As we close our fiscal year , we are reflecting upon a successful school year and the continued expansion of our work. Excitement is in the air throughout Student Leadership Network as the Class of 2023 has crossed the graduation stage and is heading off on their post-secondary journeys!
As of late May, over 81% of our students have completed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which surpasses the state (55%) and national averages of (49%). We will spend the summer months ensuring that 100% of eligible seniors complete their FAFSA before they start college in the Fall so they receive the financial aid necessary to make college affordable. Additionally, our Alumni Engagement team is working on our graduates’ successful transition into the alumni community with our annual Collegiate Send-Off programs.
We also hosted our first Annual Collaborative College Fair since the onset of the pandemic at the College of Mt. St. Vincent on May 5th. We proudly welcomed nearly 1,000 high school Juniors from across our partner schools to meet with representatives from 50 colleges/universities!
Thanks to the support of corporate partners like Estée Lauder, Apollo, and Nike, we were able to bring in-person events back to all The Young Women’s Leadership Schools (TYWLS). Programs like Cool Careers, Potential Paths, TYWLS at the Workplace, and TYWLS Glows Up, impacted more than 2,500 students across all six TYWLS. Additionally, we were excited to launch our first Whole Girl Education National Conference this Spring. Nearly 150 attendees participated in the three-day event featuring interactive breakout sessions and keynotes from leading voices in education exploring the theme of “Connected Communities.” We featured seven incredibly impactful plenary speakers, including Yolonda Marshall, Dr. Monique Couvson, Chancellor David Banks, Melissa Kilby, Laura Rebell Gross, Rachel Simmons, and Dr. Bettina Love.
We continue to work with Buffalo Public School stakeholders at all levels to strengthen the college-going culture in schools across the district. Our staff continues to see positive outcomes regarding FAFSA and Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) completion rates, continuing last year’s upward trend. Congratulations to our very own Maria Lascarro, Director of College Counseling at Riverside Academy High School, whose school is one of the winners of the New York State FAFSA Completion Challenge! Bolstered by such a successful year, we look forward to adding two Buffalo schools in the Fall and increasing our impact in the area from 406 students served to 2,612 in one year.
We wrap up this year with an even stronger resolve to continue our work dismantling the gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequities that students from underserved communities face as they strive to pursue their highest educational potential. In light of the recent Supreme Court ruling banning race-conscious admissions in higher education, the students we serve face a renewed challenge in gaining access to opportunities. The threat to diversity on college campuses deprives all students of a learning environment that will enrich their perspectives, cultivate their knowledge, challenge their assumptions, and prepare them to thrive in a competitive global economy. As we absorb the impact and implications of this ruling, SL Network will work closely with our partners to learn about the changes to the future admissions processes. We are more determined than ever before to support our students and ensure they have what they need to navigate the pathway to post-secondary success!
As always, we appreciate your support and thank you for championing our work.
Always my best,
Yolonda Marshall
Chief Executive Officer