Class 101 Franchise Nationwide Convention

HIGH POINT, NC—Class 101 has grown considerably since it began 24 years ago. Expanding from one location to 47 locations, our community of college advisors provides affordable college planning to families around the country. Class 101 college advisors have helped over 7,400 students get into college, gain a deeper awareness of their interests, and earn more than $637 million dollars in merit-based aid. 

From June 27–29th, our franchises took a moment to reflect on these achievements at the 8th Annual Class 101 Convention. Hosted at High Point University in High Point, North Carolina, attendees from over 20 different states gathered for two days of in-person events about the college admissions process.

Supporting Families

It’s no surprise that 2020 was a difficult year. Between the pandemic, school closures, and economic instability, many families found it hard to navigate the issues at hand, let alone think about college.

Throughout the two days, franchise owners attended breakout sessions on topics about building teams, creating college lists, applying to Ivy League colleges, and engaging with communities. Hosted by Class 101’s leadership and other professionals, these events provided real, hands-on opportunities to learn from the foremost experts in college admissions. 

Attendees heard from a variety of people in High Point University, including Chair of the Department of Marketing and Sales Larry Quinn. The conference also included a surprise appearance from Tubby Smith, the head coach of High Point’s college basketball team 

“The value of the speakers and the High Point University experience enables our franchise owners to move forward significantly toward our quest to be the country’s best college advisors” said Tom Pabin, Founder and CEO of Class 101.

“I thought the break-out sessions and other events were really important,” said Andrew Zahuranec of Class 101 Cleveland Southeast. “I know my wife, Jackie, and I will use what we discussed to give students the tools they need to succeed.” 

Growing Franchises

The conference also provided ample opportunities for franchisees to learn from one another, whether that meant attracting families, managing better teams, or serving as an example to their fellow franchisees. 

Over the course of two days, franchises heard from Karen Feamster, a franchise owner in Franklin Tennessee, on ways they could build college lists for their students. Karen DeRosa, a franchise owner from Dayton, Ohio, provided advice on how advisors can help students interested in the performing arts. Ronda Swanigan⁠—the owner of Class 101 Irving, Texas⁠—explained how new franchise owners might grow their business and achieve success.

The event also provided a chance to honor those who achieved excellence in 2020. 

• Franchise of the Year to Karen and Tony DeRosa of Dayton, Ohio for their achievement in sales and for serving as an inspiration for the entire brand
• Visionary Award to Kim and Randy Stegemoller of Bloomington, Indiana for demonstrating the greatest level of vision for their franchise location
• Rookie of the Year to Ronda Swanigan of Irving, Texas for achieving success in the first  24 months of business 

• Most Improved Award to Laura Ciccone of Monmouth, New Jersey for demonstrating exemplary personal and business growth over the last 12 months 
• Growth Award to Karen Feamster of Franklin, Tennessee for demonstrating substantial growth of business and team over the past year.

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As leaders in college planning, Class 101 prides itself on the ability of its advisors to serve as mentors, coaches, and teachers to thousands of students around the country. For two days in June, Class 101’s 8th Annual Conference provided a way for advisors to serve as mentors, coaches, and teachers for one another. 

Along with the launch of a new website, franchises gained new insight and new tools to be successful in the coming year. If these activities sound interesting to you, we invite you to learn how to start your own franchise or seek support for a student in your life. We welcome you to contact us at any time. 

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