Chimma Coq spent years helping her own daughters navigate the college application process. As her network grew, so did the requests. Students, parents began reaching out, seeking guidance on colleges, scholarships, and career paths. Each conversation revealed the same challenge: the information they needed was scattered across dozens of websites, each with incomplete data and conflicting insights.
After helping numerous students including her own find their paths to success, Chimma realized something profound: this critical information should exist in one place, delivered with clarity and backed by real data.
With over 30 years of experience in technology, Chimma didn't just see a parenting challenge she saw a systems problem she knew how to solve. She set out to build the platform she wished she'd had from the start: one that could bring roadmaps, matching, and real data together in a single, trustworthy place for every family navigating this journey.
30+ years in technologyAt the same time, Chimma's sister, Chinonye Whitley, was just beginning her own version of the same journey. With her bonus daughter starting their first year of high school, Chinonye found herself asking the questions every parent asks at the starting line: Which courses matter now? Which activities actually count? How early is too early to start planning for college?
Her background gave her a different, equally essential vantage point. With years of exposure to higher education institutions and a STEM research background, Chinonye had a sharp eye for what families actually needs as opposed to the generic advice most of them were finding instead. She saw firsthand how even attentive, well-informed parents could feel lost without a clear, structured path, and how much earlier guidance could change a student's trajectory.
Comparing notes with her sister, Chinonye realized they were looking at the same problem from two different vantage points: one with the benefit of hindsight, one living it in real time. Between them, they had exactly what the other one needed.
Higher Education and STEM researcherTwo perspectives, one platform. PathLight was built at the intersection of these two experiences: three decades of technology expertise, and a firsthand, research-informed view of what families need in the earliest years of the college journey.
What started as shared spreadsheets and late-night phone calls between sisters became a platform designed to give every student and every Path Partner supporting them the same clarity Chimma and Chinonye wished they'd had from day one.
Our Mission
Whether you're a student, a Path Partner, or a college coach — PathLight is built for your journey.
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