Earning a Behavioral Health/Human Services (BHHS) degree will allow Tracey Downing to help individuals as a support specialist, just like others have helped her throughout her life. The first graduate of the College’s I Am More initiative, which assists justice-involved individuals earn an education, Tracey invites others to learn from her story. With assistance and knowledge she received from others, as well as the BHHS program, she also has come to understand the challenges she has been confronted with in her life.

Tracey was in and out of rehab programs, and institutionalized at times. She  accumulated a record with retail theft associated with active addiction, leaving her mom to raise her six children. “People who were trying to help told me ‘We hope you’ll get tired of this. We see so much potential in you. We hope you make it. We see something in you that you can’t.’ In many county jails, prisons, and recovery programs, counselors and psychiatrists embraced me with unconditional love, education, and knowledge. It still took years to get sober.”

Tracey has been in recovery for 12 years, which started during her last incarceration. After transitioning to a recovery house, equipped with goals and a plan for the future, a son tragically passed away, but Tracey was able to remain sober. At PRO-ACT, which offers educational resources for those in recovery, she earned leadership and group support certificates, and noticed a CCP flyer for those who have experience in the justice system. She has been at the College since 2017, continuing her education through a near death experience and more heartbreak.

A diabetic coma and then a stroke left her on life support and unconscious for weeks; a month and a half in a physical rehabilitation facility followed. After the death of a daughter, BHHS faculty helped her through the funeral and the grief. Despite excruciating muscle pain from fibromyalgia, arthritis, myalgia, and neuropathy, Tracey traveled to campus for classes and frequent tutoring, which provided the extra help she needed due to a learning disability. She had COVID-19 and surgery for gall stone removal. With the support of friends, family, her College network, and her Narcotics Anonymous and Alcohol Anonymous sponsors, Tracey pushed through these hardships to continue with her education.

“I am at awe at the team of professors in BHHS. Their support enabled me to have more confidence and believe in my abilities. I’ve learned so, so much from the professors and staff at CCP. It has been an awesome, rewarding, fulfilling, life-changing, transformational gift of self-discovery,” she said.

Tracey now understands the circumstances that affected her, and knows her family did the best they could with what they knew and what they had.

“My mom was a nurse, and an awesome provider. She would give gifts but did not openly express her feelings because of her painful childhood and life experiences. My sisters and I didn’t want for anything, but there was not much nurturing,” she said.

Eventually, Tracey started looking elsewhere for affection; first, with a grandmother who struggled with alcohol abuse, and then to others in her neighborhood.

“I never felt I fit in or belonged, which was part peer pressure, and part verbal and emotional abuse. I started to feel a deep sadness. I became the neighborhood drifter, looking for love and acceptance.” Societal beauty standards that did not include girls who looked like her, and trauma from sexual abuse and rejection, contributed to her self-destructive behavior of drinking and skipping school. After an abusive relationship, Tracey gave birth to a daughter when she was 16. Eventually, Tracey was eventually able to secure an apartment for her and her child after getting a job in a nursing home. Shortly after, Tracey became addicted after freebasing, and continued drinking.

Now, she has tools she needs to guide her journey.

“I have the spiritual gifts of kindness, compassion, self-determination, courage, resilience and helping the community. My everyday skills are yoga, eating healthy, mindfulness meditation, prayer and faith in Jesus Christ,” she said.

Tracey relates her experiences to the agility of a boxer, dodging punches, getting knocked down and getting back up.

“That’s the story of my life: pivot,” she said.

The path to graduation is flooded with twists and turns. Students change majors, life events cause disruptions, and many students find they are no longer the same individual they were coming into college. Sonniyrah Marie D'Huguenoir said her journey was a roller coaster.

Sonniyrah was born in Harlem, New York shortly after her mother moved to the U.S. from Haiti for a better life. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York, but then moved to Philadelphia right before starting high school. Sonniyrah graduated from Olney Charter High School and began classes at Community College of Philadelphia in 2012, having decided against making a big move to attend Morehouse College, an all-male HBCU in Atlanta, Georgia. This was before Sonniyrah, who identifies as a woman of trans experience, began transitioning.

