Twenty students. Twenty stories.
The challenges and triumphs of the Class of 2020.
CCA asked twenty new grads to shed light on their college experiences, from their motivation for enrolling to the people who kept them on track, from the books that left lasting impressions to the things they already miss about campus. Scroll down to get a glimpse into their lives, and read the larger story that frames their achievements in light of the many new challenges ahead.
Breanna Bailey
Bachelor’s Degree, Biology
Dillard University, Louisiana
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Favorite required reading:
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines
Getting a degree was important to me because…
As a resident of a rural town, I quickly came to understand that the right academic exposure would open unimaginable possibilities. Earning my Bachelor’s of Science means I’m one step closer to my long-term goal of becoming a physician.
Biggest difference between me now and the day I first walked onto campus:
I’ve grown so much mentally and spiritually. My perspective on many things has changed over the years and I’ve definitely grown more open-minded. I’m more aware of my purpose and better able to fulfill that purpose each day.
What’s next?
I’ll be participating in a summer program through LSU’s Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. I am also applying to enroll in medical school in the fall of 2021.
Brosean Brice
Bachelor’s Degree, Mass Communications
Benedict College, South Carolina
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
I wanted to make my mother proud.
Favorite required reading:
The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Best college memory:
Capturing great moments with photography.
Biggest difference between me now and the day I first walked onto campus:
Communication is the key. My freshman year I was scared to speak to anyone because of what people would think of me and my own personal scars—until someone once told me everyone has scars, some people just hide them better.
Chaquanna Brown
Bachelor’s Degree, Business Administration & Human Resource Management
Florida State College at Jacksonville
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Biggest hurdle overcome:
Learning how to juggle six classes per semester on top of a 50-hour work week. I had to establish superb time management skills. I set a goal for myself to complete this degree and I did it. I sent many prayers up to God and I prevailed thanks to him!
What I’d tell an incoming freshman at my school:
Be mentally prepared. Don’t doubt your self. Make decisions on your degree path with tact, patience and support. Take advantage of the support systems that are accessible to you. Enjoy the process. And don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed.
Favorite college memory:
The tremendous supportive talks that I had with Ms. Yvonne Martel—a wonderful, kind, compassionate and resourceful coach.
Skill I learned that wasn’t on any syllabus:
Through the many student discussions required for online courses, I learned how to consider the various perspectives of my peers and voice my own opinion on topics. Establishing a diverse mindset isn’t something that you can learn from a book; to me, online instruction pushes students to interact and socialize even more than those taking classes on campus.
Heidi DuBray
Bachelor’s Degree, Elementary Education
University of Montana Western
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
So many reasons. I grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation and I come from a broken family, where drugs and alcohol were an everyday thing. Even as a child, I wanted more for myself and more for my people. I wanted change. I knew that change needed to start with me and that I needed to lead by example.
Biggest hurdle overcome:
Finances. I had just given birth to my daughter when I decided to go back to school, while living in my dad’s home, 12 miles from campus with one (unreliable) vehicle and one income. I saved money, worked as a waitress, got a scholarship from the Blackfeet Tribe, and received a work-payback grant that allowed me to take classes and pay back the money through work hours in my field of study—all so I could complete my goal of a bachelor’s degree!
Biggest difference between me now and the day I first walked onto campus:
My self-esteem. I was lost in many ways, and didn’t know who I wanted to be. Today, I’m more confident and better able to use my knowledge and my abilities. Now I am a resilient Blackfeet woman who knows where she has been and where she wants to go.
DelShawn Fowler
Bachelor’s Degree, Biology
Harris-Stowe State University, Missouri
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
I wanted to break the generational curse in my family. I went to college to show my younger siblings that there is more to life after high school.
Biggest hurdle overcome:
Being away from my family back home in Detroit. I overcame this hurdle with the help of a loving institution that took me in as a family and kept me motivated to graduate on time.
A skill I learned that wasn’t on any syllabus:
I learned to be more confident in myself but to always remain humble.
What I’d tell an incoming freshman at my school:
College is all about balance. You’ll learn that time management is critical—and if you master it early, it will take you a long way. Have fun, but be sure to prioritize the important things first.
What’s next?
I plan to work in the pharmaceutical industry while working towards a master’s degree.
Sondra Glovan
Associate’s Degree, Photography
Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado
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Favorite college memory:
Seeing one of my photographs published on a billboard, as part of my work with the school’s marketing department.
Getting a degree was important to me because…
I’ve always had a true passion for photography and I wanted to prove to myself that I could accomplish my goal.
Biggest hurdle:
Finishing my degree after experiencing conflicts with one of my instructors and losing both my parents.
What I’d tell an incoming freshman at my school:
Take advantage of all the events, activities, and mentors you can find on campus. Stay focused and capture life.
What’s next?
I’m working as a portrait and event photographer with Extravagant Images, pursuing my passion and putting my degree to work.
