Sunwoo Hwang’s story is inspiring. A first-generation college graduate and Judo National Champion, he’s a passionate advocate for young people facing the same challenges he faced. While these kids are often full of ambition and ability, they may lack the means or mentors necessary to reach their full potential.
Realizing that his path to the American dream led through college, Sunwoo worked as many as nine jobs to pay for his education. He knew there had to be a better way. After a successful career in global management consulting and working at SaaS technology companies, he came full circle.
In early 2014, he started Sixup to apply his life experience, thinking, and energy to one of the most difficult problems facing the United States—access to higher education and economic mobility for the underserved. Sixup believes that the student-loan financing system is broken, and must be fixed. Many of Sunwoo's teammates are high-achieving, low-income students, and the first in their families to go to college. They made it, while many of their peers did not.
In this conversation, Sunwoo and Free Range founder and partner Jonah Sachs discuss the application of innovation, creativity, and community to serve and lift up the next generation. Learn more about Sixup and the work they are doing here.