Community College’s Center for Male Engagement (CME) mailed her information about enrollment, inviting her to become a life-long member. She accepted and began to participate in regular workshops on topics like time management and skill building on a collegiate level.

After becoming a member, Sonniyrah cultivated relationships that will live on beyond the collegiate experience with other students as well as College staff. Two important relationships that she cultivated were with CME’s director, Dr. Derrick Perkins, and Hope Thomas, administrative assistant, who became loving guardians or parental figures to her. “When I came to the realization that I was a woman, I informed my father that I can no longer be a part of this organization because of my identity,” Sonniyrah said. “He was like, ‘no you’re my daughter, you’ll always be a part of this.” Sonniyrah would then go on to be a peer coach for CME, handling tasks pertaining to mentoring other students, helping classmates navigate the FAFSA, setting up workshops, planning academic trips and more.

Even with support from CME, Single Stop and KEYS, life for Sonniyrah was full of twists and turns. Sometimes, the struggle to pay bills outweighed the need to focus on studies. Sonniyrah was in and out of school. She also hopped around majors as she worked to figure it all out. 

“I went from a pre-law major or paralegal studies to art, and now I found my true purpose in the arts and sciences in psychology,” Sonniyrah said.

For all her hard work, she graduated on Saturday, May 4, with a Liberal Arts degree and with a commitment to earn her doctorate degree in Psychiatry. She said the last decade has been one of self-discovery, something that was essential to her success in the classroom and in life. “Before, I prioritized everybody else except for me,” Sonniyrah said. “Now this time around, I’m focusing on, what do I want to be 10 years from now?”

After graduation, she plans to get a bachelor’s degree—her eyes are set on Howard University. “I’m proud that I finally gained a sense of healthy independence as a dark- skinned Haitian woman of trans experience,” Sonniyrah said. “I’m in my own space, on my own. I’m graduating. I’m proud that I have come to a place of peace in my identity and my life all thanks to God and CME.”

Students know they’re picking a more affordable option when they choose to enroll at a community college rather than a four-year school. For Annette Ramirez, the cost of tuition paired with the flexibility of classes at Community College of Philadelphia stood out when she was researching colleges after high school.

“It was the least expensive option,” Annette said. “It was more flexible with hours, like having afternoon classes was great for me because I had a kid at home. So that was really amazing.”

The Octavius Catto Scholarship made the decision to enroll even easier. 

“And then I found the Catto Scholarship, which was honestly the reason,” she said, “because they paid for everything for me and I never had to worry about the money.”

While the Catto Scholarship covered tuition and offered a monthly stipend, the costs of living and raising a child were still a factor. Annette worked at a restaurant in South Philadelphia while attending classes.

“[The Catto Scholarship] definitely alleviates the financial aspect of going to college,” she said. “With the stipend, it was amazing because I used that for my transportation needs. I was less pressured to have that job while studying. I could focus more on my studies."

Annette, who started in fall of 2021, is graduating in May from the College’s Medical Laboratory Technician program. When she does, she will be the first in her family to graduate college.

She had taken a year off from school after graduating high school from the Career and Academic Development Institute in Philadelphia before enrolling. She had just had a child and wasn’t sure if she’d end up going back to school. Annette talked with her husband about applying to colleges, and he gave her the encouragement she was looking for.

“He was like, ‘No, go to college. That’s what you’ve always wanted to do. You can still do it,’” she said. “And he helped me research a lot. He was like, ‘You know we can’t really afford for you to go to a four-year college or a four-year university right now, but CCP sounds great.’”

And now that she’s graduating, she’s in a position to land a higher paying job plus she’s planning to achieve a four-year degree, possibly at Thomas Jefferson University or University of Cincinnati. During her time here, Annette said she received a lot of support from the College’s Career Connections department, which provides interview prep and résumé building services as well as a database that directly connects students to employers—support she’s still receiving.

