Student Leadership Network tells Buffalo board its counselors and DCCs are boosting college plans

Yolanda Marshall, chief executive officer of Student Leadership Network, told the Buffalo City School District education-support meeting that her nonprofit’s work is aimed at closing a roughly 23-percentage-point college-enrollment gap between students from low-income backgrounds and their more affluent peers.

"We are impacting the lives of about 80,000 students," Marshall said, and described a district partnership that places full-time Directors of College Counseling (DCCs) in partner schools to provide one-on-one college-application help, FAFSA support and family events.

John Rory, the organization’s executive vice president and chief innovation officer, outlined the program’s student-journey approach: early-grade inspiration (grades 6–10), experiential learning such as college trips, intensive college-application advising and follow-through during the college years with near-peer supports. Rory said Student Leadership Network’s national work has helped secure more than $1,000,000,000 in financial aid and scholarships for students over time.

Joelle Stuby, an associate director described by presenters as leading the on-the-ground Buffalo work, said the model pairs DCCs with school guidance counselors and builds partnerships with colleges and career-training providers. She listed full-service placements at seven schools and part-time supports at two others, and described family evenings, FAFSA/TAP nights and senior decision events.

Principals at several partner schools attested to the program’s impact. "Student Leadership Network came in and did an awesome job," said Principal Jenkins of McKinley High School, who urged board members to visit local schools to see the work in person.

During Q&A, board members pressed for outcome data. Aaron Hahn, the network’s managing director of research and evaluation, said the group’s tracking showed 867 students from the 2023–2025 cohorts are currently recorded as planning to enroll in two- or four-year colleges; he said further completion and degree metrics will be available in the coming weeks.

Board members expressed broad support for the partnership while requesting more longitudinal data. Several members asked the network and district staff to provide follow-up metrics at future meetings so trustees can evaluate persistence and degree completion, not only initial college enrollments.

The presenters said supplementary evaluation materials are available and that the network holds quarterly meetings with district leaders to provide more robust data outside a brief work-session presentation.

The board did not take formal action on the presentation. The district moved on to the next agenda item after members thanked presenters and principals for attending.