It is with great sadness we announce the passing of longtime financial aid advocate and public servant Leo Kornfeld. Leo previously served as the deputy commissioner of education, where he directed a new agency, the Bureau of Student Financial Assistance, which was previously in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. He “reluctantly retired” from his position as managing director of Exeter Group at the age of 93, after working for more than 40 years in higher education.

Leo was passionate about ensuring all qualified students had the means to attend a postsecondary institution, co-authoring the book “How to Beat the High Cost of Learning,” along with leading several student-focused initiatives. He was known for his hard-charging attitude and resilient spirit, later becoming a senior adviser to the Secretary of Education from 1992 to 1997 where, according to his obituary, he designed and implemented direct student lending, which has since enabled millions of Americans to avoid the same obstacles associated with the cost of college that he faced as a young man when he was the first in his family to attend college. He also worked tirelessly on a massive project to combine all student grant and loan data into one computer network.

While his implementation of the program was not initially well-received due to the disruption it had on banks and loan-guarantee agencies in the industry, Leo said he was not in the business of winning popularity contests.

"What I am interested in is making the kinds of changes that will improve the management of the department and the lives of students. And when you make changes, you do not make friends,” he told The Chronicle of Higher Education in 1996. 

In addition to his work in the public sector, Leo served his country as a Naval Lieutenant Commander after enlisting when World War II broke out. He felt indebted to the Navy for supporting him through his educational pursuits, according to his obituary. In the private sector, Leo joined the management consultant company, Cresap, McCormick and Paget in the 1950s as its chief educational consultant. While there, he worked on educational programs in Ethiopia for the World Bank and in Liberia for an American aid program.

NASFAA is grateful for the impact Leo has had on the financial aid community as a whole. Our sincerest condolences and best wishes go out to Leo’s family and friends. He will remain in our thoughts.

Publication Date: 4/16/2020

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