“As someone who didn’t think she was going to go to college, I was like, ‘This is amazing,’” Annette said. “I can get a job. I’m the first in my family to graduate with a degree at all. … To me, it is the proudest moment.”

After pursing other career paths in health care, Devona Williams decided that becoming a dental hygienist was the right fit for her. But when looking at programs around her hometown of Pittsburgh, she found that they didn’t match her needs.

“My options were limited there. The University of Pittsburgh was too expensive, and the community college was outside of the city, and I’m a city girl,” she said.

Devona looked to Philadelphia, where she has family, and found the College’s Dental Hygiene program. She worked for one year as a dental assistant, where she received on-the-job training, while waiting to get into the program.

“As a dental assistant, I didn’t receive a lot of background. I didn’t feel comfortable with that,” she said.

Devona enrolled at the College in fall 2021, taking her first two classes online, before moving and attending classes in person.

“When I was working as a dental assistant, my back hurt because I didn’t know that there is a proper posture for working around a patient. There is a science behind it for your well-being, and what’s best for the patient,” she said.

For Devona, the highlight of the program was the outreach to residents, a part of their student training.

“It’s all about the community clinic. I love working in the clinic because all we see is patients who need dental treatment. They don’t have the option to rely upon insurance. They go years without treatment,” she said.

Preparing to take her written and clinical certification exams in June, Devona may return to Pittsburgh in the future, but plans to work in Philadelphia for a few years.

“I’ve met some amazing people here, I’ve made some good friends, and I’ve enjoyed my time here. The city is beautiful,” said Devona.

Her in-demand degree and certification will allow her to work throughout Pennsylvania and has given her the knowledge and confidence to care for others.

“I think the program prepared me really well. It helped shape me into a better clinician. You see people from different walks of life, and you understand why you’re doing what you do. The Dental Hygiene faculty are excellent at helping you grasp concepts and apply them in real life. The program may seem like a lot initially, but it is very rewarding.

If you’re invested and your heart is in it, just jump in. It’s worth it,” said Devona.

Arriving at the College in the fall of 2022, Moo Muhammad followed the advice of his mentor, whom he met by chance while working as an Uber driver.

"She encouraged me to return to school and suggested a degree in Cybersecurity," said Moo.

Not wanting to rely on family yet not making quite enough for rent, Moo decided to live out of his car while going to school. Close friends were there to help when he occasionally needed a place to stay, and they offered support and encouragement.

He is now graduating with High Honors and a degree in Cybersecurity, and will begin his bachelor's degree in Computing and Security Technology at Drexel University. With this career, Moo will work to protect sensitive data and information systems to ensure privacy and integrity in the digital space.

"I'm here to protect everyone from the dangers of the internet," he said.

Extremely involved in College life, Moo was a member of the Chess, Math, and Cybersecurity clubs; the Latin American Student Organization; Philadelphia L.E.A.D.S. – The Student Leadership Society; the National Society for Black Engineers; and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. He was also awarded the N.B.C.U. Academy Scholarship, the Renaissance Scholarship from the Beygood Foundation, and the Drexel Promise Scholarship.

Moo balanced academics and activities at CCP with his work as a career services consultant, personal trainer, and tutor. He sought services at the College, including counseling, single-stop, and career services, and he helped other students navigate resources and processes. He also offers advice to those looking to apply to school.

"I began researching when others asked questions, and I found the answers about education, scholarships, and navigating the College," he said.

Previously, he was enrolled at Delaware County Community College but dropped out three times.

"The first time I dropped out was due to immaturity; the second, time management; and the third was due to the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

From all of his experiences, Moo has learned that "you cannot create a perfect plan for anything, but you can create contingencies. Be flexible."

Looking forward to his program and joining organizations at Drexel, Moo ultimately wants to earn a Ph.D. He appreciates the resources and individuals at CCP who helped him along the way.

"I would recommend CCP because you can build a foundation of friends, family, and a professional network needed for the next College and beyond. Thanks to mentors, friends, and faculty, I've been prepared extremely well," said Moo.

