LEDA Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America 1

The LEDACareerNetwork

About LEDA

LEDA understands that highly selective colleges and universities are a nexus for the development of leadership. These institutions require an infusion of diversity to improve the mix of ideas and information impacting leaders of public and private organizations across the nation.

By helping socioeconomically disadvantaged students gain admission to and succeed at selective academic institutions, LEDA seeks to equalize educational opportunity. LEDA recognizes that we are better off as a nation and as a people if we offer equal opportunities to all, regardless of socioeconomic status, by drawing upon the leadership potential of all our most talented citizens.

Our Leadership

Board of Directors

Elisa L. Liang, ChairArun Alagappan, Vice President

Morry C. Davis, TreasurerBeth Breger, Executive Director

Carolyn N. AinslieLawrence P. Bascom

Anders C. H. BragNan A. Rothschild Cooper

Alexandra M. EnglerFrederick H. FogelLucy N. Friedman

Gail FurmanEnrique Foster Gittes

Ilana GoldmanWarren H. Haber

Yelka KamaraEric Méndez

John C. RobertsBert Rosenblatt

Lois SeveriniEdward M. StrongSally A. Thorner

Lindsey F. TurnerAnthony Yoseloff

Jide J. Zeitlin

Leadership Council

Maxine ClarkWilliam R. Fitzsimmons

George M. LogothetisAnthony W. Marx

Daniel R. PorterfieldShirley M. Tilghman

Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) is a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to identifying and developing the academic and leadership potential of exceptional public high school students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. These students are currently underrepresented in our nation’s top colleges, universities, and ultimately, leadership sectors.

“I thought that LEDA was just offering a career fair, but it was much more than that. LEDA taught me how to find my core personal values, balance my professional life with my personal life, and develop the confidence to see that I have the skills to be successful.”

– PETER T. | UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LEDA Career Fellow

LEDA Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America 3

What We Do

Since 2003, the LEDA Scholars Program has been a national model that positions the next generation of diverse leadership to gain admission to and succeed at the nation’s top colleges. The LEDA Career Network expands LEDA’s leadership development efforts by addressing the impact of income inequality on access to career exploration and employment opportunities.

Recruitment and Admission: Each year, LEDA searches the nation to recruit 100 exceptional students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds to become LEDA Scholars. Successful applicants complete a rigorous, multi-tiered application process that provides a preview of the admission process for selective colleges and universities.

Aspects of Leadership Summer Institute: After being admitted to the LEDA Scholars Program, new Scholars spend the summer after their junior year at the Aspects of Leadership Summer Institute, housed on the campus of Princeton University. The seven-week program is completely free of charge for LEDA Scholars and includes leadership study, writing instruction, standardized test preparation, and college guidance. Scholars also experience a supervised version of collegiate residential life that is designed to foster empowerment, personal responsibility, and a strong sense of community among the Scholars.

College Guidance: LEDA Scholars are assigned a LEDA College Guidance Counselor who provides one-on-one support throughout the college application process. At the Summer Institute, Scholars explore their interests and strengths, discuss college options, and learn about more than 100 selective colleges through campus visits and information sessions. LEDA Scholars leave the Summer Institute with a college list and a clear understanding of the college application process. Throughout their senior year, LEDA’s staff continues to support Scholars every step of the way.

College Success: LEDA prioritizes maintaining close relationships with Scholars throughout their college careers and beyond. LEDA helps students navigate the transition from high school to college and assists them throughout their college careers to become exemplary students and campus leaders both by connecting them with resources at their colleges and supplementing those resources according to individual Scholars’ needs.

The LEDA Scholars Program

The LEDA Career Network

LEDA’s newest initiative broadens LEDA’s reach by including other high-achieving, low-income college students to position them for future leadership roles in their careers by providing career exploration, professional development, and career advising.

LEDA Career Fellows include both current LEDA Scholars and their peers. They receive ongoing individual career coaching, remote and in-person group trainings, and support for competitive internships and full-time roles.

