Reginald Grant came to our city from Savannah, Georgia. With 4 siblings, he has always been a competitive person. As boy scouts, he saw his older brother become a Life Scout. And Regi has always been competitive. So he became an Eagle Scout, the highest honor for a boy scout (only 4% of boy scouts are granted this rank). That was the first goal he remembers having.
People who know him say Regi is the kind of person who wants to change the world. He has now spent his entire professional career in nonprofit work. Prior to joining Skill QUEST, Reginald served as development director for the College of Engineering at the University of North Texas in Denton. Now as the Executive Director at Skill QUEST, Regi helps adults in difficult financial situations complete their higher education. He says he “helps head of households stabilize their families.”
He explained to us there are 3 main reasons students don’t graduate from college – 1) finances 2) academic abilities (thus SQ offers tutoring and weekly check-ins), and 3) unexpected life events (becoming a single parent, child falls ill). Many students didn’t have a mentor or guide to help them navigate those situations. Skill QUEST takes a personal interest in each student, helping them assess their best options. Through the relationships SQ has with community colleges and employers within DFW, Skill QUEST helps students get placement in jobs that will provide a family living wage, assuring the highest likelihood of multigenerational success.