MARÍA GUADALUPE ROMO-GONZÁLEZ
Bachelor’s Degree, Sociology
University of California, Berkeley
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Biggest challenge:
As a first-generation college student, I quickly realized that my biggest challenge was not enrolling at a four-year institution but successfully “getting out” by graduating. Facing impostor syndrome and feeling inferior in my large lecture classes made me feel like I was thrown into a large swimming pool without even knowing how to float. But students and professors in my Chicanx/Latinx studies helped me navigate the system by sharing their experiences and helping me understand what classes to take and what resources were available to support me through my academic journey.
Favorite required reading:
Keepin’ It Real: School Success Beyond White and Black by Prudence L. Carter
Favorite college memory:
Hiking the Berkeley fire trails at sunset, to disconnect from the stress and fast pace of college life—a great way to spend memorable time with friends out in nature, while taking a break from studying and work responsibilities.
Fredrick Haywood, Jr.
Bachelor’s Degree, Marketing
Jackson State University, Mississippi
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
I wanted to further my education to create a better life for my family and myself.
Favorite book that I was required to read:
The Giver by Lois Lowry
What’s your biggest concern for the future?
The unknown
Favorite college memory:
Going to my first HBCU Homecoming
What’s next?
I begin my career as an Amazon marketing specialist on June 22nd and graduate in the fall.
Keaira Hester
Associate’s Degree, General Studies
Coastal Alabama Community College
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
Education is always the start of something greater. Also, it was important to me to show my sister and brothers and my peers that we can do anything and everything we put our minds to—education is key.
Career aspiration:
CEO of a PR firm. Also, City Council Member to ensure growth within my community.
Biggest difference between me now and the day I first walked onto campus:
Becoming a true leader. I was student council president in high school, and the president and founder of Ladies Leading in college. And although I am proud of both of those achievements, I’ve learned that being a leader isn’t about a title. It’s doing the small things to show that you care, being selfless, admitting your mistakes, inspiring others to be their best selves, and seeing adversity as a chance to grow.
What I’d tell an incoming freshman at my school:
Don’t feel as if you’re “smaller” because you attend a community college. Four-year schools are great, but you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. Embrace the faculty and staff, and get involved in everything. Begin creating your legacy, and enjoy the journey.
Antoine Hunter
Associate’s Degree, Liberal Arts
Hostos Community College, New York
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Favorite required reading:
Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Getting a degree was important to me because…
I worked with children in underserved communities and promoted education to prevent them from making poor choices, similar to the ones I made as a child. In doing so, I realized that I could not promote education without actually having one. This inspired me to further my education and enroll at Hostos Community College.
Biggest hurdle overcome:
As a child, I was involved in gang activity—I aspired to be like the older boys from my block who abandoned school to sell drugs, because it seemed like they controlled the world—and I wanted control, too. One day two of my friends were shot and killed because of gang violence—a tragedy that changed me and the way I thought. I didn’t want to die in the streets, so I decided to focus on school, as a first step in changing my life.
Biggest concern for the future:
Improving the lives of people of color in this country.
What’s next?
I will be attending Yale University in the fall, on a full academic scholarship, studying the history of science, medicine and public health.
Seantrell Lemar
Bachelor’s Degree, Biology
Dillard University, Louisiana
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Career aspiration:
Physician
Favorite required reading:
Night by Elie Wiesel
Biggest hurdle overcome:
For so long, I’d been dependent on other people to make decisions for me or guide me where I needed to go. When the time came to go to college, I knew I wanted to change that. Although Dillard University isn’t too far from my hometown, I told myself it was a new chapter, an unknown place that gave me every opportunity to make it my own. Through every action I learned how to be my own person and make the decisions I thought were best for me; even if I mess up along the way, there’s always something to gain.
Skill I learned that wasn’t on any syllabus:
Goal setting, time management, and prioritizing needs versus wants
What I already miss most about campus:
Sitting along “The Oaks,” as everyone at Dillard would say, enjoy the day with my friends, and watching fellow students come and go—it was an easy way to meet and interact with people from the entire campus.
Krista McFarling-Kelly
Associate’s Degree, Biology
College of Southern Nevada
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Career aspiration:
My ideal career is to be an OB/GYN physician, preferably with my own clinic. But I also have a passion for acting, and I’d love to turn that into a profession, too.
Favorite required reading:
Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Getting a degree was important to me because…
My parents were open and honest about their experiences in the workforce. They always told me how a degree would make all the difference between having a job and having a career.
Biggest hurdle overcome:
Depression. I learned that talking about my feelings helps me to better heal. Now, instead of holding in what makes me unhappy, I can talk about it. I also learned that not everything is not worth worrying about. Now I can laugh about a lot of things that used to make me angry.
What’s next?
I will be attending the University of Nevada, Reno, this fall to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, preparing for a physician’s assistant program or med school.
Nicole McGlashing
Bachelor’s Degree, Psychological Science
Austin Peay State University, Tennessee
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
I wanted to be a positive role model to my little sister, and show her that no matter what circumstances we face in our lives we can be successful.
What I already miss most about campus:
The library. I enjoyed the atmosphere of people actively working to achieve their goals.
Biggest difference between me now and the day I first walked onto campus:
Now I know that I’m capable of success regardless of my past. I was a first-generation college student who didn’t have a stable support system and was on my own. Today I’m thankful for that because it allowed me to stand on my own two feet, and work hard to graduate.
