Some of challenges that a student may face include mustering the courage to ask the necessary questions about what s/he did not understand, and believing in his/her ability enough to effectively contribute to a classroom discussion.  And, of course, there is the classic battle of procrastination, and learning how to better manage one's time and study skills more efficiently.  Sometimes, I was successful, and other times I was not, but what I ultimately learned was that I am my own advocate.  Professors want what is best for their students, but it is absolute necessary that we remain the primary active participants in our own success.

 

Another way I challenged myself was by taking Honors courses. Initially, I had no idea what to expect, but I was eager simply based on the fact that they are half the size of most regular classes at the college, and the idea of being able to connect with my peers and professors more intimately was very intriguing.

 

My very first Honors class was African-American Literature with Dr. LaRose Parris.  Boy, what a mind-blowing experience!  Not only did I become acquainted with various literary works produced by the likes of Toni Morrison, Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs and many others for the first time, but I was able to draw connections between the historical nature of their literature, and understand a little more clearly why many young people of color struggle with the public education, welfare and prison systems, and achieving upward mobilization today.  After spending a semester with Dr. Parris, I changed my major from Childhood Education to Liberal Arts, and will transfer as a History major with a focus on Comparative Colonialism.  I want to learn more about how the structures of colonialism produce such grave inequalities not only in our political structures, but those around the world as well.  In the future, I want to teach high school and to arm students with a similar knowledge so that they might grasp a better understanding of how their surroundings came about, how to use them to better their lives, and to better appreciate the socio-political struggles that were fought for us.

 

Ultimately, I enrolled in eight Honors Courses, and I must admit I spent some of my best classroom hours in these classes, even taking the Statistics course with Prof. Wang and Principles of Biology with Prof. Motoike! Math and Science are definitely not my strong suits, but both professors provided the support, access, and space necessary to do as best as I could. So take as many Honors courses as you can.  I promise you will learn much, and might get challenged a bit, but you will not regret it!  Furthermore, the Honors notation on your transcript and transfer application will strengthen your academic profile.

 

From the beginning, I searched for a social space on campus where I could make friends and find a support system while pursuing my studies at LaGuardia. I attended creative writing workshops in the Women’s Center, considered running for the Student Senate, and even took some Yoga classes in the Fitness Center for fun.  These were all wonderful, and perhaps you might want to try them out for yourself.

 

However, one day before the start of my second semester, I received an email from the Honors Program about a “Transfer Workshop” taking place in E-101 of the campus library, and thought to check it out for no specific reason other than curiosity.

 

See, I was intent on attending Hunter College, and had already scoped out some of their History program courses and everything. While at the workshop, I met Kevin Magana, who is now at Georgetown University, and Dr. Karlyn Koh, the Honors Program Director and English professor. I learned about what to expect from the “transfer process” and how to go about maximizing my opportunity as a transfer applicant, all of which were very new to me. While speaking with Dr. Koh about my future goals and the transfer process, she simply said, “you can apply to Columbia” and with those words my entire outlook on the future shifted. The idea of attending a private school or an Ivy League college did not exist in my consciousness, but all of a sudden the idea became possible!  As Oprah Winfrey would say, “it was an ‘aha’ moment” and it indelibly changed my trajectory at LaGuardia.

 

Soon after, I became involved with the Honors Student Advisory Committee or HSAC, and found a place where the new ideas I held about my future could be nurtured. In Honors House (M-222), there were students just like me who seemed to be learning a lot about different resources available to them as they went along, and I was fortunate to be embraced by that dynamic community. I became part of HSAC's evolving Transfer Initiative, and dived into the work of researching and compiling information about scholarships, essay writing, and general transfer resources.  HSAC's Transfer Initiative's function was, and still is, to spread such information to as many students at the college as possible so that they too can be successful.

 

This website is a result of all of that research and was built by alumni and continuing students through the years to benefit you! I implore you to explore it, as it contains a wealth of transfer information that will put you on the right path to transfer success. Everything imaginable--from the ever-impending “Start Early” decree, to the minutest detail of how to put together a “Letter of Recommendation Packet” or “Requesting GED’s and High School Transcripts"--is covered on this site.  Do not be afraid!  Grab a friend and go through it together if you can, and if there is ever anything you do not understand or need clarity on, drop by your Honors House in M222, where support is always available to you.

 

As an HSAC member, I tapped into a goldmine of resources and opportunities, but I have also been fortunate enough to foster some of the most meaningful relationships of my life too!  In the Honors House, I met friends who shared similar hardships and were forced to take breaks in their journey of education, but who wanted nothing more than to succeed.  The advisors and faculty who drop in are dedicated to helping students reach their full potential, and oftentimes become informal mentors, who share in the joy and sometimes sadness of our lives.  In HSAC, we work to vividly recreate the standing “Honors Recognition Event” every semester, are always searching for new ways to reach out to and help our community, and, most importantly, how to better serve our peers on campus, keeping you in the know, and always extending the opportunity to any student who may wish to jump on board.

 

If you are looking for a community on campus that will challenge you, allow you to think outside of the box, and empower you as an individual, then the Honors Program and/or HSAC might be something you’d want to consider lending some time to.

 

Now, I hope that I have not sounded like I am merely plugging away for the Honors Program, but in a way, I kind of am doing that. I have spent most of my transformative years at LaGuardia, and the Honors Program has supported me every step of the way.   My life was once a black hole with no shot at getting better, the people around me were in the same boat, and it was a circular struggle that did not seem to have an end in sight.

 

My time at LaGuardia has taught me to treasure education in a way that makes me feel as though I have hit the lottery!  It has breathed a consciousness into my mind that has empowered me to take control of my destiny without complaining or blaming the other for my misgivings.

 

I honestly believe it can do the same for you too.  Be open to formal education, make new friends, become uncomfortable, and approach a professor with openness!  Most of all, tap into your Honors Network, as it is there to serve you as a LaGuardia student and beyond, on an academic, professional, and personal level.

 

Be honest with yourself and others around you, pursue your dreams undeterred, and believe in your potential to be great!  If it can happen for me, it can happen for you too!  Good Luck!