Student Stories

Honestly, I'm only here at CCP today because of my younger brother. He's a former Community College of Philadelphia student and he graduated with 3.9 GPA, double major. 

He was always on my back to go back to school. I never really wanted to go back to school. I just wanted to be either a general manager or an area manager for the company I was working with at the time. And I felt that would have been good enough for me. But my brother just kept pushing me, “Just try it. I believe it's going to be a good place for you. You're going to excel there.”  He just kept pushing me, pushing me, pushing me. And out of annoyance, I said, “Yeah.” I went in and registered for classes, to be honest, out of annoyance. 

When I first got to CCP, I had low expectations. But once I got here, I ended up joining the Center for Mental Engagement, CME, where I found like-minded individuals who gave me confidence to pursue all opportunities here at Community College of Philadelphia. Dr. Perkins, director of the Center for Male Engagement has really been a support system and is always encouraging me, helping me to branch out and seek out help with counseling, financial aid, single stop, or the other people on campus that can help. I think that's an important lesson that's hard for a lot of us to learn:  you're not less if you ask for help. 

From CME, I ended up joining the basketball team and the cross-country team. And then, I ended up joining AmeriCorps. I got an opportunity to work in Grady's Garden, where we combat food insecurities, and we grow fresh produce for our students on campus. I also got to volunteer with Snack Rec where we provide snacks and meals for students on campus to help them get through the week. I just did the drop the mic poetry contest! 

My classes here have been excellent: Public Health, Sociology. Even Computer Science. When I first got here, I was really bad with computers, but my teacher kept pushing me, she had a faith in me that I didn't in myself, she knew I could get that A. So then I had the pressure to go get that A. And I earned the A.  

I’d also like to speak about advice I got from the Athletic Director, Ms. Lindsey Grace: don’t focus on what’s going on right now, look towards the future. Because I'm not the same student that I was when I first got here, and I'm going to be a better student once I leave here. So focus on where you’re going. 

My scholarship told me that anything is possible and that the school had my back. And it made me work a harder because I feel like the school really invested in me. I feel like I had to make sure I gave back to my school if I'm involved in so many things.  

I think CCP helped instill confidence into myself and believe that I can really do anything that I put my mind to. And it's about the effort and the effort that you put in, but it's also how you treat other people. I feel because I was always receptive to people, you know, with nice people, it allowed people to gravitate towards me and want to help me. 

So anytime I needed help with a paper, I had help with it. Anytime I needed help with tutoring, needed Single Stop, or emergency fund help during a difficult time, I got it. In the same way, my scholarship took the financial burden off me so I can focus on my academics and extracurriculars and perform at a high level.  

Now my major is healthcare studies. I love public health because of preventive care and I plan on pursuing my bachelor's degree in public health and my master's as well. 

And I just want to thank everybody here at Community College of Philadelphia for everything that they've done for me, from scholarships, for just being here to listen to me. Thank you for all the doors you opened for me, and then, most of all, to everybody who instilled the confidence and belief in myself, to believe that I can do anything I put my mind to. Before I got here, I really was struggling with confidence and believing in myself, and I know when I leave, that won't be the problem anymore. 

Thank you.