What’s next?
I currently work as an administrative assistant in Austin Peay’s Office of Student Success. I want to pursue a career in higher education and I’m set to start my Masters of Science in Leadership program in the fall.
Dori Mondon-Freeman
Associate’s Degree, Sociology
College of the Siskiyous, California
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
I am raising a little girl by myself and want a better life.
Career aspiration:
Community advocacy, social change and restorative justice/peace work
Favorite required reading:
The Everpresent Origin by Jean Gebser
What I’d tell an incoming freshman at my school:
Try to find ways in which what you’re learning applies directly to your life. Make use of all the free resources available to help you succeed. ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS.
What’s next?
Headed to Smith College as an Ada Comstock scholar to finish my bachelor’s degree, and then it’s off to grad school.
Anthony Price
Bachelor’s Degree, Government and American Studies
Wesleyan University, Connecticut
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Skill I learned that wasn’t on any syllabus:
Resilience
Biggest difference between me now and the day I first walked onto campus:
Greater confidence, and the ability to advocate not only for myself but also people who look like me and come from areas similar to mine.
Who helped you along the way?
I am deeply indebted to my mother and grandmother. They are my “sheroes,” especially during this time of COVID-19, when they’re on the frontline, working in healthcare. Without their love and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
What makes you optimistic about the future?
Young people’s ability to solve systemic problems—we have proven through our collective voices and organizing that we can change minds and hearts.
Juan Robles Nava
Bachelor’s Degree, Political Science
University of California, Merced
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Biggest hurdle:
As a first-generation college student, my biggest hurdle was impostor syndrome. I often felt that I wasn’t capable of succeeding in college and had a lot of self doubt. I overcame this obstacle by finding mentors on campus who truly inspired, supported, and empowered me. As a result, I turned that doubt into opportunities for growth and developed myself to be a student leader in my campus community.
Biggest difference between me now and the day I first walked onto campus:
I entered as a shy undergraduate and grew to become a student leader in my campus community.
Favorite required reading:
The Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant
What’s next:
I’m applying for jobs in Education, and I hope to pursue an M.A. or Ph.D. program in Education in the future.
Usman Tijani
Bachelor’s Degree, Business Management
Delaware State University
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
I knew I’d be the first male in my family to do so, beating a lot of statistics, making my parents proud, and setting tone for my siblings and other family members who have not completed college yet.
What I’d tell an incoming freshman at my school:
College doesn’t make the best of you—you make the best of college; that means taking advantage of everything the campus has to offer in your time there.
Biggest hurdle overcome:
Becoming a father and balancing my life and education at such a young age. With help of my mother and sister and Allah I was able to continue to work toward greatness.
What’s next?
I’ve accepted an offer with JP Morgan Chase to work as a business analyst under their Chase Leadership Development Program.
Alexus Williams
Bachelor’s Degree, Nursing
Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, New York
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Getting a degree was important to me because…
I knew that with a degree I would be able to make a difference in the world. Now I’m on the way to fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse and helping those in need.
Skill I learned that wasn’t on any syllabus:
How to manage my time.
Biggest hurdle overcome:
Being the first member of my family to go to college: I didn’t know what to expect and neither did my family. Learning about student loans and filing a FAFSA was a completely new experience but my mom and I overcame it together with help from our connections at Mercy College. Since I had nobody to tell me how to make the most of college, I joined different clubs and attended multiple events to form new friendships, and found that meeting other first-gen freshman allowed me to make the uncertainty of college a better reality.
Blayton Williams
Associate’s Degree, Sports Communication
Lamar Community College, Colorado
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Favorite required reading:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Career aspiration:
Professional basketball player
Biggest hurdle overcome:
Managing a high GPA while playing basketball. And I overcame it by never giving up and always making sure I stay ahead on the court and in the classroom.
Who helped you along the way?
Mrs. Emick, my history teacher.
Biggest difference between me now and the day I first walked onto campus:
I feel like I am a man now.
What’s next:
I’ll be attending the University of Wisconsin Green Bay for the next two years.
Jeremy Wood
Master’s Degree, English
Marshall University, West Virginia
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Career aspiration:
K-12 teacher
Getting a degree was important to me because…
I want to provide a comfortable life for my future family. I also wanted to expand my worldview and learn to see things from different angles.
Favorite college memory:
Defending my portfolio project at the graduate level—it felt incredibly rewarding discussing what I had researched for years.
What’s next?
I plan to pursue a Master of Arts in teaching so I can inspire children to love reading as much as my teachers shaped my love of reading.
What I’d tell an incoming freshman at my school:
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t finish college. I spent six years of my life fighting impostor syndrome, so I know that doubt will naturally arise, but don’t let this doubt stop your journey before it’s over.
Join the Movement
These students’ stories are possible, in part, because of schools that went the extra mile, playing a pivotal role in ensuring college completion. If you’d like to learn more about how your institution can help students find purpose, build momentum toward graduation, find the right path, and get the support they need, we’re here to help.
