In this series, we feature individual CAP staff members and dive into their unique perspectives on college access, education, the role of our grant programs in the community, and more. This month, we highlight Jeremiah Stanton-Rich, Administrative Support Specialist for College Access Partnerships. Learn more about how Jeremiah supports the CAP team and how his past experiences help him to see our programs from multiple angles.
Tell us about yourself including your position, what you do, and how/why you got involved with CAP.
I am one of the Administrative Associates in the CAP department. I like to tell people that I stare at a computer most of the day and do “officey” things. This is true on most levels, but with that, I get the opportunity to work with all of the CAP branches to help support them in the variety of needs they may have. Booking travel, reconciling transactions, and managing payroll are a few of the tasks I do most often. I have been working with/alongside CAP in one way or another for many years now even though I only started full-time back in November 2023. The non-profit I used to work for, Mountain Alliance, did a lot of student programming with GEAR UP, UpwardBound, and YES over the years. It's been an eye-opening experience to see CAP from the other side of things.
What would you want people to know about the grant program(s) with which you serve?
I have the pleasure of working with all the CAP branches, but I predominantly work with ETL, Upward Bound, and YES. I think the main thing I would want people to know about CAP is all the impressive and expansive work that they do in Western North Carolina. Seldom when I am talking to people have they never heard of CAP or most of the programs that make it up. I hope that as a part of the department, I can share what CAP is with more people.
What do you perceive to be the biggest point of pride for CAP?
The things that I am most proud to see are the students involved in CAP programming and the impact that they receive from the programs. I have seen firsthand how important caring adults are for students, and CAP is full of adults that care about students and their lives. It's been a cool opportunity to see CAP from so many different angles (not just sitting and staring at my computer) and to see the breadth of ways that we support and care for students.
How have you seen the impact of CAP in our community?
One thing that comes to mind with this question is the cyclical nature of some of our programs. I have seen Upward Bound students go through the program, go off to college, and then want to come back and work as mentors/staff for the program. I think that’s an amazing testament to Upward Bound and the program/culture they have created among their students and team.
Please share your thoughts on the role of CAP as it pertains to the future of education.
CAP implements the multi-pronged approach that students and educators need to expand educational resources. CAP doesn’t just work directly with students but also with teachers, districts, and state and federal agencies. I’m excited to work with such a large diverse group of people all aligned with the same goal of changing the ways we learn and educate the next generation. I’m excited to continue working and growing as well as figure out ways to use my skills and abilities to expand CAP programming.
CAP Through our Eyes: Jeremiah Stanton-Rich
CAP Through our Eyes: Jeremiah Stanton-Rich