Capital One Supports First-Generation College Applicants

Yleana Leadership Foundation is proud to acknowledge Capital One’s support for first-generation New York students as they apply for and enroll in college.

Thanks to generous support from Capital One, nine students from New York City were able to attend Yleana’s annual Leadership Academy (YLA) in June and July this summer, the entry point for 10+ years of support to and through college and into career. At YLA, students received 119 hours of elite and proprietary SAT preparation instruction; engaged in leadership development seminars, social justice discussions, and developed their critical thinking skills; designed and troubleshooted their own entrepreneurial projects; and experienced life in a residential college campus environment at Colgate University and Mount Holyoke College.

Yleana’s Executive Director and Co-Founder, Alyssa Bowlby, spoke to the impact of Capital One’s gift: “This grant is monumental for Yleana students. I think this support is evidence of the loving community and safety net we are trying to build for each of our kids. We want them to know there are always people out there who care about them and are rooting for them every step of the way.”

YLA students from this summer will continue to be supported as they apply to colleges this fall, with the overall goal of achieving higher education with minimal debt and maximum scholarships, putting them on a path towards a lifetime of wealth accumulation. Thanks to partners like Capital One, we are able to offer services at zero cost to students or their families.

Interested in corporate partnership or want to learn more about how Yleana decreases the racial wealth gap? Contact Associate Director of Development Alice Berry.

Yleana students during Session One of Yleana Leadership Academy 2023.