Episode 109: LEDA 4 Life: An Innovative Approach to Inequality in College Acces with David Garza, Executive Director of Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA)
David Garza joined LEDA in July 2022 as the Executive Director, bringing expertise in fundraising, management, and strategy that he has developed for more than 20 years as a leader in the nonprofit sector. Most recently, he served for ten years as Development Director at Point Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing scholarships and mentorship to LGBTQ+ college scholars. In this role, he expanded the organization’s presence, visibility, and fundraising efforts.
Prior to Point Foundation, David served as Director of Institutional Giving for GMHC. While there, he managed the organization’s roster of corporate and foundation partnerships, as well as government grants.
David is committed to the success of student leaders from underserved communities. Born and raised on the U.S.-Mexico border, David graduated from Princeton University in 1998 as a first-generation college student.
What is the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA)?
LEDA is the leadership enterprise for diverse America, the nation’s premier organization that’s dedicated to providing programs for the best and brightest young leaders from underserved communities. LEDA helps them get into some of the best colleges and universities in the country, and once they’re there, they make sure that they are successful in that environment and tee them up for leadership roles and exciting careers. The reason why LEDA does this work is that they see some pretty start inequality when it comes to access to higher education and specifically when it comes to access to the top tier of colleges and universities in the country.
What is the High-Touch model and how does it help?
There was a study that came out from the Jack Kent Cook Foundation a few years ago and there was a question of why is there a lack of representation and lack of diversity at some institutions and it came down to two reasons. The first reason is that students from underserved communities often believe that they cannot afford to attend some of these schools, and, in fact, with the kinds of financial aid that exist now, that is often not the case. The second reason and one that really pertains to LEDA is that these students do not receive individualized guidance. Beginning in the high school years, students don't have that same level of individual attention and guidance that their counterparts from wealthier neighborhoods or wealthier families would be getting and that is where LEDA comes in. Students apply to become a LEDA scholar when they're in their junior year of high school and that really begins their experience with LEDA. There are a great number of applications from around the country. It can be anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 applications in any given year, and from that applicant pool, we accept 100 students. They bring those 100 students to a summer program that is on the Princeton University campus. That Summer Institute, as they call it, is really an intense experience that's designed to give them that individualized attention and guidance, and to help them be successful in the college application process. During that summer they do everything from writing, instruction, test, prep, leadership, training, and community building. They are provided with all the skills and training necessary sp when they go back to their senior year of high school, they are as equipped as possible to be successful in that college application process. Once they are back in their senior year of high school, LEDA has another team that then works with them directly to make sure that they are going through that process as moving as possible, that they're successful in getting their applications in, and that they are completing their application essays in a timely manner. Once they are in college, there is another team that helps make sure they are successful on campus. They are called the college success team. This is really key because for students who are coming from underserved communities, there is often a culture shock or there is a learning experience that is really important. LEDA wants to provide all the support necessary to ensure that they have what they need and they are as crypt as possible to be successful. Beyond that, there is a career and alumni services team that is charged with helping prepare them for Life Post College and getting ready for whatever career they want to have, making sure that they build a network intentionally as they are embarking on that part of their life. They have access to mentors and have access to LEDAs corporate partners to provide them with advice and guidance, as they are trying to put together a path for their life after college. That is what the high-touch model looks like. This is what really sets LEDA apart as an organization that they really are taking to heart that part of the equation that in order to be really successful, students do need that individualized attention, they need to be part of a community. They need to be able to access these kinds of support that are provided at any time they need it. LEDA is available twenty-four hours a day 356 days a year.
What LEDA Admissions Process is Like?
LEDA has a recruitment and admissions team and they are charged among other things, is finding these students that are gonna make up the cohort. For example, Leda is deep in the process of putting together the next cohort of scholars who will be attending the summer institute this coming summer at Princeton. The way it is done so pre-pandemic, there was a lot of travel involved. LEDA would identify areas where we know that students are underrepresented. They would send some of the staff members there to do presentations to meet with students, guidance, and counselors. There was a road show quality to the kind of recruitment that was being done. With the pandemic, everything changed. The recruitment took a virtual approach as a result. They have the ability to travel but have learned a lot of lessons from the virtual outreach and there are more areas that can be covered when it is being handled virtually than physically. Some new things were tried as well, for example, LEDA worked with influencers that have large student audiences specifically in demographic areas that they are trying to reach, the native American population, black communities, Latino communities really targeted outreach via influencers still doing outreach to high school counselors, that are still relying on the network of LEDA, scholars, and lead alumni that we built to do presentations and outreach on their behalf as well. They also do workshops. both for students who are in the midst of doing their application to answer any questions that they have about this pretty intense application that they're going through and then we also do virtual workshops for their families, both in English and Spanish. When it comes to reviewing the applications the team is looking at a number of things like academic performance, financial need, leadership potential, etc. Then they look at leadership potential like who is demonstrating their essays, the other volunteer activities, who is showing indications that they really are on a path to make a profound impact, not only on their lives but on the lives of others and on the lives of their communities.
Contact David Garza
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-garza-a22a22a/
Learn more about the Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America
Website: https://ledascholars.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-enterprise-for-a-diverse-america/
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