Privacy policy

Privacy policy

Last modified 12/11/25, 2025

OVERVIEW

Ampersand Professionals, Inc., d/b/a AscentUP, (“Ampersand,” “AscentUP,” “we,” or “our”), respects your (“User,” “you,” or “your”) privacy and is committed to protecting it through compliance with this privacy policy (the “Privacy Policy”). AscentUP provides online services to learners (“Users”), granting them access to educational content, materials and training opportunities, including those offered through partnerships with third-party organizations (“Clients”). This Privacy Policy applies to your use of the Services (as defined below), and describes how AscentUP may collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, or is reasonably capable of being associated with you or your Device (as defined below) as they interact with https://ascent.getlearnworlds.com/, https://learn.ascentup.com/, the AscentConnect mobile application (“AscentConnect”) and their various subpages (collectively, the “Website”) and any other services or features made available through the same, otherwise used by you, or which link to this Privacy Policy (the foregoing collectively, together with the Website defined herein as the “Services”). This Privacy Policy also applies to information that we may collect through offline channels, which include but are not limited to phone calls and physical correspondence. However, this Privacy Policy does not cover what AscentUP’s Clients or partnered third parties might do with your information, and you should review their privacy policies to find out more information on their privacy practices. This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and is a part of the Terms of Service of AscentUP, which can be found HERE (the “Terms of Service”). AscentUP encourages you to become familiar with the terms and conditions contained herein and therein.

INTERNATIONAL USERS

This Privacy Policy is intended to cover only Users of the Services in the United States. Any international users of the Services should be aware that by using the Services, your information will be transferred to, stored on, and/or processed on servers located in the United States. You also understand that the United States’ data protection laws may not offer the same protections or rights, including judicial redress, with regards to your personal information as the laws of the country in which you are located. By using the Services or providing us with your personal information, you consent to this transfer, storage, and processing of your personal information.

CONSENT

By accessing or using the Services, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy as they may be amended from time to time. This Privacy Policy applies to all Users of the Services. By providing information to us, you understand and consent to the collection, maintenance, processing, and transfer of such information in and to the United States, in accordance with United States law. We reserve the right to modify or revise this Privacy Policy. We may notify Users if we make material modifications to the Privacy Policy in accordance with applicable law; however, we reserve the right to make other modifications or revisions without prior notice to you. We recommend that Users review the most up-to-date version of the Privacy Policy periodically, which will be available on the Website. Your continued use of the Services indicates your agreement to be bound by subsequent modifications or revisions to this Privacy Policy.

WHAT INFORMATION IS COLLECTED?

AscentUP may collect various types of information from or about you depending on how you use the Services and its various features. Categories of Personal Information collected by AscentUP:

• Identifiers: Full name, email address, telephone number, username, or other unique identifiers.
• Professional or Employment Related Information: Employment records or history, position/title, salary, resume, and related records.
• Education Information: Academic records, transcripts or history, test results, history of attendance and program completion.
• Audio, Electronic, Visual, or similar Sensory Information: Recordings of meetings, calls, and video conferences.
• Financial Information: Income, payment details, student loan amounts, interest rates, and other financial data.

You may voluntarily provide AscentUP with the various types of information described above through the Services (the “Personal Information”). This Personal Information is generally entered into fields in the registration or application forms, regardless of whether submitted and enables you to take full advantage of the Services. AscentUP may collect Personal Information and other information directly from you and about you from other users, customers, and visitors who use the Website or Services. If at any time you wish to be removed from AscentUP’s email database, you can request removal by contacting AscentUP at contact@ascentup.com. AscentUP reserves the right to contact you via postal mail, email, or telephone for the purposes of marketing additional goods and services and administering your account.

