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Daniel Hila’s parents fled Albania in 1998 during a period of civil unrest and economic chaos. Their goal was simple: to make a better life for their family.
Growing up as a first-generation American in Yonkers, N.Y., Hila regularly heard his parents talk about Eastern European politics, religion and relatives left behind. While his family worked to assimilate and prosper, Hila also witnessed his parents overcome the common struggles of many newcomers: language barriers, cultural adjustment and employment challenges.
So it’s no surprise that when it came time for Hila to chart his own path — and be the first in his family to attend college — he found himself studying political science, philosophy and social mobility at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, at the City College of New York, part of the City University of New York education system.
After graduating in 2020, Hila returned to his alma mater in 2021 as its public events manager. He found his calling when the plans for the school’s Social Mobility Lab started last year.
Daniel Hila
“It’s so important to better understand the various factors that can affect economic mobility, individual health, happiness and even lifespan,” said Hila, now a program manager for the school’s Social Mobility Lab and public events. “But the school does far more than put out research — it comes up with practical and useful information, ideas students and professors can make sense of and act on.”
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Investing in emerging talent and fostering opportunities for the next generation of leaders is not just vital for our company, but for our entire industry and society at large.
The Colin Powell School’s Social Mobility Lab launched in April 2024 with the mission to discover new ways to accelerate and expand opportunities for students and the communities they represent. The Colin Powell School serves roughly 4,000 students and is the perfect home for the Lab’s work. Much like the school’s namesake, General Colin Powell, who graduated from City College in 1958, most of the students come from lower-income backgrounds. Almost two-thirds are first in their families to go to college, and more than half are immigrants.
“Understanding the factors that drive social mobility and applying that knowledge to support the college’s students and communities are central to the school’s mission,” said Bob McKinnon, cofounder and acting director of the Social Mobility Lab. “Important findings often remain confined to academic journals. Our focus is not only on generating knowledge but also on converting it into programs that can positively impact people's lives.”
McKinnon pointed out that beyond the obvious factors like economic starting points, more subtle elements also play a crucial role in social mobility. These include where students sit in a classroom, whether they hold jobs while attending school, the distance they live from campus, if they are parents and even the impact of a person’s name on hiring decisions.
College officials understand these dynamics well. The City College of New York ranked 11th out of 434 universities in Social Mobility in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
“In the last few decades, it’s become possible to analyze large data sets and understand the life outcomes of college graduates better,” said Andrew Rich, Dean of the Colin Powell School and cofounder of the Social Mobility Lab. “This analysis has revealed new indicators of which institutions foster social mobility, leading to significant jumps in the economic, political and social status of the next generation. CCNY leads the nation, and yet there is much more we need to understand about how colleges and universities contribute to this mobility. The Social Mobility Lab will do just that.”
The focus on social mobility and equitable access to student-centered and technology-enabled education is also central to Kyndryl’s business ethos. As an inaugural sponsor of the Social Mobility Lab, Kyndryl will support the school’s aim to redefine modern education through real-world mentoring, connections and jobs after graduation, which are crucial for students from local communities.
In addition to providing financial support, Kyndryl will donate its expertise to the Lab by consulting on key projects and initiatives, mentoring and coaching students, and sharing expertise on topics for signature events such as the Lab's 2025 Summit.
“Investing in emerging talent and fostering opportunities for the next generation of leaders is not just vital for our company, but for our entire industry and society at large,” said Amy Salcido, President of Kyndryl U.S. “While expanding access to education remains critical, Kyndryl supports going further to increase mentorship programs, enhance career guidance and create more pathways to success. The Social Mobility Lab addresses these crucial factors, and we’re excited to collaborate in launching more students toward thriving careers.”
The collaboration between Kyndryl and the Colin Powell School is designed to continue benefitting young people like Hila by allowing the school to help students navigate college life, develop professionally and, of course, create a brighter future for themselves and their families.
“In addition to lots of networking opportunities and career guidance, the program helped me make sense of my own family’s social mobility,” said Hila. “Once you understand those dynamics, upward mobility and economic stability become much more attainable.”
