# Lauren Schmidt

> Lauren Schmidt is an education mentor, social entrepreneur and TEDx speaker whose work joins two worlds: selective university applications and community-led service. After first visiting Tanzania at 19, she returned following graduate study at Columbia and spent a decade there as a social worker and dean of students. She founded A Tree That Grows to help teenagers develop purpose-driven projects, while her application mentoring at Crimson Education has helped students shape their experiences into college essays.

- **Role:** Chief Experience Officer and Founder at A Tree That Grows; Application Mentor at Crimson Education
- **Organizations:** A Tree That Grows, Crimson Education, Columbia University School of Social Work, Tupo Pamoja Foundation, Kampala International University in Tanzania
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Master of Science in Social Work, Social Enterprise Administration and International Social Welfare, Columbia University School of Social Work, Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Bates College
- **Known for:** Founded A Tree That Grows, an initiative supporting teen social entrepreneurs and community-linked projects., Spent ten years living and working in Tanzania as a social worker and dean of students., Delivered the TEDxNazarethUniversity talk 'Stop Helping & Start Sharing.'

## Career timeline

- **Age 19** — Made her first trip to Tanzania after becoming interested in the country through a documentary about Jane Goodall.
- **2008** — Worked with the Foundation for the New Life of Street Children and Living Waters Primary School in Tanzania.
- **2009-2013** — Founded and served as executive director of the Tupo Pamoja Foundation.
- **2013-2017** — Worked as an assistant lecturer in social work at Kampala International University in Tanzania.
- **2017 onward** — Worked in Tanzania-based social enterprise leadership and developed projects with international students and community partners.
- **2023-05** — Spoke at the New York City Bar Association on challenges facing women in Afghanistan and Pakistan, informed partly by work with refugees in Tanzania.
- **2023-10** — TEDx Talks published her talk, 'Stop Helping & Start Sharing.'
- **2024-12** — Appeared on The Change Effect podcast to discuss the origins and purpose of A Tree That Grows.

## Achievements

- Founded A Tree That Grows, an initiative supporting teen social entrepreneurs and community-linked projects.
- Spent ten years living and working in Tanzania as a social worker and dean of students.
- Delivered the TEDxNazarethUniversity talk 'Stop Helping & Start Sharing.'
- Spoke on education equity and women's rights at a New York City Bar Association program featuring Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tawakkol Karman.
- Developed mentor-training programs for an education-technology company.
- Served as a practicum instructor with Columbia University School of Social Work.
- Mentored college applicants whose destinations have included Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford and Columbia.

## Latest updates

- **2024-12** — Discussed her first trip to Tanzania, the creation of A Tree That Grows and the importance of purpose on The Change Effect podcast.
- **2023-10** — Her TEDxNazarethUniversity talk 'Stop Helping & Start Sharing' was published by TEDx Talks.
- **2023-05** — Joined a New York City Bar Association panel on women's rights in the Middle East and North Africa.

## Links

- Website: https://www.travelatreethatgrows.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-schmidt-atreethatgrows
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiRR4_HSDj0

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/lauren-schmidt
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-27