This past Thursday, the KIPP Through College: College Support Team hosted its first Town Hall meeting for all KIPP alumni. The event and the evening were great! While providing an opportunity for KIPP alumni to share and discuss their individual experiences since leaving KIPP DC it also allowed KIPPsters to talk about challenges they have faced and solutions they have come up with to continue to climb the mountain.
Some of the topics that were discussed included; roommate struggles, overcoming financial obstacles, how to deal with working and going back to school, and overcoming the difficulties of re-enrolling in college.
One topic that seemed to come up and keep everyone in the room talking was how to deal with people who are different then you when you go off to college. Some students expressed that going to a local school within in the DC area was tough because those outside of DC have their own stereotypes of what a DC person "looks" and "acts" like. While others in the room shared that just going to a predominantly white institution (PWI) presented it's own challenges if you are a student of color. Whatever the differences are, the consensus was that it takes open communication and an open mind to overcome those differences.
College is so much more than just going to classes and doing homework, it's also about growing and becoming a better person. In order to do so, one must be able to accept that there will always be differences in people, but there can also be a common ground that connects us all.
Overall a great night of sharing of experiences and ideas happened and if you missed this one, no worries there will be another Town Hall in the fall semester. If you know someone who attended ask them to share more of the night and always feel free to drop a line to your Support Advisor here in the KTC office.
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