and inequitable resources. Until equity and justice is achieved for students of all communities, the purpose of Encoura will never be fully realized. We commit to standing next to those who have been marginalized, and we strive to make this country a place where all students and institutions can truly achieve their goals.


On June 3, ACT released a statement from interim CEO Janet Godwin, furthering ACT’s commitment to working toward a more equitable, accessible, and just system. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, you can find it here.