Moo Muhammad will graduate Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Cybersecurity. While at the College, he earned several scholarships, including NBCU Academy Scholarship, the Renaissance Scholarship from the Beygood Foundation and the Drexel Promise Scholarship. He is a member of the Chess Club, the Cybersecurity Club, the Latin American Student Organization, Philadelphia L.E.A.D.S. – The Student Leadership Society, Math Club, the National Society for Black Engineers and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society. Moo enjoys helping students navigate the College and offers advice to help others succeed. Outside of the College, he is a member of Blacks in Cyber Security, Blacks in Tech, Women in Cybersecurity and Prospanica. Moo also works as a career services consultant, personal trainer and tutor. After the College, he will pursue a bachelor’s degree in Computing and Security Technology at Drexel University. Moo is glad that he took the opportunity to apply to be this year’s speaker, and looks forward to addressing the Class of 2024.

When we started the process of creating Community College of Philadelphia’s new brand nearly three years ago, we knew students had to be part of the discussion. After all, our students are at the core of everything we do. We couldn’t create the College’s new look and feel without asking our students what makes them proud to be part of the City’s College—and what would encourage others to see what they already know.

We put out the call and assembled a focus group of students who wanted to share their expertise as part of our College community. 

“The goal was rebuilding the brand inside and out,” said Sabriya Marshall, one of several students who were instrumental in providing brand feedback. “Were we getting the right message, right mantra, right color patterns? Were they bold enough? How did we feel as a student? How would you feel as a prospective student?”

Community College of Philadelphia is often seen as a hidden gem in the city. Students who attend here know the benefits of the College, the people who work here see the difference we make in the community, but it often feels like not enough people know about us. If you know, you know—but we want everyone to know!

A major reason for the rebrand was attracting new students.

“As a student, I want to look at myself as if I could I be at this campus,” Sabriya said. “Is this somewhere I’d want to go?”

For the Philly native, the answer is a resounding yes. Sabriya will be finishing her degree this summer and plans to walk during Commencement this May. Her major is Health Care Studies and she plans to go into nursing.

“CCP has professors and staff members who are understanding,” Sabriya said. “They’re very aware and it’s apparent. That’s what I love about the culture of the school. There are so many different varieties of people you’re going to come across and no matter what, you’re not alone.”

Another focus group participant, Aponte Anthony, said the logo needed to be something that stands out and sticks with people when they see it. He said the new logo, with its prominent P, achieves that in a way the previous logo didn’t for him.

“Philadelphia is something CCP wanted to emphasize,” Aponte said. “I remember that during the meetings, the idea that this is the Community College of Philadelphia. Emphasizing the people of Philadelphia. It needed to be something that gets your attention and when people pass by, they say, ‘Ah, I’ve seen that before.’”

It’s our hope that the new logo establishes Community College of Philadelphia in the pantheon of the city’s iconic Ps. 

Aponte, who is studying Applied Science and is about 19 credit hours away from his degree, said the College’s color palette was also important to him.

“They were talking about changing the color scheme,” he said. “I’m fine with the color scheme already. I thought, ‘Hopefully the color scheme doesn’t change too dramatically.’”

He wasn’t the only person who said they liked the College’s iconic black and gold colors. Not to fear: Those colors aren’t going away. We are, however, adding a splash of blue that creates a pleasant balance alongside the previous brand palette. The blue and yellow in the new brand also ties the College to the City; Philadelphia’s official colors emphasize blue and yellow and now the College’s do, too.

Another major contribution students made to the new brand was our tagline. In the moments before a final decision needed to be made, College stakeholders, Cabinet members, and the Strategic Communications team were still divided among a couple different options. Students were asked a final time which tagline they preferred; to everyone’s relief, they unanimously chose, “Rise from within.”

The tagline really captures the ethos of our students. Community College of Philadelphia is here with resources and compassionate educators who support our students, but those students’ individual accomplishments come from within. Every day, we see students find success as they rise from within.