Out of My Shell..Closer to My Dream

I came to CCBC five years ago with a big dream of becoming a motivational speaker with no idea how to get there. Let me tell you how getting involved with an ambassador program like Fresh Faces got me closer to fulfilling my dream.

Here I was, scrolling through my emails and I came across this email about an opportunity for students to become influencers on CCBC social media. I thought for a second, this opportunity is definitely not for me-I don’t even have a social media presence and I’m not comfortable on social media. I deleted the email and kept scrolling. Two days later, I got the same email from my Ambassador Program director, who also talked to me about it before. She explained to me how they need students to use their social media accounts to promote CCBC. Now, I started to talk myself into applying. I know that I don’t have social media presence, but if they are asking for help promoting CCBC, then I think I can do that. CCBC has given me so much and I feel this will be a chance for me to give back to the college I love. So, I applied to join Fresh Faces of CCBC.

It was time for the interview, and I was a little nervous, but once I saw a few of my friends there too, I started to feel less nervous. The interview was short and sweet. My favorite question was if someone asked you, why should I apply to CCBC, what would you tell them? I went on and on about all the wonderful things CCBC offers to students and that is exactly why I joined this program. Many people don’t know how much this place gives to students and a lot of people are hesitant to join CCBC because of the stigma about community colleges. This was an opportunity to tell people about the wonderful things waiting for them here at CCBC. Now I’m able to use my social media accounts to change the stigma about community colleges and to give back to the college I love, CCBC.

I got in and I became a Fresh Face of CCBC. I started to post on Instagram about my everyday life at CCBC, which is a very busy life. I posted about the fun events I attended and volunteered at. I posted about meeting senators and state legislators to discuss what students need from the state to improve community colleges. I posted about working on campus. I posted about speaking at conferences……I posted about everything I did at CCBC. Then I became a student blogger. I started to blog about my experience as a college student on the college website. I used my established Fresh Faces platform to promote my blog on social media. On the first day my blog went live, I received a direct message on Instagram from a former student who gave up on her education and stopped going to college. My story touched her heart and gave her hope to go back to college. Words like these give me more determination to fulfill my dream of becoming a motivational speaker. CCBC faculty and staff started to learn more about my story, and they were touched by it. I started to get invitations to join different committees for the college. I started to build a connection of students, faculty, and staff.

The Fresh Faces Program helped me connect to people and that is at the heart of my future career as a behavioral health counselor and a motivational speaker. I used to be someone whose heart beats so fast when she is about to speak in class. I used to be someone with public speaking fear. I used to be not comfortable on social media. Now, I’m a completely transformed person with many communication and marketing skills that I will take with me  in my journey to fulfill my dreams

Two years before I became a CCBC Fresh Face, I saw a big picture of one of my friends on a big  wall on the CCBC Essex Campus. I said to myself, one day I wish I will be the face of CCBC. Two years later, I’m a Fresh Face of CCBC and there is a picture bigger than me on the wall. CCBC is where dreams come true!

If you are interested in joining this amazing program, click here Fresh Faces Application

Until next time my friends

Rama