Mission

UNL's mission is to transform the lives of underserved youth through our programs that develop passion-driven, global leaders.

What We Do

Usher's New Look (UNL) is a 501(c)3 educational based organization that has served over 50,000 students since its inception 20 years ago. Usher Raymond IV, driven by his passion to help underserved youth, formed UNL in 1999 with the assistance of his mother. The initial model was a summer camp program. In 2010, the organization migrated to a fully scalable programming certification model. UNL's 10-year comprehensive school-based program serves students starting in 8th grade through college graduation. Achieved through a 3-tier program approach, the first is Powered by Service (PBS) which serves grades 8th and 9th, the second is the New Look Leadership Academy (NLLA) serving grades 9th-12, and the third is the Moguls in Training (MIT) which serves college students from freshman year through graduation and one year beyond. Our program model and curriculum has been validated by Emory University's Goizueta Business School and is guiding our students on a pathway to unlocking their "Spark", or passion, to find a career and education pathway that is relevant to their interests. The UNL leadership development model helps underserved youth (ages 13-25) imagine and attain brighter futures by helping them identify and maximize their unique talents, acquire a solid education, pursue satisfying careers and use their gifts to serve the greater good.
We certify youth in four leadership pillars--talent, education, career and service--to ensure their success as leaders throughout the world. UNL's secret sauce is the use of its peer-to-peer program model that provides access, awareness and empowerment to youth and sets them on a pathway to leadership, better education and stronger career opportunities. UNL serves over 3,000 students per year and 100% of the students who complete the high school program graduate high school.