Through your interaction with the Services, AscentUP also collects certain information automatically:

• Usage information, such as which features of the Services you access or use or the frequency of access;
• Device information, such as information about your computer, tablet, mobile phone, television, or any other device capable of accessing the Services (each, a “Device”) and internet connection, including the Device’s unique device identifier, Internet Protocol (“IP”) address, operating system, browser type, mobile network information, and the Device’s telephone number, if applicable;
• Information about software bugs, errors, API calls, page loads, or similar requests; and
• Other information about your internet activities, such as certain details of your access to and use of the Services, including traffic data, location data, logs, and other communication data, and the resources that you access and use on or through the Services;

The information described above may be collected through cookies (defined below), pixel tags (defined below), clear gifs, or other technologies.

AscentUP may also retain the content of and metadata regarding any correspondence you may have with AscentUP, its customer service representatives or other employees or agents, regardless of the mode of communication by which such correspondence occurs. This includes, without limitation, any information contained and consented to, as described in the Terms of Service. This information helps AscentUP to improve the Services and the materials, products, and services that are offered on the Services, and to more effectively and efficiently respond to both current and future inquiries.

THIRD PARTY INFORMATION

Clients may send AscentUP information about you, whether directly or indirectly, or from their website, mobile application, or other platform technologies. This information might have come from information that Clients collected about you or that you provided to Clients or third-parties that they may use and have passed that information on to AscentUP. This information may include any of the Personal Information described above, along with information regarding your performance and status.

USE OF COOKIES

AscentUP uses “cookies” (small text files stored on your computer) to help track and customize your access and use of the Services. Cookies store and retain information that helps AscentUP recognize you when you return to the Services following a previous visit. Cookies may also store any login or ID assigned to you by AscentUP and the associated password, which information would be stored in encrypted form. Most popular internet browser packages allow you to configure the browser so as to not accept cookies if you so choose. However, setting your browser to reject cookies may prevent you from taking full advantage of the Services and the materials, products, and other services that AscentUP or its Clients make available on or through the Services.

AscentUP or its Clients may also use the following:

Flash Cookies.

Certain features of the Services may use local stored objects (or Flash cookies) to collect and store information about your preferences and navigation to, from, and on the Services. Flash cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as are used for browser cookies. For information about managing your privacy and security settings for Flash cookies, see AscentUP’s Use and Disclosure of Your Information below.

Web Beacons.

Portions of the Services and e-mails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit AscentUP to, for example, count Users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain content and verifying system and server integrity).

Google Analytics Cookies.

The Services may use Google Analytics cookies, which is a simple, easy-to-use tool that helps website owners measure how users interact with website content. As a user navigates between web pages, Google Analytics provides website owners JavaScript tags (libraries) to record information about the page a user has seen, such as the URL of the page. The Google Analytics JavaScript libraries use HTTP Cookies to “remember” what a user has done on previous pages/interactions with the website.

Automated Tools and Algorithms.

AscentUP may use automated tools and algorithms to analyze your Personal Information and provide personalized recommendations, opportunities, or marketing. If you are a California resident, you have the right to opt out of profiling and automated decision-making that could affect you in a legally significant way.

THIRD-PARTY USE OF COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES LIKE GOOGLE ANALYTICS

AscentUP may use Google Analytics cookies (see above) and may use these cookies with remarketing using Google Analytics to create ads for you and others. Some content or applications, including advertisements, on the Services, may be served by third-parties, including advertisers, ad networks and servers, content providers, and application providers. These third-parties may use cookies alone or in conjunction with web beacons or other tracking technologies to collect information about you when you use the Services. The information they collect may be associated with your Personal Information or they may collect information, including Personal Information, about your online activities over time and across different websites and other online services. These third-parties may use this information to provide you with interest-based (behavioral) advertising or other targeted content. AscentUP does not control these third-parties’ tracking technologies or how they may be used. If you have any questions about an advertisement or other targeted content, you should contact the responsible provider directly.

AscentUP may use remarketing to advertise across the internet and other websites. Please contact AscentUP if you do not want to participate in these programs. You may opt out of Google’s use of cookies by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page. For more information about how targeted advertising works, you can visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s (“NAI”) educational page at http://www.networkadvertising.org/understanding-online-advertising/how-does-it-work.

