In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Melvin Hines, a professor, mentor, and entrepreneur who is passionate about leveling the playing field for students from smaller towns. Melvin shares his journey, from growing up in South Georgia and being inspired to help his classmates succeed, to working with the CIA and founding his own EdTech business, Upswing. Melvin discusses the challenges faced by students in smaller towns, including limited access to resources like tutors, advisors, and mentors, and how the Upswing platform was created to bridge this gap by connecting students with mentors from larger cities and providing access to campus resources and third-party networks.   Melvin also shares how Upswing has evolved to address other barriers to student success, including mental health resources, and how their virtual assistant helps students stay on track with reminders and check-ins on how technology can be used to support students and level the playing field for those from smaller towns.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development. Founder Bio: Melvin is the co-founder and CEO of Upswing, an organization that uses engagement software to help keep online students and adult learners on the path toward graduation. Today, Upswing supports nearly 1 million students in nearly 70 colleges. Melvin grew up in south Georgia, where he was one of only 68 students to graduate out of a class of 250. This ignited his passion for finding a way to empower students to take their futures into their own hands through higher education. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Melvin received a JD/MBA from Duke University where he started a law forum for educational equality. Afterward, he became a professor at North Carolina Central University, where he supported first-year student success.     Time Stamps: 02:45 Melvin's professional journey and background 05:45 Leveraging technology to level the playing field in small-town America + 10:19 Leveraging technology to create connections and opportunities for smaller communities 13:31 Upswing's proactive approach to student mental health and financial AID support 17:35 Scaling human intervention with AI technology 21:34 Exploring the impact of Chat GPT on human interaction 24:19 Benefits and challenges of utilizing technology to support vulnerable communities 26:35 Pricing model for student retention services 30:45 Joining forces in an accelerator program 33:36 Equity considerations for co-founders and external investors 39:47 Discussion on equity splitting and liquidation preferences in venture capital funding 42:32 How to get in contact with the Upswing team Resources: Company website: https://upswing.io/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upswing.io/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/upswing-io/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/upswing