Warwick resident and a member of The College Crusade of Rhode Island board of directors, Edwin Pacheco, has assumed the role of board chair. Stepping down from current leadership is Paul E. Moran, who served as chair of The College Crusade’s board for 12 years.

 Pacheco is interim vice president of advancement and external relations for Rhode Island College, where he oversees the college’s institution-wide giving programs, alumni relations, marketing communications and external relations. He previously served as associate vice president for college advancement. Pacheco is former executive director of Education in Action, a Providence-based nonprofit that promotes experiential learning and financial literacy for youth. He has been a member of the Burrillville School Board and the Rhode Island State Legislature, and also served as chairman of the Rhode Island Democratic Party. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island. 

“We are excited to welcome Edwin Pacheco as the new chair of our board of directors,” Andrew Bramson, president and CEO of The College Crusade in a statement. “Ed has a deep appreciation for our mission, an abiding belief in the young people of Rhode Island and a firm commitment to investing in higher education. We will benefit from his impressive leadership qualities, his wide-ranging organizational experience and his strengths as a strategic communicator.”

“I am honored to accept a leadership role in overseeing the great work of The College Crusade,” said Pacheco. “This organization has had a tremendous positive impact on the lives and educational careers of thousands of Rhode Island students. We are proud of them all – from the hopeful sixth graders and their families who join our program every year to our talented college graduates who are employed in every economic sector of our community. Together with our friends, funders and dedicated staff, I look forward to contributing my efforts to supporting young people who are committed to educational achievement.”

The mission of The College Crusade is to increase high school graduation, college and career readiness, and college completion for youth in Rhode Island’s low-income communities. The College Crusade supports approximately 4,200 students in middle school, high school, and college each year. The organization enrolls sixth graders who attend public and public charter schools in Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket. From the time they join through grade 12, Crusaders experience the steady, nurturing presence of caring adults and participate year-round in programs that focus on academic enrichment, social and personal development, career awareness and exploration, and preparation for college. Crusaders who attend colleges in Rhode Island also benefit from postsecondary transition and success services. In addition, since 2001, The College Crusade has awarded over $33 million in college scholarships to more than 4,200 Rhode Island students. For more information visit www.thecollegecrusade.org.