Data Use Policy

1. Introduction

VidaRise (“the Platform,” “we,” “us”) is a professional mentorship and networking platform that connects students, alumni, mentors, and institutional partners. This Data Use Policy describes the information we collect, how we use and protect it, and the rights you have regarding your data.

We operate in partnership with accredited educational institutions and are committed to complying with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA, 20 U.S.C. §1232g; 34 CFR Part 99), as well as the data protection policies of our institutional partners. Where our partner institution’s policies impose stricter requirements than FERPA, we follow the stricter standard.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

When you create an account and use VidaRise, you may provide:

• Name, email address, and contact information
• Educational history, including institution, degree program, graduation year, and academic interests
• Employment and professional information, such as current employer, job title, industry, and years of experience
• Military service information, if voluntarily disclosed
• Career goals, mentorship preferences, and areas of expertise
• Profile photograph and biographical text
• Survey responses and program feedback

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Platform, we automatically collect certain technical information, including your IP address, browser type, and device information. This data is used for security monitoring, abuse prevention, and audit logging as required by FERPA.

2.3 Education Records Under FERPA

Some of the information we maintain may constitute “education records” as defined by FERPA - that is, records directly related to a student that are maintained by an educational institution or by a party acting on behalf of the institution. When VidaRise processes education records on behalf of an institutional partner, we do so as a school official with a legitimate educational interest, subject to the same restrictions that apply to the institution itself.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and maintain your account and profile
• Match you with mentors, mentees, or professional contacts based on your preferences and background
• Facilitate communication between matched participants
• Operate, improve, and personalize the Platform
• Send program-related notifications, event invitations, and administrative communications
• Generate aggregate, de-identified reports for institutional partners about program outcomes
• Maintain security, prevent abuse, and comply with legal obligations
• Maintain audit logs of access to education records as required by FERPA (§99.32)

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 With Your Consent

We do not disclose your education records to third parties without your prior written consent, except as permitted by FERPA. When you join a mentorship program, you will be asked to provide separate consent for sharing relevant profile information with your mentor or mentee.

4.2 Institutional Partners

VidaRise provides aggregate, de-identified program data to institutional partners for the purpose of evaluating program effectiveness. Individually identifiable information is only shared with your institution’s designated administrators who have a legitimate educational interest and have completed FERPA training.

4.3 Directory Information

Certain information, such as your name, program participation, and professional title, may be designated as directory information. Directory information may be visible to other Platform members unless you opt out. You may control the visibility of individual fields through your profile settings at any time.

4.4 Disclosures Without Consent

FERPA permits certain disclosures without your consent, including to school officials with legitimate educational interests, in response to lawfully issued subpoenas or court orders (with advance notice to you unless prohibited by law), in connection with financial aid, and to authorized organizations conducting studies on behalf of educational institutions. We limit such disclosures to the minimum information necessary.

4.5 Service Providers

We use third-party service providers (such as hosting, email delivery, and authentication services) to operate the Platform. These providers access your information only as necessary to perform their services and are contractually bound to protect it.

5. Your Rights

Under FERPA and this policy, you have the right to:

• Inspect and review your education records maintained by VidaRise. We will respond to written requests within 45 days.
• Request correction of education records you believe are inaccurate or misleading. You may also update your profile information directly through the Platform at any time.
• Consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information before it is shared, except where FERPA permits disclosure without consent.
• Opt out of directory information disclosure by adjusting your visibility settings in your profile, or by contacting us directly.
• Revoke consent for data sharing at any time. Revoking consent does not affect disclosures made prior to revocation and may limit your ability to participate in certain Platform features (such as mentorship matching).
• File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education if you believe your FERPA rights have been violated: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605.

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption in transit (TLS/HTTPS) and at rest
• Role-based access controls and row-level security at the database level
• Immutable audit logging of all access to education records
• Rate limiting and bot protection on authentication endpoints
• Regular security reviews and third-party audits
• Access restricted to authorized personnel with a legitimate educational interest

No system is completely secure. If we become aware of a security breach affecting your education records, we will notify you and the relevant institutional partner promptly in accordance with applicable law.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide Platform services. Audit logs of access to education records are retained for a minimum of seven years in accordance with FERPA requirements. When you delete your account, we will remove your profile data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate record-keeping purposes.

8. Consent and Changes to This Policy

By creating an account and accepting this Data Use Policy, you acknowledge that you have read and understood how your information will be collected, used, and shared. You may withdraw your consent at any time through your profile settings or by contacting us.

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. If we make material changes, we will notify you through the Platform or by email and request renewed consent where required. The version number and effective date at the top of this page indicate when this policy was last updated.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this policy, wish to exercise your rights, or need to report a concern, please contact us at:

VidaRise Data Protection
Email: mirthcode@gmail.com

If your concern relates specifically to education records maintained by your institution, you may also contact your institution’s registrar or FERPA compliance office directly.