Advocacy Leadership Program

Details

Date:
February 4, 2026

Time:
2:00 PM
to
3:00 PM
ET

ALP Webinar 3

Topic:  Current Post-Secondary Issues


Speaker:  Lai Ara Powell

After beginning her career in education with the School District of Philadelphia, Mrs. Lai Ara D. Powell spent five formative years weaving her passion for higher education into every aspect of her work. That passion deepened following her relocation to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where she formally transitioned into higher education while earning her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration.

Upon returning to the East Coast, Lai Ara (pronounced Lay-Are-Rah) joined the admissions team at Saint Elizabeth University, where she served as an Admissions Counselor and liaison for the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program. After two years at the small Catholic private institution, she and her family relocated to Pennsylvania, where she joined Temple University School of Pharmacy. Five years later, Mrs. Powell now serves as the Associate Director of Recruitment, leading recruitment efforts for the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program—an opportunity that allows her to seamlessly merge her love for science with her deep commitment to higher education.

Currently, Mrs. Powell is pursuing her Doctor of Education (EdD), with a research focus on the intersection of equity and access in college advising. Her scholarship directly reflects her professional mission: removing barriers, expanding opportunity, and ensuring that underserved students are not only supported, but seen and empowered.

Almost two decades later, her work continues to be guided by a clear purpose—to create meaningful pathways for exposure, access, and empowerment. She is deeply committed to equipping students not simply to attend college, but to discover who they are throughout the journey. For her, higher education represents more than a degree; it is about personal growth, lessons learned beyond the classroom, and the transformative power of self-discovery.

*This is part of the Advocacy Leadership Program. You must register for the program, log in, and be an active participant for at least 4/5 of the program time to receive credit for your participation. 

Cost:  Free for members; $40 for nonmembers
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