Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rosalind Lucien. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rosalind , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?

One heartwarming story that stands out from my career involves M.S., a young man from the region where I lived. I had previously worked with his older sibling and was later contracted to help M.S. navigate the college admissions process. He was interested in pursuing a STEM career, and I immediately recognized his potential as a strong candidate for a highly sought-after full-ride scholarship opportunity. The application process favored early submissions, so timing was crucial.

As the priority deadline approached, I called M.S. to check on his progress. During that conversation, it became clear that he didn’t fully grasp the magnitude of the opportunity or the consequences of missing the deadline. I asked him to put me on speakerphone so that his mother could also hear what I had to say. I discussed the importance of the application and the doors it could open for his future. I shared the how burdensome student loan debt can be. This program would remove that barrier.

Motivated by that conversation, M.S. submitted a stellar application. Two months later, he called me, ecstatic, to share that he had been selected as a finalist for the scholarship, and was invited to come to campus for Interview Weekend. His gratitude was humbling. “Ms. Roz,” he said, “I don’t think I fully understood the magnitude of what you were encouraging me to do. This is a big deal. Thank you.”

Fast forward 4 years to last weekend—M.S. reached out to invite me to breakfast. Now entering his final undergraduate semester, he has submitted multiple applications for Ph.D. programs and is preparing to take the next step in his academic journey. Over the years, he has grown into a campus leader and is poised to make a significant impact in his field.

What makes this story even more special is his commitment to giving back. This spring, during his break, M.S. will return to the region to speak at our 4th Annual Career Exploration Conference. He’ll share his journey with high school students, inspiring them to dream big and seize opportunities. His willingness to “lift as we thrive” exemplifies the mission of our work and reminds me why I do what I do.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Introducing Rosalind Lucien, M.S., Founder of The Scholar Blueprint and The Thrive Hub

About Myself and My Journey
My name is Rosalind Lucien, and I am a proud first-generation American, the child of immigrants, who was privileged to be raised in Teaneck, NJ—a small suburban town that was a true multicultural haven. Teaneck, the first town in the United States to voluntarily desegregate its public school system, was a vibrant community where diversity thrived. It was home to a large Jewish population, a Baháʼí temple, a Muslim mosque, and Christian places of worship. At our school lunch tables, we sat side by side in a way that mirrored the iconic United Colors of Benetton ads from the 1980s.

Growing up in Teaneck, I saw success reflected in people who looked like me and those who didn’t. Black doctors, lawyers, and educators were not anomalies—they were my neighbors. For many years, I believed this level of representation and opportunity was the norm everywhere. It wasn’t until I engaged with communities outside of Teaneck that I realized how unique and transformative my upbringing had been.

This understanding became the driving force behind my work. I want my children, children who look like them, and children who don’t, to understand the vast capacity of their possibilities and to access the tools and resources needed to thrive.

About The Scholar Blueprint
At The Scholar Blueprint, we help students and families maximize their opportunities for higher education while minimizing or even eliminating the burden of student loan debt. A cornerstone of our work is helping students raise their academic credit scores—a term we use to describe their academic readiness and ability to compete for merit-based scholarships and financial aid.

We provide one-on-one guidance for families, tailoring our services to meet individual needs. For families unable to afford educational consulting services, we partner with community organizations to ensure these students still receive the support they need.

In 2024, I released a workbook titled Mapping Futures: Navigating Your Path to the Best College Fit. This resource has been a game-changer for both first-generation students and parents who may have graduated from college some time ago. The workbook provides a structured way to collect information and make apples-to-apples comparisons when deciding on college options. To further increase accessibility, the book was recently translated into Spanish, ensuring Spanish-speaking families are included in the process and do not feel isolated from their children during this critical decision-making time.

About The Thrive Hub Inc.
At The Thrive Hub Inc., together with an amazing team of board members, we support underrepresented and under-resourced youth in traveling successfully from the classroom to their careers. Our mission is grounded in four core tenets:
1. Academic Success
2. Personal and Professional Development
3. Financial Fitness
• We go beyond the buzzword of “financial literacy” to emphasize the importance of healthy financial habits and intentional decision-making.
4. Physical and Mental Health
• We help students understand that success involves balance across all these areas.

Our programs are designed to model for students that success is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Success requires using resources effectively, being coachable, and working smarter to avoid unnecessary pitfalls. We emphasize that success is not linear—it can take different shapes for everyone, and that’s okay.

What Sets Us Apart
What distinguishes The Scholar Blueprint and The Thrive Hub is our holistic, equity-driven, and accessible approach.
• At The Scholar Blueprint, we focus on empowering families with personalized strategies and tools like Mapping Futures to make informed decisions.
• At The Thrive Hub, we take a community-centered approach, addressing all aspects of a student’s journey—from academics to career readiness—while modeling the importance of balance and resilience.

Through both organizations, we help students and families turn possibilities into realities by creating pathways for success that are culturally responsive, practical, and inclusive.

