Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Ojo.
Brittany, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey with The College Grad Project really started in 2021, when I enrolled in an online Master of Social Work program. During my first semester, I struggled with one class in particular. The assignments were confusing, and a few of my classmates and I created a group chat so we could ask questions, help one another, and honestly just figure things out together. “I’m so confused” became something we said almost every day.
Toward the end of the semester, I had a facilitation assignment and decided to focus on something I had been experiencing firsthand: the lack of support and connection many online students felt. After talking with my professor, I reframed the topic around a larger question: How can universities better support their online students?
I started my presentation with a simple check-in. I asked everyone to rate how they were feeling on a scale of 1 to 10, and I shared that I was at a five. That small question opened the door to a much bigger conversation. My classmates began talking about feeling isolated, overlooked, and unsupported while trying to navigate graduate school online.
I ended the presentation by asking what universities could do differently and talking about the importance of giving online students access to meaningful resources, guidance, and community.
That conversation stayed with me because, in many ways, I was experiencing the same thing outside of the classroom.
At the time, I was balancing graduate school, work, and everyday life while also trying to figure out what I was supposed to do with the degree I had already earned. I had graduated with my bachelor’s degree the year before, yet I was still earning about $17 an hour. After spending six years working toward my degree, it was frustrating to realize that graduating did not automatically translate into career opportunities, higher pay, or a clear path forward.
It eventually took me two years after earning my bachelor’s degree to secure a better-paying position with the state. During that time, I learned how difficult the transition from college into the workforce can be, especially when you do not have the right information, connections, or support system.
I remember telling my sister, Bridgette, that I wished there were a community for people like me: college graduates who had done what they were told to do, earned their degrees, and were now asking, “What comes next?”
I searched for resources, career support, and communities that spoke directly to that experience. Eventually, I had a realization that changed everything for me: if I could not find the resource I was looking for, maybe I could create it.
I started small. I created an Instagram page and began posting motivational quotes for recent college graduates who felt lost, frustrated, discouraged, or unsure about their next steps. I wanted people to know that struggling after graduation did not mean they had failed and that earning a degree without immediately landing the perfect career did not make their accomplishment any less valuable.
Over time, that simple quote page grew into The College Grad Project.
Today, The College Grad Project helps college graduates navigate the transition from education into the workforce by connecting them with higher-paying jobs, internships, career resources, professional development opportunities, and a community of people experiencing many of the same challenges.
Along the way, I became known as the “Grad Coach,” a title that reflects what I ultimately want to do. My goal is not simply to repost job opportunities. I want to help graduates recognize the value of their education, understand how to position their skills and experiences, and find opportunities that move them closer to the careers and lives they worked so hard to build.
College teaches you how to earn the degree, but many graduates are left trying to figure out what happens after the graduation ceremony ends.
The College Grad Project exists to help answer that question.
I created the community I once needed for myself, and now my goal is to make sure other graduates do not have to navigate that transition alone.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has definitely not been smooth. As a first-time business owner, one of my biggest challenges has been learning how to build something from the ground up while also figuring things out in real time. I did not start The College Grad Project with a background in entrepreneurship, marketing, or branding, so much of this journey has involved trial and error, research, and being willing to learn as I go.
Building the brand has required me to wear a lot of different hats. I have had to learn how to create content, market the business, build an audience, identify useful resources, and communicate the mission in a way that reaches the graduates who need it most. There have been moments when I have had a clear vision for where I want The College Grad Project to go but have had to figure out the steps to get there along the way.
One of my biggest challenges right now is increasing awareness. I know there are college graduates who are struggling to find meaningful employment, increase their income, or simply understand what their next step should be. The challenge is making sure they know The College Grad Project exists and that there is a community specifically designed to help them navigate that transition.
Another major goal is creating a dedicated website that can serve as a central hub for graduates. I envision a platform where people can search for higher-paying jobs and internships, access career and professional development resources, learn how to better position themselves in the workforce, and connect with other graduates who understand what it feels like to navigate life after college.
Funding that vision has been another challenge. Building a platform with the resources, tools, and reach I envision requires investment, and as a growing business, I have had to be intentional about how I expand while working with the resources I currently have.
What keeps me moving forward are the graduates who reach out to me. I receive questions from people who are struggling to find employment, looking for better-paying opportunities, or trying to determine what they can do with their degrees. Every conversation reminds me that the challenges I experienced after graduation were not unique to me.
Those interactions are also confirmation that The College Grad Project is solving a real problem. I may still be building, learning, and expanding, but I know the need is there. That is what motivates me to keep going and continue turning the vision into something even bigger.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The College Grad Project?
The College Grad Project is a career and community platform created specifically for recent college graduates. We connect graduates with higher-paying jobs, internships, career resources, and support designed to help them navigate what comes after earning their degree.
What makes The College Grad Project different is our focus. Traditional job platforms are designed for a broad audience, but our mission is centered specifically on college graduates and the challenges that can come with transitioning from school into the workforce. That can include figuring out what jobs align with their degree, learning how to market their skills, finding opportunities with stronger earning potential, and simply knowing where to begin.
I’m known as the “Grad Coach,” and I want The College Grad Project to be more than a page that shares job postings. I want it to become a trusted career resource graduates can return to for opportunities, guidance, encouragement, and community throughout the early stages of their professional lives.
The jobs and internships we share are selected with college graduates in mind. We highlight opportunities across different majors, industries, and degree backgrounds so graduates can discover career paths they may not have previously considered and better understand how their education and skills can translate into the workforce.
What I am most proud of, though, is the community we are building. The College Grad Project grew out of my own experience of graduating from college and realizing earning a degree did not automatically come with a roadmap for what happened next. I know what it feels like to invest years into your education and still struggle to find an opportunity that reflects your qualifications, goals, and potential.
My long-term vision is to build The College Grad Project into a comprehensive online platform where graduates can search for jobs and internships, access career development resources, discover professional opportunities, and connect with a community that understands the transition from college into the workforce.
I want every graduate who encounters The College Grad Project to feel seen, supported, and empowered to build a career that reflects the work they put into earning their degree. I want them to know that feeling uncertain after graduation does not mean they are behind, and that their degree still has value.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My sister, Bridgette, deserves a tremendous amount of credit for supporting me throughout this journey.
She is the person I turn to when I have an idea and need help figuring out how to bring it to life. She is incredibly creative and has helped me with content, social media posts, and the creative direction of The College Grad Project. She has also supported me as I work toward building the website and growing the business.
More than anything, Bridgette has been my biggest supporter. Entrepreneurship can sometimes feel like a lonely journey, especially when you are building something from the ground up. Having someone who believes in your vision, listens to your ideas, and is willing to help you turn those ideas into something tangible has meant so much to me.
I’m grateful to have her in my corner.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecollegegradproject.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollegegradproject/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19qaa8Gdx2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyojo/?isSelfProfile=false
