About Us
Est. in 2010, The Midwest College Project is a local nonprofit established to support minority students with college & career planning. We partner with industry professionals and thought leaders to design a robust program for coaching, professional skills, mentoring just to name a few. The name the "Midwest College Project" signifies our desire to cultivate home grown talent by fostering alliances with local Midwest Universities to support diversity and inclusion admissions recruitment strategies. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are a lot smaller organization than many competitive programs which allows more hands on attention and greater access to many resources.
Meet The Team
Founder | Diversity & Inclusion Leader | Executive Career Coach
Jacqueleen Crittle is the founder and Executive Director of Diversity & Inclusion Iniatives. For greater than a decade, it has been her role to empower corporate professionals and young adults to pursue their passions while making informed decisions about their career and life trajectory. Many refer to her as more of a “Life Strategist” in her approach to coaching.
Her career achievements include coaching hundreds of corporate professionals, along with coaching and mentoring a thousand young adults. As a Career Coach/Life Strategist, she delivers leadership coaching focused on job readiness professional skills, networking, negotiation, mock interviewing techniques, and corporate psychology. She combines self-reflection that leads to shifts in thinking or values both spiritually and mentally. She maintains a unique ability to help a person dive deep within to uncover their true passion and to then create a path for building a career plan around that passion.
In the corporate sector, she possess a unique aptitude for integrating lean strategies with sales and marketing techniques to create optimal business solutions. She is a passionate leader who focuses on operational excellence.
Over the last eight years, she has been traveling the Midwest networking with universities to cultivate homegrown talent via diversity and inclusion recruitment strategies. Jacqueleen is a graduate of Loyola & Roosevelt University and earned a Masters Degree in Marketing and then later earned Certifications from Cornell University in Strategic Marketing and Nonprofit Management from Loyola University. In addition to these degrees and certifications, she is also a licensed Life Strategist & Childbirth Educator and she holds a Lean Six Sigma Certification. , Jacqueleen is a published author and host of her own national talk broadcast show.
Testing Strategist | Peer Instructors
For decades the value of Peer Instruction has been at the forefront of test preparation.
Essay Expertise
LaNae Davis is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Spelman College, holding a Bachelor of Arts in English. She also has a Masters of Journalism from Northwestern University -Madill School of Journalism and an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts where she graduated with honors. Ms. Davis is a member of the National Honor Society and the Sigma Tau Delta (International English Honor Society).
Public Speaking Strategist | Author
Kevin McNeil is an international Motivational Public Speaker, abuse activist, and the CEO of the Twe12e Project. He motivates individuals to draw closer to their strength through his books, workshop training, business coaching, character refinement, and with honest, confident, and respectful communication. He travels internationally speaking on topics relevant to Empowering Public Speakers, Child Advocacy, Police Departments, Department of Family and Children Services, District Attorney’s Offices, athletic organizations, schools and universities, parents and foster parents, as well as community members. Kevin has appeared on numerous radio, television, and podcast programs; and has been featured in several magazine articles. Kevin's goal with MCP is to ensure HS, Gen Z & Millennials improve, challenge and refine their standard approach to public speaking.
D & I Recruitment Summer Intern
Kai Crittle is a 2020 Graduating Senior from the University of Kentucky with a BA in Human Communication & Leadership and is actively pursuing a Certification in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. Kai's achievements are based upon Communications, Stategic Marketing and the desire to enforce Diversity & Inclusion protocol within the corporate and civic sector. Kai is innovative, responsive and has a passion for supporting our corporate community partners.
Grant Writer
Position filled... Announcement Coming August 2020.
Meet Morenike Odulate
Aka Reni entered the MCP program as the youngest cohort member as a freshman in high school. We pursued many career interest, mentoring and shadowing and lots of college exploration to land us at Xavier University, LA.
Alumni Testimonials
Harmon - BCBS (MCP Alumni)
“MCP prepared me for college with multiple informative workshops and continual words of encouragement throughout college. The Midwest College Project also helped me post grad as well, putting me in a position to decide on one of four offers fresh out of school. I am beyond grateful for the networking opportunities that MCP has put in front of me!”
Batchman - Graduating Senior (MCP Alumni)
The Midwest College Project ingrained in me great knowledge and confidence that prepared me for not only college, but life as a whole. I made many valuable connections and am grateful to have had the ongoing support and mentoring like no other. The program motivated me to do lots of things but most of all it motivated me to be a better me.
Staton - Entrepreneur (MCP Alumni)
“The MCP not only assisted in discovering the perfect college for me, but it allowed me to build a network filled with like minded individuals that still last to this day. Mrs. Crittle has been a helpful resource in my business and entrepreneurial ventures during school and post grad. I am thankful for the opportunities and bonds I have that were birthed during my time in the MCP”.
Edwards - Grad Student (MCP Alumni)
MCP fully prepared me to enter the collegiate and working world. Through professional workshops I was motivated to continue my education and pursue my dreams of becoming a business woman and psychologist.
Richardson - Medical Student (MCP Alumni)
"I really enjoyed the Midwest College Tours because it gave me a better understanding of the difference between attending a small, medium and large college. In this way, I was able to narrow down which college was best for me. For me personally, I found out that I prefer a larger sized college. Campus visits afforded me the opportunity to find out what their admissions process was like and what requirements they have." Throughout my 4 years of college and even as I prepared for Denistry School MCP has been there to support, coach and guide me through the process. My overall engagment has been a true blessing.
Ross- Medical School Candidate (MCP Alumni)
"Well it was a good experience and it gave me an opportunity to see if the schools we visited were a good match for me and if they fit my 'interest before I made the commitment to select DePaul,"
Our College Attendees or Graduates & Places We Tour
Endorsement
"With wit and charm, Jacqueleen Crittle shares perceptive, ground-up lessons on growing children who will not only survive, but thrive.
"In a series of short stories told in loving yet plainspoken prose, Raising a Winner tackles the myths and misunderstandings about raising children.
"It’s a must-read road map to raising children that reveals as much about the parent as the child."
-Laura S. Washington
Columnist, Chicago Sun-Times
Political Analyst, ABC 7-Chicago
Twittter: @MediaDervish
