Journey to College: Students Learn about Distinguished Scholarships at the CBI College Roundtable
Exposure to various college admissions policies and scholarship programs can transform a student’s understanding of and access to post-secondary pathways. Our CollegeBound Initiative (CBI) team recently hosted a Distinguished Scholarships Roundtable, which brought together over 100 high school juniors from 23 CBI partner schools to learn about college admissions programs that value leadership potential alongside academic achievement. The roundtable event has grown considerably since last year, when it started out with six college reps and seven CBI partner schools in attendance.
The ten colleges and universities represented this year are private institutions that partner with QuestBridge, a program that connects high-achieving students from low-income households with leading institutions, or the Posse Foundation, which identifies students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who might be overlooked by traditional admissions processes.
Dedicated Time with Program Partners and College Representatives
With a successful record of supporting students in earning QuestBridge and Posse matches, CBI staff were ready to support the juniors on their college paths. Fatima Sacko, the New York Program Director at the Posse Foundation, welcomed the students and demystified the multistep nomination, application, and interview processes for the program. She encouraged students to broaden what they consider their strengths when applying: “Leadership can look like many different things. You can be leaders in your church, school, or in caring for younger siblings. Our program partners recognize that, and we want to get to know you.”
Leadership can look like many different things. You can be leaders in your church, school, or in caring for younger siblings. Our program partners recognize that, and we want to get to know you. —Fatima Sacko, Posse Foundation
The heart of the event was small group breakout sessions, where students had time to rotate between college tables for intentional conversations in a comfortable setting. The roundtables also offered a streamlined way for college representatives to meet prospective applicants.
Virginia Hart from Barnard College reflected on the value of the event: “Students are often surprised when I tell them I know their school. The small groups allow me to have conversations and answer questions that I couldn’t get at larger college fairs. As an admissions representative, I found this really valuable.”
We are thankful to all of the college admissions representatives for investing their time in our students and mission.
- Hannah Moriggi, Babson College
- Virginia Hart, Barnard College
- Duffy Moran, Boston University
- Chloe Fornoff, Franklin & Marshall College
- Juan Ramirez, Haverford College
- Cristina Guevara, Smith College
- Barkley Barton, University of Pennsylvania
- Grace Franceschelli, Vanderbilt University
- Dorothy Gaby, Wesleyan University
- Carolina Echenique, Williams College
A Tailored Approach to College Counseling
Another element that sets this roundtable apart from traditional college rep visits is the way students are recommended for participation. Directors of college counseling (DCCs) assess students on both academic achievement, leadership potential, and willingness to explore unfamiliar environments.
The value of exposure became evident in the stories shared throughout the day. “You have each been selected by your counselor because you have proven to be capable students and you are already leaders,” said John Toribio-Perez, DCC at Frederick Douglass Academy. Nearly 20% of juniors at the roundtable previously attended a college trip this spring to visit institutions affiliated with the Posse program. They came to this event with fresh perspectives and informed questions. Kevin Sanchez, DCC at Lab School for Finance and Technology, shared how one student’s enthusiasm after that college trip influenced his decision to recommend her for this event. “Exposure helps counselors tailor our guidance to individual students’ needs and interests,” he explained, highlighting how these experiences create a ripple effect of informed decision-making.
Gratitude for our Staff and Partners
Events like these don’t happen without dedicated individuals who believe in students’ potential. Thank you to the college admissions and program representatives who invested their time in our students’ futures.
Angelique Figueroa, Tyra Riedemonn, and John Toribio-Perez from Student Leadership Network’s CBI team were instrumental in facilitating and evolving the roundtables. We would also like to extend a special shout-out to the college staff and chaperones from all of our CBI partner schools, as well as to the student volunteers at TYWLS Manhattan, for their assistance with the event.
For high school juniors beginning to navigate their college journey, remember that your path doesn’t have to be walked alone. Continue to reach out to your schools’ directors of college counseling for support throughout the year!
