Our Team

Ronda Swanigan

Owner

Ronda is a dynamic, multi-unit franchise owner of Class 101 Irving and Class 101 Atlanta, dedicated to guiding students and families through every step of their college planning journey. Her mission centers on making college more affordable and accessible.  A proud alumna of Spelman College with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in School Counseling from Clark Atlanta University, Ronda’s commitment to education and opportunity runs deep. Her passion for college planning ignited over a decade ago while working with the NFL, where she guided high school athletes through the complexities of college admissions. With over seven years as a school counselor and as College Access Counselor Lead, she oversaw college advisors district-wide, pioneering initiatives for college and career readiness. Recognized by the College Board’s Counselor Recognition Program for expanding college access, she was also awarded AVID Counselor of the Year in her district. Her achievements continued as she was named Franchise Rookie of the Year for Class 101, with her story highlighted in Dallas Voyage Magazine. A true educator and advocate, Ronda is honored to facilitate pre-college programs with Spelman College, SMU, and Georgia State’s High School Institute, and frequently presents at conferences focused on college readiness. Her expertise and resources have empowered countless students to envision and achieve their academic goals. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ronda cherishes time with her family, community service, and real estate investment.  Ronda Swanigan embodies passion, dedication, and excellence, inspiring students and families toward brighter futures through higher education.

Colette Grubman

Center Manager

Colette is the Center Manager for Class 101, Irving, Texas. Her goal is to help students of all abilities succeed through the college admissions process so they can feel confident starting their journey in higher education. She graduated with a Bachelor’s from Chapman University and later attended the University of Texas at Arlington where she earned her Master’s in Education and began pursuing her Ph.D. Colette comes from the academic advising field within colleges and has held positions focused on helping students transition from high school to college. She has presented at multiple state conferences on student success within the US college system. Outside of Class 101, Colette enjoys traveling with her husband, walking her dog, and learning new board games.

Jessai Flores

Essay Coach

Jessai is graduating as an English major at Yale University this year! He is an award-winning writer whose high school research papers have been recognized at district, state, and national levels. His writing has also been published in The Yale Daily News. He believes that everyone can express themselves through language. As an essay coach and editor, he hopes to help others achieve a level of confidence and accomplishment in their writing.

Evetta McGriff

College Planner & SAT Prep Instructor

Evetta has had a passion for college planning for many years, helping friends, family, and church members by sharing resources. She has been in education for over 17 years, first as a classroom teacher, and now as a school counselor. Evetta is a graduate of the University of North Texas, Dallas Baptist University, and the University of North Texas at Dallas. She is so excited to help our future leaders navigate the college planning process.

Marissa Lee

Senior Specialist

Marissa has grown a passion for helping students and college planning over the past four years. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas. She was a Lead Peer Mentor for the Career and College Planning department at UNT. There she worked one on one with many middle school and high school students to assist with their post-secondary plans. As the Senior Specialist, she plans to continue helping students reach their goals and get them where they want to be.

Shana Ray

Sales and Marketing Coordinator

Shana Ray serves as Class 101 Irving's Sales and Marketing Coordinator. As a former educator, she is passionate about student success and their educational trajectories. Her mission is to ensure all students have access to the resources they need in order to be successful. Shana has a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Business from Southern Methodist University. Along with being an educator Shana has had the opportunity to work in recruitment and sales with the metrics of increasing onboards and retention. She is extremely data-driven and hyper-focused on providing clients with excellent customer service. Outside of Class 101, Shana enjoys traveling with her family and friends, crafting, and exploring new restaurants.

Amanda G

ACT Prep Instructor

Amanda's passion is supporting students and helping them reach their potential. She attended Texas A&M University and received her bachelor’s degree in literature and received her master’s degree in counseling from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She has eight years of experience in education with roles including high school English teacher, school counselor, and Academic and Career Counseling Advisor. As a first-generation college student, she knows the struggle in navigating the college admission process. This experience has fostered a desire to help others in their educational and career journey. Amanda looks forward to working with Class 101 students and paving the way to success for our future leaders.

Contact Us Today!

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Owner

Ronda Swanigan

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Address

1825 W. Walnut Hill Lane STE 120, Irving, TX 75038

Our Irving Students Say It Best

When My parents first told me I would be doing class 101 at the end of my junior year I was a little hesitant because I thought it would be like summer school, and I thought my summer would be ruined. Fast forward a year and I am now graduating and have an almost full ride to college. Mrs. Swanigan has helped me tremendously this past year and I couldn’t be more thankful.
Thank you so much, Mrs. Ronda!

Chris

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Ronda and her Class 101 team have done an incredible job with helping my son navigate his college search, significantly improve his SAT score, and strategizing ways to make him stand out from the crowd. She is very responsive and communicative and really cares about my son’s progress. She is truly working in her gifts. Total game changer! We’re signing my daughter up next!

Lauren Jones

Parent

Ronda and Class 101 extremely helped me through my application process. I started my application process very late, but the monthly meetings, and keeping me on track very much helped. She has helped me find scholarships, walked me thru the financial aid process, improved my essays, SAT Prep, etc. I also feel very confident in what to expect when I go off to college, making the transition so much easier. I highly recommend Ronda and Class 101!

Camilia

Florida International University

Start planning for college today!