CHILDREN'S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT

We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from individuals under 16 years of age. If we become aware that a child under 16 is attempting to submit Personal Information, we will inform the child that he or she is ineligible to do so. We will then remove this information from our records. If you believe that we have inadvertently collected Personal Information from a child under 16, please notify us immediately. Our Services are not intended for children under 16 years of age. For children who are 16 or 17 years old, parental or guardian consent is required to use our Services.

ASCENTUP’S USE OF YOUR INFORMATION

Business Purposes

AscentUP may use your information for the following business purposes:

·      To verify the identity of your contact information;

·      To provide customer support to you and AscentUP’s Clients;

·      To review the usage and operations of the Website or other Services and to address any problems;

·      To help improve, maintain, and develop new products and services, both for AscentUP and for AscentUP’s control affiliates;

·      To market and provide AscentUP, AscentUP control affiliates, or third-party products or services to you;

·      To protect you, Clients, partners, or AscentUP from fraud, malicious activity, and other privacy and security related concerns;

·      To investigate misuse or unauthorized access of the Services; and

·      To provide you or others with customized content, products, or services (including the Services).

CPRA NOTICE AT COLLECTION

AscentUP is providing you with this Notice at Collection (“Notice”) and Privacy Policy as required under CCPA and CPRA to provide you with timely notice, at or before the point of collection, about the categories of Personal Information to be collected from you, the purposes for which the Personal Information will be used, and retention periods.

YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS

If you are a California resident, California law may provide you with additional rights regarding AscentUP’s use of your Personal Information under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) and the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”). Depending on the circumstances and which Services you use, AscentUP may have disclosed the following categories of your Personal Information for a “business purpose” (as defined in the CCPA) in the preceding twelve (12) months: identifiers; protected characteristics; commercial information; information about your use of Services; geolocation data; internet or other electronic network activity information; financial, medical, or health insurance information; audio, electronic, visual, or similar information; professional information; education information; and inferences drawn from any of the aforementioned information categories.

For more details about the Personal Information AscentUP has collected over the last 12 months, please see the “What Information Is Collected?” section above. AscentUP collects this information for, among other things, the business and commercial purposes described in the “How Does AscentUP Use the Information It Collects?” section below. AscentUP discloses this information with, among others, the categories of third parties described in the "How AscentUP Discloses Your Information” section below.

Subject to certain limitations, the CCPA/CPRA affords Users of the Services that are California residents certain rights to their data:

Right to Access Specific Information and Data Portability Rights:

Under the CCPA/CPRA, you have the right to request AscentUP disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your Personal Information over the past 12 months.

Right to Deletion:

Under the CCPA/CPRA, you have the right to request the deletion of Personal Information. However, this right does not apply where we need to retain the Personal Information for any of the following purposes:

• Provide you with the Services;

• Detect or resolve security or functionality related issues;

• Comply with law;

• Conduct research in the public interest;

• Safeguard the right to free speech; or

• Carry out any actions for internal purposes that you or other consumers might reasonably expect.

Right to Opt-Out of the Sale and Disclosing of Personal Information:

California consumers have the right to opt-out of the sale and disclosing of Personal Information by a business that sells or discloses Personal Information.  AscentUP does disclose some personal information with trusted third-party partners and control affiliates, described in the "How AscentUP Discloses Your Information” and "With Whom Does AscentUP Disclose Information It Collects" sections below.

Right to Correction:

California consumers may request the correction of any of their sensitive Personal Information for specific secondary purposes.

Right to Restrict Use or Processing of Sensitive Personal Information:

California consumers may request to limit processing of your personal data where AscentUP is relying on a legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and there is something about your particular situation that makes you want to object to processing on this ground as you feel it impacts on your fundamental rights and freedoms. You also have the right to object where AscentUP is processing your personal data for direct marketing purposes. In some cases, AscentUP may demonstrate that it has compelling legitimate grounds to process your information, which override your rights and freedoms.