What I’m Most Proud Of
I’m most proud of the students and families we’ve impacted through our work. Whether it’s a student earning a full-ride scholarship, a parent feeling empowered to support their child’s educational journey, or a young leader thriving in their first job after college, these successes fuel my passion.

The translation of Mapping Futures into Spanish is one of our proudest achievements, as it expands the reach of our mission to include even more families who deserve equitable access to these resources. The Black, Brown, and College Bound event, now an annual celebration, is another highlight—bringing together students, families, and community members to inspire and empower future generations.

What I Want You to Know
Both The Scholar Blueprint and The Thrive Hub are here to serve as resources, advocates, and guides for students and families navigating the complexities of education and career pathways.

As the child of immigrants who believed in the transformative power of education, I understand firsthand the challenges and opportunities families face. Through these organizations, we aim to break down barriers, provide tools for success, and create environments where all students can thrive.

If you’re seeking a partner to guide you or your child in their educational journey, we’re here to help. Together, we can lift as we thrive. Let’s turn dreams into plans and possibilities into realities.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the most significant pivots in my career came during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, I was already deeply entrenched in my work through The Scholar Blueprint, helping families navigate the complexities of college admissions and financial aid. However, the challenges of the pandemic—disrupted learning environments, increased financial insecurity, and the emotional toll on students and families—highlighted the need for a broader, more holistic approach to supporting underrepresented youth.

That urgency gave birth to The Thrive Hub Inc., which I officially founded in 2021. The Thrive Hub was something I had long considered, but the pandemic made it clear that students needed more than just academic support. They needed guidance across every area of their lives—academic success, personal and professional development, financial fitness, and mental and physical health. These became the four core tenets of The Thrive Hub’s mission.

Launching a nonprofit during such an uncertain time required me to pivot both in mindset and in action. Traditionally, my work had focused on individualized consulting and educational tools through The Scholar Blueprint. With The Thrive Hub, I had to shift to creating scalable programming and building a team of board members to help execute the vision. This meant not only addressing students’ academic needs but also creating resources and opportunities to help them build healthy habits, develop resilience, and prepare for life beyond the classroom.

The urgency of the pandemic also forced me to adopt new ways of working. We leaned into virtual platforms to host workshops, mentorship sessions, and wellness check-ins. These sessions allowed students to process their experiences in a safe space and connect with professionals who could inspire them to dream bigger, even during difficult times.

The Thrive Hub Inc. has since grown into a cornerstone of my work. What started as a response to an immediate crisis has become a long-term commitment to supporting underrepresented youth as they navigate the journey from the classroom to their careers. Looking back, this pivot wasn’t just a response to the pandemic—it was a realization of the need to address the whole student, ensuring they have the resources, mentorship, and support to thrive in all aspects of their lives.

This experience reinforced for me the power of adaptability and urgency in addressing community needs. It’s one of the pivots I’m most proud of, and it has made my work—and my mission—stronger than ever.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My reputation within my market has been built on a foundation of being firm, but fair, always leading with love, and genuinely advocating for my students on all days and in all ways. I operate with a guiding principle: Would this be okay for my own child? I don’t have two sets of standards—one for other people’s children and another for mine. Every student I work with deserves the same level of care, commitment, and excellence I would offer my own children.

I refuse to shortchange students. They deserve our, and I show up every day with that in mind. Whether I’m pushing a student to meet a deadline, guiding them through the financial aid process, or helping them navigate their personal goals, I approach the work with high expectations, clear guidance, and unwavering support.

This approach has yielded phenomenal results, including admissions to top-tier boarding schools, Ivy League universities, and highly selective HBCUs. I’m proud to say that my students not only gain access to these prestigious institutions but also thrive there, many going on to graduate and pursue even greater opportunities. Each year, I eagerly look forward to Decision Day and Graduation Day announcements as they reflect the hard work and dedication of my students, their families, and the community we’ve built together.

This spring, my calendar is packed with multiple college graduations—including our first law school graduation—each milestone representing a journey that began with hope and determination. These moments affirm why I do this work and why I remain committed to my guiding principle of treating every student as if they were my own.

While the current education landscape is filled with anxiety and uncertainty, I remain hopeful because of the community and resources we continue to grow. Families trust me because I approach every interaction with honesty, integrity, and love. Students recognize that I believe in their potential and will not let them settle for less than what they are capable of achieving.

Ultimately, my reputation has been built on consistency, care, and results. I show up for every student, every family, and every organization with the same energy and dedication, ensuring they have the tools to succeed. My work is rooted in the belief that education is transformative, and through this belief, I’ve been able to guide students to achieve outcomes that change the trajectory of their lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.thescholarblueprint.com AND www.thethrivehub.org
• Instagram: @scholarblueprint AND @liftaswethrive
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/Thescholarblueprint AND https://facebook.com/Thethrivehubinc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-scholar-blueprint/ AND https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-thrive-hub-inc/

Image Credits

McKinney Media