The Alumni Leader role is a great opportunity for College Summit alumni to give back to other students a gift that was shared with them, while at the same time furthering both their personal and professional development.   Alumni are the foundation and most influential role at the workshop as they serve as role models of how powerful the workshop experience can be if Peer Leaders take advantage of the opportunity that is presented over the course of the workshop.  Having been through a College Summit workshop as a Peer Leader, they are uniquely situated to offer advice, guidance, encouragement and reassurance to students throughout their workshop experience.   Alumni Leader roles focuses on two themes:

Outward Service: To ensure workshop success by supporting Peer Leaders in their pursuit of the 5 goals of the workshop and supporting other members of the workshop staff.  This involves supporting registration, leading and supporting Rap Sessions, providing supervision of peer leaders and playing an active role in Writing Sessions.

Inward Journey: Explore and reflect on their personal and professional development areas by participating in Alumni Leadership Development Sessions.  These sessions will be provided by different members of the staff to provide a well rounded personal and professional  development opportunity that we hope will support our alumni to achieve their goals. 
Alumni Leaders attend daily staff meetings and are actively involved often providing feedback and serving as a barometer for the Peer Leader experience.  The voice and participation of our Alumni is critical to the workshop experience and have an inspiring and enduring impact on the both the Peer Leaders and workshop staff they work with.  

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Featured Stories

Alumni Reflections-1st Time at Workshops

Caty Palma-Escobar (NCR)
Going into my first workshop I knew I was going to enjoy the experience since I had heard so many great things about being a part of staff, but I never expected it to have such a powerful impact on my personal life. In the course of four days I had opened up so much to new found faces and diverse personalities quicker than I ever had in the span of 10 weeks of classes back at school.

After encountering “being comfortable with being uncomfortable,” I realized that I can relate to people on many different levels, whether it is emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or ethnically. I realized that I had quite a few commonalities with the Peer Leaders and staff members, meaning I felt comfortable sharing parts of my personal life during Rap Sessions or one-on-one conversations with strangers without the fear of being judged or ridiculed. This is how I had the chance to encourage students to open up on a more personal level with me, and these are the students with whom I have made lasting friendships with.

My favorite parts of the workshops are the Leadership Development Trainings and Rap Sessions because those are the moments in which I learn more about the other Alumni Leaders and Peer Leaders. I have heard stories of students who have encountered so many heartbreaking life changes that they feel as if they cannot create something positive out of that situation. But when the Alumni Leaders and Rap Directors step in to ensure them that they are powerful, beautiful, and intelligent enough to overcome any obstacle I am reminded of why I give back to College Summit. I love being an Alumni Leader because I get to see the changes that people go through and the solid friendships that develop in just four days.

Now that the workshop season has ended, I can pin point all the people I have met, the personalities of different students, the crazy games I played with the Peer Leaders, the hilarious moments I spent with my staff members, and the dance at each workshop. Although each workshop was unique, they all entailed satisfaction knowing that the Peer Leaders took something out of the workshop and are closer to getting a college degree.

Marion Tremaine Garvin (SC)
My experience with College Summit has been the kind that has shaped my perspective of life. As a Peer Leader, the things I learned and experiences I had were overwhelming and life lessons to be learned. I was glad to be a part of it. That’s the reason I chose to become an Alumni Leader, to give back what was given to me. Knowing that the students look up to me for advice or even just that person they can trust when it seems like there is no one to turn to gives me a sense of vitality. It made me feel as if I’ve accomplished something and changed the lives of others in positive way. I was privileged to have the opportunity to stand in the gap as a role model. I am definitely going to continue my journey with College Summit.

Ashley (Asha) Nelson-Gentry (NCR)
Confusion to annoyance to gratitude: that is the way I’d describe the progression of the Peer Leaders’ faces; that’s my favorite part. They give you the “you’re definitely crazy” look and a few days and a few conversations later they are in tears and asking for your phone number to keep in contact with you. The best part is the impact I leave on them because all they need is someone who cares. And that is who I present myself to be.

My experience as a first year Alumni Leader has been an enjoyable learning one. It was one of those few instances in life that cannot really be described. The workshop experience was nothing like I experienced ever before. I didn’t expect to learn patience or gratitude from the presence of people who need a boost. I didn’t expect to come to understand the difference between sympathy and empathy. I didn’t expect to open up my personal issues to people who I assumed would lack compassion. I went into it with the same mindset I had when I was a Peer Leader: a conference setting with many lectures and speeches. I had forgotten that the College Summit experience isn’t one you have, it is one you live.
 
One of College Summit’s ideals is “four days that will change the next four years of your life.” It is surprising what the program does because it is not exactly what it seems; it’s about college but it’s more so about life. For me it opened my mind to another world that brings chaos to peace and hatred to love. There was always something memorable happening: from Joey’s house of praise to the creation and portrayal of “smoovocity.” Every workshop opened my eyes because it made me reach inside of myself in order to teach the Peer Leaders what it means to be a leader. College Summit has given me more perspective and a more positive idea of who I am as a woman and as an African American.