Right to Opt-Out of Profiling and Automated Decision-Making:

You have the right to tell us not to use your Personal Information to create profiles about you that we may create in order to match applicants with internships for our Bridge Program or other opportunities. You can opt out of having profiling used for future decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects on you. If you choose to opt-out of profiling and automated decision-making, certain features and services will not be available to you.

Non-Discrimination:

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your rights under the CCPA or CPRA. Discrimination under the CCPA/CPRA includes but is not limited to:

·      Denying you goods or services.

·      Charging you different prices or rates for goods or services, including through granting discounts or other benefits, or imposing penalties.

·      Providing you a different level or quality of goods or services.

·      Suggesting that you may receive a different price or rate for goods or services or a different level or quality of goods or services.

California residents may make such requests pursuant to their rights under the CCPA by sending an email to contact@ascentup.com. AscentUP will verify your request using the information associated with your account, including email address. Government identification may be required. California residents may also designate an authorized agent to exercise these rights on their behalf. To learn more about your California privacy rights, email contact@ascentup.com or visit https://www.caprivacy.org. 

Requests may also be sent to AscentUP through the mail at the address below:
Attn: Legal
Ampersand Professionals, Inc., d/b/a AscentUP
501 W. Broadway, Suite A105
San Diego, CA 92101

California’s “Shine the Light” law (Civil Code Section § 1798.83) permits users of the Services that are California residents to request certain information regarding AscentUP’s disclosure of Personal Information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please send an email to contact@ascentup.com or write to AscentUP at the address above.

HOW ASCENTUP DISCLOSES YOUR INFORMATION

This section describes how AscentUP may disclose your information. AscentUP does not control how you or any other third-party choose to disclose your information.

DISCLOSE FOR LEGAL PURPOSES

AscentUP reserves the right to disclose any personally identifiable information or other information it collects through the Services or otherwise if it is required to do so by law or if it reasonably believes that the disclosure is necessary in order to (a) fulfill a government request; (b) conform with the requirements of law or to comply with legal process served on it; (c) protect or defend its legal rights or property or third party licensors of any material on the Services; or (d) in an emergency to protect the health or safety of the Users of the Services or the general public.

Your use of the Services, including any disputes arising from it, is subject to this Privacy Policy as well as the Terms of Service and all dispute resolution, limitation on damages, and choice of law provisions therein. AscentUP encourages you to refer to this Privacy Policy on an ongoing basis so that you understand the current Privacy Policy. Unless stated otherwise, the current Privacy Policy applies to all information that AscentUP has about you and your account.

Does AscentUP Disclose Information to Outside Parties?

AscentUP may disclose your information with other parties, including, without limitation, its affiliates, service providers, Clients, or other trusted third-parties (as further detailed in the "WITH WHOM DOES ASCENTUP DISCLOSE INFORMATION IT COLLECTS?" section below). AscentUP, in its sole discretion, may also disclose your information when it believes disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce Services policies, or protect AscentUP’s or others’ rights, property, or safety. Additional non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other purposes. Information entered into any forms or applications on the Website, regardless of whether submitted, may be used by AscentUP in accordance with this section.

BUSINESS TRANSFERS

As AscentUP continues to grow and develop its business, it is possible that its corporate structure might change or that it might merge or otherwise combine with, or that substantially all of its assets might be acquired by, another company. In any such transactions, customer information generally is, will most probably be, and should be expected to be one of the transferred business assets.

HOW DOES ASCENTUP USE THE INFORMATION IT COLLECTS?

In addition to the uses mentioned or described above, AscentUP uses the information that it collects from or about you to improve the materials, products, and other services that it makes available on the Services, to notify you of changes made to the Services or new products or services made available on or through the Services, to evaluate your and others’ needs and customize content delivered through the Services to you or others according to those needs, to facilitate the processing of any purchases or uses you make through the Services, to send you and others promotional material from AscentUP and its affiliates or other third parties, and for any other legitimate and lawful business purposes of AscentUP.

