Community Building Transforms the College Experience

Even as a high school student in Morristown, New Jersey, Alia was passionate about improving education within her academic community. After observing gaps in the experiences of students of color, she and a friend set out to make a positive change. “We formed committees and focused on specific policies, like adding authors of color to the curriculum and creating resources for bilingual students,” she explains. The entire district eventually adopted their recommendations.

And when it came time for Alia to choose a college, her desire to be part of a community that creates opportunities for students of color to excel motivated her. “What I want to do is interdisciplinary,” she explains. “At NYU, I can explore all my interests. No rules or restrictions limit me.” Through the College of Arts and Science and Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, Alia is combining an Africana Studies major on a prelaw track with a minor in Social and Public Policy.

“Everything I’m involved with aligns with my interest in advocacy and public service,” Alia says. She is active in many on-campus organizations—including the Organization of Black Women and the Dean’s Service Honors Corps—but there’s one that has played an especially important role in her NYU experience thus far. “The Academic Achievement Program (AAP) at NYU is a huge organization for students of color,” Alia explains. Designed to be a safe space, the group comprises a variety of committees focused on different services and events, from academic support to community service.

For example, Alia quickly found that AAP’s weekly discussion on current events, the Rap Session, aligned perfectly with her academic trajectory. She now serves as a cochair of Rap Session. Each week, she helps facilitate an open, welcoming environment where students can share without being judged. “Everyone is at an equal level,” Alia explains. “I’ve learned so much from every session.” Topics of discussion have included the effectiveness of the two-party system and how gender plays a role in relationships.

The Womxn of Excellence, Strength, and Tenacity (WEST) committee, which focuses on empowering women of color, is also within AAP. For Alia, a recent retreat was one of the most impactful WEST activities. “It took place in a beautiful, isolated location,” she recalls. “We were able to just connect and be transparent with each other.”