Posted April 28, 2025 in Articles
Domenic Iorillo and Lisa Brogan, Co-Directors of the College and Career Planning Center, are dedicated to providing individualized support and comprehensive planning to empower every Lawrence student to confidently navigate their path after graduation, ensuring they are well-prepared academically and personally for their chosen future.
For Lawrence School students, the path after graduation isn’t a daunting unknown, but rather a carefully considered journey guided by the school’s College and Career Planning Center (CCPC).
Spearheaded by Lisa Brogan and Domenic Iorillo, the CCPC’s philosophy isn’t a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, they take a deeply personalized approach, building close relationships with students and their families as early as freshman year to ensure they’re well-prepared and supported—personally and academically—throughout their high school journey.
“We begin meeting with students when they’re freshmen and really just spend that year getting to know them as a person,” explains Brogan. “Who are they? What interests them? It’s more about them than it is about the college and career piece.”
This early relationship building lays the foundation for the years of personalized support to come.
The ultimate goal, according to Iorillo, is “to make sure that every Lawrence graduate leaves with a post-secondary plan, whether it be in a two- or four-year college, a trade, in the military, or a job.”
This is done through a comprehensive, multi-year plan. In the early years, the CCPC focuses on exploring interests and learning styles. By junior year, the focus shifts to in-depth surveys and the creation of individualized roadmaps. Senior year is a hands-on sprint, assisting with everything from college applications and essays to identifying scholarship opportunities and scheduling campus visits. The center also helps students navigate the College Credit Plus program (which allows them to earn college credit in high school), connects them with career readiness programs, and oversees standardized testing.
Recognizing the unique learning profiles of Lawrence students, the CCPC collaborates closely with the Learning Strategies and SASS departments to ensure college choices align with individual needs.
“Because we’re serving students with language-based learning differences, we need to look beyond basic ADA (American with Disabilities Act) compliance and dive into the specific support services offered by different institutions,” Iorillo explains.
This way ensures that students find environments where they can not only access accommodations but truly thrive.
“That's the beautiful thing about Lawrence,” Iorillo adds, “our students develop a strong understanding of how they learn best, and we help them find the right match to succeed.”
Brogan emphasizes the importance of understanding a student’s learning profile and personality.
“Are they proactive in seeking support, or do they benefit from a more structured, responsive program?” she says.
This insight, gained through ongoing collaboration with other departments, allows the CCPC to provide truly personalized guidance.
While some freshmen arrive with clear post-secondary aspirations, the CCPC recognizes that exploration and change are integral parts of the high school journey.
“They’re 14, 15 years old. I don’t expect them to know yet,” says Brogan.
For students navigating learning differences, this self-discovery is particularly important, and the CCPC provides consistent support throughout this process. Through ongoing conversations and close work with the SASS department, students learn to understand and advocate for their learning needs.
The success of this student-centered approach is reflected in Lawrence’s post-secondary outcomes. From 2017 to 2024, Lawrence boasted a 76% matriculation rate, considerably higher than the national average of 61%. From 2017 to 2022, Lawrence’s persistence rate was 84% (compared to the national average of 76%).
“That high 84% persistence rate tells us our students are well-prepared for the rigors of college, as they return after a first successful year,” Brogan explains.
For Brogan and Iorillo, the most rewarding aspect of their work is witnessing the students’ growth and achievements.
“I love when the kids come in with their first acceptance, whatever that is,” says Brogan, “and graduation day is incredibly special, seeing the enormous growth in them.”
Iorillo echoes Brogan, highlighting the long-term impact of their guidance.
“For me, it’s twofold. First, seeing our students become the adults you envision as they walk across the graduation stage—that culmination of their hard work, and the support of their parents and families. Second, it’s incredibly rewarding to see them return after graduation and witness their successes out in the world. Seeing them as lawyers, doctors, teachers, or in whatever path they’ve chosen is fantastic. It makes you reflect on who they were here and appreciate that transformation.”
The close collaboration between Brogan and Iorillo, combined with their diverse backgrounds—Brogan as a parent of children with learning differences and Iorillo as a former 11th and 12th grade English teacher at Lawrence—creates a unique and effective approach.
“I think we both bring different lenses to the table,” says Brogan, enriching their ability to guide students and families.
This individualized approach extends to informing families about the wide range of post-secondary options available today.
"We make sure parents and students know that post-secondary options extend beyond the traditional four-year college, including gap years, trade programs, careers, and the military,” says Iorillo.
Ultimately, Lawrence's College and Career Planning Center is more than just an advising office; it’s a dedicated partnership that empowers students to navigate their post-secondary paths with clarity, confidence, and the unwavering support they need to thrive.