WITH WHOM DOES ASCENTUP DISCLOSE INFORMATION IT COLLECTS?

AscentUP may disclose information collected about you including Identifiers, Internet or Network Activity, Geolocation Data, Professional or Employment Related Information, your status regarding your completion of AscentUP coursework and modules (if applicable), and Education Information to trusted third-parties – including but not limited to Goal Beyond, Clients, affiliates, vendors, service providers like LearnWorlds, Riipen, and your school –  for the limited and specific purposes of: enabling AscentUP’s provision of the Services, fulfilling grant requirements and program obligations; analyzing data to improve services, performance and user experience; and supporting educational and professional development initiatives. By inputting any information into any forms or applications on the Website or through the Services, regardless of whether such forms or applications are actually submitted, or by otherwise providing your information, you are consenting to such use and disclosure. You have the right to withdraw consent at any time by contacting AscentUP at contact@ascentup.com. Withdrawing consent may affect your access to the Services.

HOW DOES ASCENTUP PROTECT INFORMATION COLLECTED ABOUT YOU?

AscentUP places a high value on protecting information transmitted via the Services. For this reason, AscentUP uses state-of-the-art security solutions to provide secure communication methods. AscentUP and its providers use industry-standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology to safeguard User information. Other security safeguards include, but are not limited to, data encryption, firewalls, and physical access controls to building and files. AscentUP takes commercially reasonable measures to secure and protect customer-specific information transmitted via the Services, monitors the security of the storage environment on a continuous basis, and reviews its security practices on a regular basis. However, no security system is impenetrable. ASCENTUP CANNOT AND DOES NOT GUARANTEE AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS THAT INFORMATION USERS SUPPLY TO ASCENTUP OR ON THE SERVICES WILL BE TOTALLY SECURE.

HOW LONG DOES ASCENTUP KEEP YOUR PERSONAL DATA?

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the Personal Information we process is accurate, complete, and current, but we depend on our users to update or correct their Personal Information whenever necessary. We also take reasonable security measures to protect against unauthorized access to, or unauthorized alteration, disclosure, or destruction of, data.

We will retain your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, accounting, or reporting requirements or obligations. To determine the appropriate retention period for your information, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the information, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure of your information, the purposes for which we use your information and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements.

LINKED SITES

For your convenience, some hyperlinks may be posted on the Website that link to other websites not under the control of AscentUP. Other company logos may also be posted on the Website as service providers to AscentUP or Clients. Please note that this Privacy Policy applies only to the Services and not to other websites of other organizations to which it may link. AscentUP is not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of any other third-party sites. You should make your own inquiries regarding them. In addition, when you interact on a Client’s website or systems or a website that the Website links to, even if you reached that site through the Website or Services, the information that you submit to complete that transaction becomes subject to the privacy practices of the owner of that linked site. You should read their privacy policies to understand how they use and protect Personal Information that they collect. AscentUP is not responsible for the privacy or information practices of its suppliers or any third-party websites.

WHAT CHOICES DO YOU HAVE?

You may update at any time the information about you derived from information you have provided to AscentUP. You may also ask AscentUP at any time to remove your name from the list of Users who wish to receive electronic communications and e-mail advertisements from AscentUP or its affiliates by simply sending such a request to AscentUP at the addresses given below. Once you opt out, AscentUP will honor your choice until you inform it otherwise. Please remember, however, that if AscentUP has already disclosed information about you, AscentUP has no control over how such affiliates or third-parties may further use that information, and you will need to contact them directly in that regard.

WHO CAN YOU CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION?

If you feel that your privacy or security is being compromised, or have any other questions regarding the privacy practices or this Privacy Policy, please notify AscentUP using the following contact information:

Attn: Legal

Ampersand Professionals, Inc., d/b/a AscentUP

501 W. Broadway, Suite A105

San Diego, CA 92101

Email: contact@ascentup.com