Career Network Services

• Résumé, cover letter, LinkedIn, and application feedback

• Facilitation of internship and full-time placements including targeted recruitment

• Interview preparation and networking guidance

• Invitation to attend the LEDA Career Institute for 150+ rising college sophomores

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Early Results

2017 LEDA Career FellowsLEDA Career Fellows have

already obtained many competitive internships at leading organizations,

including:

AB InBevBloombergCapital One

Donorschoose.orgFacebook

GEGoldman Sachs

GoogleIBM

ideas42Infosys

JPMorgan ChaseMicrosoft

Morgan Stanley

Career Institute Programming

• Information sessions covering diverse career options

• Office hours with employer recruiters

• Professional development workshops

• Résumé advising

“I didn’t expect my career interests to change, but talking to my counselors really allowed me to think about what I actually want to do.”

– YESENIA C. | YALE UNIVERSITY LEDA Career Fellow

58%of LEDA Career Fellows said their career interests changed after attending the LEDA Career Institute

The LEDA Career Institute

The Career Institute is a multi-day, in-person annual event held in mid-August for 150+ rising college sophomores, providing exposure to career tracks, engagement with top employers, and instruction to navigate the hiring process.

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“I was highly surprised by all of the exceptional employers represented at the Career Institute. Everyone was really welcoming and willing to stay in touch.”

– JUAN S. | UNIVERSITY OF DENVER LEDA Career Fellow

Current partners include:

Career Partners

LEDA Career Partners participate in the LEDA Career Institute, conduct webinars, and host industry insight events through targeted candidate referrals. Career Partners also recruit candidates for internships and full-time opportunities by providing listings that are shared on LEDA Connect (a job posting platform) and through LEDA’s email blasts and social media.

About Our Career Fellows

LEDA Career Fellows are high-achieving, low-income students who attend some of the most selective colleges in the nation.

91% of LEDA Career Fellows identify as students of color.

■ Asian/Pacific Islander 21%■ Black 23%■ Latino/Latinx/Hispanic 37%■ Multiracial 13%■ Native American 1%■ White 5%

Enrolled Colleges

LEDA Career Fellows attend 50 colleges

throughout the U.S.

Amherst CollegeBarnard College

Bellarmine University Boston College

Brown UniversityCarleton College

Carnegie Mellon University Carthage College

Case Western Reserve UniversityColorado Mesa University

Columbia UniversityCornell University

Dartmouth CollegeDavidson College

Depauw UniversityEmory University

Franklin & Marshall CollegeGeorgetown University

Harvard UniversityHoward UniversityLehigh University

Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMichigan State University

Mt. Holyoke CollegeOccidental College

Pitzer College Princeton University

Smith CollegeSonoma State University

Stanford UniversitySUNY Fredonia

Swarthmore CollegeTexas Tech University

Trinity CollegeTufts University

UC BerkeleyUCLA

UNC Chapel HillUniversity of ChicagoUniversity of Denver

University of MissouriUniversity of Nevada – Las Vegas

University of Notre DameUniversity of Pennsylvania

University of RichmondUniversity of Southern California

University of WashingtonWashington University in St. Louis

Wesleyan UniversityYale University

58% of the 2017 Career Fellows were new to the LEDA Community, i.e., were not already LEDA Scholars

Career Fellows are from low-income backgrounds, and the majority are first-generation college students

Career Fellows come from 48 states

Demonstrated success in both academic and leadership pursuits

Engineering/ Computer Science/ Math

Undeclared

Economics/ Business

Education

Humanities/ Arts

Science/ Medicine

Political Science/ Social Science

8%

13%

25%

12%

20%

4%

18%

Intended Majors

501 Seventh Avenue, 7th FloorNew York, NY 10018www.ledascholars.org

(212) 672-9750leda@ledascholars.org

/LEDAScholarsProgram

@leda_scholars