CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fullbridge Program today announced an expansion of its support for college students in their transition to successful careers through its acquisition of College Portfolio.  The Fullbridge Program, which utilizes coach-led courses in an intensive, month-long program designed to help students launch their careers, further announced that College Portfolio Founder and CEO Rick O'Donnell will join The Fullbridge Program's senior management team. Mr. O'Donnell is the former Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education, where he oversaw 29 colleges and universities and regulated private and technical colleges.

The acquisition will strengthen Fullbridge's leadership position in the emerging college-to-workforce transition space.   The combined company will serve more students at a greater range of universities in career readiness training, coaching and credentialing.

Mr. O'Donnell will lead partnership efforts with universities and colleges and pioneer ongoing coaching, training and credentialing services for Fullbridge graduates.

"We are thrilled that Fullbridge acquired College Portfolio," said Mr. O'Donnell. "By working together, we will be able to offer students a comprehensive set of tools starting early in their college years, extending through internships and into the first critical years of post-graduation employment."

"College Portfolio was built on a few core principles," continued Mr. O'Donnell. "Like Fullbridge, we believe that students should not settle for 'second-best' jobs.  We believe that students can and should master core skills that will make them real contributors in business, non-profits, the sciences and the arts, and that they learn best from the combination of accelerated experience, aspirational coaches and motivated peers.  We are proud to be joining forces with The Fullbridge Program because they share these core beliefs."

The Fullbridge Program is designed to help students develop critical skills and a clear sense of direction. Its participants are freshmen through graduate students at Ivy League universities and top liberal arts colleges. The Fullbridge Program is offered throughout the year and now partners with select liberal arts colleges to offer the program on-campus as part of their commitment to helping students launch successful careers.

College Portfolio provides early career support, skills-development and a network of career guides and alumni mentors through its online courses. 

"We are impressed with Rick's insights, background and passion for working effectively with colleges and universities to help their students find careers that make them excited to go to work," said Fullbridge co-Founder and Co-CEO Candice Olson.

"Rick understands the challenges facing higher education from extensive experience – but just as importantly, he is a thought leader in this new space," continued Mrs. Olson. "College Portfolio brings more than $3 million of investments in thoughtful intellectual property that will help Fullbridge offer high-quality, hands-on career preparation for thousands of students." 

Prior to founding College Portfolio, Mr. O'Donnell was President of the Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence, which pioneered the top-ranked and innovative Acton MBA in Entrepreneurship.  He also spent nearly a decade in the Cabinet of Colorado's Governor, including serving as Deputy Chief of Staff & Director of Policy and head of both the Department of Regulatory Agencies and Department of Higher Education.  From establishing the nation's first state-funded voucher for college students to leading public policy reforms of the K-16 system and founding social enterprises aimed at boosting student achievement, Mr. O'Donnell has been at the forefront of education innovation for more than a decade.

"There is a huge infrastructure helping students get into the right college," Mr. O'Donnell continued, "but very little supporting the more critical transition into successful and meaningful careers, a much more difficult transition than for previous generations. We're here to change that."

About The Fullbridge Program
Offering an accelerated high-end boot camp, Fullbridge enables students at top colleges and graduate schools to make a successful transition from high academic achievement to success in the global workplace in a range of careers. The Fullbridge Program provides the 10 key skills and eight habits top employers worldwide value – whether in business, non-profit or entrepreneurial environments – making Fullbridge the must-have experience and credential to top off a top-tier liberal arts, sciences, or law education for students worldwide. The Fullbridge Program provides career assessments and a personalized coaching model to help participants understand strengths, development areas and develop a clear sense of career direction, translate majors into actionable career options, and develop a plan for moving forward into internships and professional jobs. For more information, visit www.fullbridge.com.

Media Contact:

The Fullbridge Program
Briana Menendez, 960-309-1695
brianamenendez@fullbridge.com

SOURCE The Fullbridge Program