Our Mission

To help more Mississippians obtain postsecondary credentials, college certificates, and degrees that lead to meaningful employment.

Students Standing Together

Our Vision

We envision a Mississippi where all people can secure the training and education beyond high school that will allow them to enhance their quality of life, strengthen their communities and contribute to a vibrant and prosperous future for our state.

Our Core Values

At WHEF, we are guided by 6 core values that reflect our commitment to:

Integrity in our Actions

We commit to honest work that respects and strengthens the well-being of our grantees, community, coworkers and partners. Daily, we work with humility and acknowledge our responsibility in acting as stewards of the human and financial resources entrusted to us, in support of WHEF’s mission.

Relationship Building and Collaboration

We recognize that our resources are only a small part of what is needed to achieve our goals and that our work has greater impact when we work alongside others. We believe in cultivating relationships and developing partnerships that allow us to both lead and follow, as we work to further the mission of WHEF.

Recognize the Value of all People

We recognize the value of all people and will respect everyone with whom we work, inside and outside the foundation, valuing each person’s unique background, experiences and perspective. We align our policies, practices, and resources so that all people have genuine opportunities to thrive.

Communicate Courageously

We candidly and courageously share what we learn with others in an effort to serve as advocates and impact systems change.

Excellence in all that we do

We commit to continuous learning and strive for excellence in everything we do so that WHEF is synonymous with quality, best practices and trustworthiness. We believe giving anything less than our best work would be a disservice to our grantees, community and partners.

Increase Educational Equity

We are committed to serving all Mississippians and believe that every person—regardless of race, income, or circumstance—deserves an equal opportunity to access the resources and supports that will help them enroll and succeed in higher education

What We Mean by "College"

We think of college as any education beyond high school that leads to financial stability. It can be a four-year degree or beyond, but it can also be a two-year community college degree or a certificate in career and technical education.

Get2College

WHEF’s flagship program is Get2College, a boots-on-the-ground college planning program that provides free college counseling to any person in Mississippi who requests it. 

Get2College works directly with students and families to remove barriers to college attendance and support a college-going culture—a culture in which Mississippi students expect to go to college and receive the help they need to get there. 

Woman Reading a Book

Three Get2College centers

in Southaven, Jackson, and Ocean Springs offer one-on-one college counseling and planning services for students and families, including career counseling, free ACT prep, and hands-on assistance in completing forms and securing financial aid.

74% of students who visit are low-income, first generation college students or students of color—students who have historically been underrepresented in college or who have completed college at a lower rate.