Built on data. Driven by belief.

Dr. Claudine McLaren has spent much of her adult life in service to youth and young adults, guiding their personal development and supporting their education both in and out of the classroom. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Policy Studies and an M.A. in Applied Sociology, both from the University of Central Florida, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Louisville. Grounded in this academic foundation, she has partnered with national and campus organizations to design and implement innovative policies, programs, and practices that foster a college-going culture among pre-collegiate students and promote undergraduate student success.

After fifteen years of direct student engagement, Dr. McLaren's work now centers on two goals: preparing future college students for the transition into higher education, and researching the institutional factors, faculty and staff practices, and learning conditions that build a college culture where undergraduate students can thrive once they arrive. Both are driven by the same conviction that has guided her entire career: every promising student deserves real support in navigating the challenges and opportunities college presents.

That conviction is what led her to establish The Aurum Foundation. Dr. McLaren lives by the principle that 'to whom much is given, much is required.' She has brought that ethic home — drawing on her experience designing college exploration and engagement programs to give high school students the right information, exposure, and relationships for continued success.