Founder’s Message To Donors

A Message from Our Founder

I know what it means to want more for your life but lack the resources to access it.

I was raised in poverty on the west side of Chicago by a single mother who never wavered in her belief that education was the key to a better future. Despite frequent moves, limited means, and becoming a teen mother in high school, I stayed in school because my mother and my teachers believed in me — often before I believed in myself.

I went on to earn multiple degrees. Education opened doors for me professionally and personally. However, it also left me with hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt — debt that I still carry today, including debt taken on to support my own children’s college education.

That reality should not be the price of ambition.

I founded Open Doors Higher Education Alliance because no student should have to choose between pursuing education and securing their financial future. Our students are capable, motivated, and deserving — yet too many are blocked by costs, lack of guidance, and systemic inequities.

Your support directly removes barriers.
Your investment creates access.
Your partnership changes lives — not just for today, but for generations.

Together, we can ensure students focus on learning, growth, and purpose — not fear, finances, or survival.

Thank you for helping us open doors that stay open.

With gratitude,

Dr. Fredericka L. Mack

Founder, Open Doors Higher Education Alliance