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SCHOLAR PORTAL

ABOUT GREAT JOBS KC

GREAT JOBS KC MISSION

The mission of Great Jobs KC is to provide access to college scholarships and tuition-free skills training along with employment assistance to secure family-sustaining jobs for low- to modest-income individuals in the Kansas City Area.

Top: Notebook, water bottle, and candies on a table. Bottom: Group of people sitting in a circle, each with a black bag labeled "BOLD," ready for an engaging education and training session.

GREAT JOBS KC OVERVIEW AS A COMMUNITY ASSET

How Great Jobs KC Started Through Community Engagement

Great Jobs KC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that resides in the community and reports to a community-based Board of Directors. Great Jobs KC provides financial support for individuals from low- to modest-income households to complete a college degree or a skills training program resulting in a household-sustaining career.

Started as KC Scholars in 2016, as a community-engaged process with over 70 members of the regional community helping to plan a college scholarship program rooted in one man’s commitment to postsecondary education.

Ewing Marion Kauffman was an entrepreneur and humanitarian whose innovative and long-lasting contributions have benefited millions of people in Kansas City and beyond. Mr. Kauffman believed that a postsecondary education is possible for everyone.

KC Scholars publicly launched on September 28, 2016. It awarded its first scholarships in May 2017.

Beginning in 2022, KC Scholars broadened its programs by adding Great Jobs KC, a tuition-free skills training program, life skills workshops, and Kansas City job assistance to its graduated Scholars with a KC Career Resources team. As the organization has evolved and programming and support have broadened to include access to job opportunities in Kansas City, there became a need to update the organizational name to embrace the expanded mission to not only provide access to college but to ensure all who are educated or trained through our programs realize the goal of a GREAT JOB. A great job means a career with the ability to sustain a household and provide benefits.

In October 2023, to capture this expanded mission, the organizational name was adapted to Great Jobs KC.

Building a STRONGER KC: One Life At A Time.

CORE VALUES

We believe Everyone in our community deserves the opportunity to secure a household-sustaining career through a college degree or skills training.

We are here to support them in whichever path they choose through their training or education and into their chosen career. 

We believe everyone in our community deserves the opportunity We base our why on our organizational values, we believe that establishing an intentional culture based on these five values will help ensure that we achieve our mission and goals. 

We base our goals, processes, programs, and support on these 5 values, which allows us to remain constant in our vision of doing our part to build a better, stronger, and more diverse workforce and community. 

SCHOLARS FIRST

Every decision will be made in the best interest of our Scholars and their futures. 

HOPE

A powerful force that motivates us and our Scholars to persevere through challenges and strive for our goals. 

Excellence

Exceeding expectations and contributing significantly to the future of our Scholars and the Kansas City community.

Continuous Improvement

We work to continually enhance our processes and programs by taking a systematic approach to identifying and addressing areas for growth, achieving sustained progress over time.

Results-Focused

We set measurable and achievable goals. We use data to show our progress, celebrate successes, replicate tactics that work, and improve our processes when necessary to continue achieving our goals. Check out our Scholar success stories. 

A group of graduates in caps and gowns celebrating outdoors. Text on the image reads "Over $12 million in scholarships being awarded." These scholarships are paving the way for promising careers.
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Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

The Adult Learner Scholarship application is closed. Please click GET STARTED to be added to communication reminders on when to apply during the next open cycle.

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

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Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
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