The College Program: Creating Social Change in Everyone's Community

James Twellman, 30, is a graduate of St. Louis U. High and Stanford University. He is a member of the prominent Twellman soccer family. James played professionally for the San Jose Earth Quakes.

James' brother Taylor went the furthest in professional soccer in the family. He played at Maryland; became part of the program of soccer in Germany; starred for the New England Revolution, becoming MVP of Major League Soccer and is a broadcaster for soccer on ESPN. Dad Tim, a former indoor and outdoor professional (Kansas City Comets) coaches the program at Villa Duchesne.

Twellman runs a program to enlighten high school prospects about finding financial aid in college, and getting scholarships.

Helping parents and students to find the right college in the words of James Twellman:

These young students and student athletes could never do what they do without the help of their parents and/or guardians.

Thank you parents. I know your kids appreciate you even if they don't say so. As a St. Louis native (SLUH ‘01) and a former Stanford student-athlete (’05), I fully understand the effort my mom and dad made in helping me make the right college choice. High School students need your support more than any other time in their young academic careers.

You have been supporting them since they started school. For the student athlete, you have been supporting them since they started competing. Juggling school, a social life and managing extracurricular activities can be overwhelming at times.

The student and student athlete that is serious about college really needs your help during these years of development. It is a hard road to navigate and they need family support. 
I see the normal high school and social stress everyday working with these students. Add the college process on top of the high school pressure and this can be too much to handle.

As a 30 year old, I know many former college students and student-athletes that regret their college choice – why? – Because they didn’t do their homework and they chose a school that ultimately, didn’t match their personal, financial and post-graduate profile. We see this all across the country.

I believe that finding the right college does not have to be this difficult and overwhelming. I believe that if parents and families have real information at their fingertips, they will make the right choice. I also know that if a student wants to attend a college, then they need to ask themselves – What does this mean when I graduate?

This means that families need to examine their child’s major and their future salary expectations as well. This is the Elephant in the Room that no one is talking about and that I believe should be addressed. If you know your college profile, then there are schools for you … but more importantly, there are schools that allow you to graduate with an acceptable and affordable debt level.

I want to create social change. I want to make this process easier for families and I also want them to think about college differently and to think about what it means later in their lives.

I am creating social change across the state, working with students from these schools: CBC, SLUH, MICDS, Clayton, DeSmet, Villa Duchesne, Visitation, Hazelwood, St. Dominic, John Burroughs, Priory, Principia, Fort Zumwalt, Lafayette, Vianney, Oakville, St. Josephs Academy, Rolla, Jackson High School and many others.

My website explains it all.