Personal Narrative: The Culture Of Community College

Qui Memores Estis

or

The Misfits

I must confess that I never intended to attend a community college. Whenever my mother suggested the idea of my living at home and commuting to Ivy Tech, I wrinkled my nose at her and said that I wanted to go to a four-year university. I longed to stretch my wings and experience the tradition of “going away to school,” forging new friendships, and embarking on new adventures. Well, I did all that…at community college. It is only now that I am on the verge of graduating from an establishment I once resisted attending that I realize the purpose behind education, the flaws inherent in the stereotype of community college, how the culture of community college helped shape my identity, and how the best colleges treat

their students as people first.
The Misfits
While all college catalogs and university brochures may look the same with their shiny paper, academic buzz words, and pictures of smiling, photogenic people who may or may not be actual students, they all possess distinctly different cultures. Visit enough campuses and one will discover that each college has a unique “vibe” and seeks to recruit a certain class of students, whether it be book-loving academics, idealistic humanitarians, or bohemian artists. Universities want students that fit their culture, and likewise students wish to blend in to the culture of the college they are entering. Diversity may be all the rage, but conforming to culture remains supreme.
This discussion then begs the question, “What is the culture of community college?” “What type of students does it attract?” Community college attracts everyone, from honor students to those who barely passed high school, from baby-faced high schoolers to mature, non-traditional students, from those who wish to transfer to those who hope to graduate, those who deliberately chose community college and others who were guided by circumstance.

The single parents, the book nerds, the computer geeks, the goths, the cheerleaders, the jocks, the artists, the decided majors, and the undecided majors: students of every type, category, and creed, we take them all. In short, we are the misfits: an oddball collection of students whose backgrounds, interests, and abilities vary as much as our individual motivations for entering a junior level

college.
Dispelling the Myth
Community college is often looked down upon as being “less than,” an inferior academic alternative for those who do not possess the money, brains, or stamina to survive at a four-year university. To this charge of mediocrity, I must respectfully and vehemently disagree! Not all community colleges are the same, and they do not all deliver the same quality of education. Furthermore, it is true that many four-year colleges offer benefits and opportunities that community colleges cannot. My evaluation is that of personal experience and observation, not of overreaching generalizations. I do not argue that the programs of a junior college are the same as a university or that community college is the correct choice for every student; however, I feel compelled to dispel the myth that our teachers, classes, and above all the education of our students are of an inferior quality. Allow me, if you will, to tell my side of the story.
Many instructors at my college hold doctorates in their areas of study, and others are former teachers from highly respected universities such as Northwestern and Purdue. Their dedication to the success of their students is second to none, considering they only make a fraction of the income as instructors who teach at four-year colleges. One professor admitted to earning more money for teaching one class at Purdue in 1989 than he does for teaching two classes at Ivy Tech in 2017! Furthermore, the quality of our teachers produces results, seeing as students who graduate from our nursing program are more respected and sought after than graduates from any other college in the state, including Purdue.
Although our classes are often accused of being “easy” or unchallenging to students, my own experiences say otherwise. I underwent hundreds of hours of work, study, and tutoring to earn my degree, and there was nothing “easy” about it! Admittedly, some of our courses are simple compared with other institutions, yet I daresay that simplicity does not diminish quality and may, in fact, enhance it.
Choosing community college does not necessarily indicate a student to be incapable of succeeding academically at a university.

The primary reason most students choose community college over a university is that it is financially feasible, not that students are unprepared academically. In my case, I chose community college to acclimate myself socially to college life. This is true for many students and is well-explained using the dandelion-orchid hypothesis. Some students can thrive in almost any environment just like dandelions, while their orchid counterparts require a little more care to flourish. For students who need a bridge between high school and higher education, the intimacy of community college acts as a wonderful

alternative.
The Purpose of Education
If the purpose of the hallowed halls of higher learning is to truly educate, then what constitutes an education? What is truly the purpose of years’ worth of toil besides receiving a slip of paper so reverently referred to as a degree?
For an education to truly mean something, then it must function as a valuable currency within the world; therefore, a quality education must consist of more than merely retaining a litany of random facts like so many beads on a string. To recall the names of all of Henry VIII’s wives or every digit of pi adds neither wisdom nor usefulness to its bearer.
In my opinion, the currency of education does not reside in the facts we learn; instead, the facts open doors to view the inner cogs that make the world tick. It is only after students view how the world works that they may hope to change it. However, worldly knowledge alone is not enough; education must also impress upon students the innate responsibility every person possesses to contribute to the world in which they live. Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to the United States Congress, aptly summed up this responsibility in the words, “Service is the rent we pay for living on this earth.” The core of education is to enhance students’ innate talents and develop their skills to serve in the best capacity possible. In its most basic form, education should teach students about the world they live in, inspire them to serve, and enable them to mature into independent individuals who are well equipped to serve God, country, and neighbors faithfully and unfailingly.
Although community colleges may not impart the breadth or depth of knowledge present at an Ivy League school, they do offer an aspect of humanity that can be lost in larger schools. It seems that many universities are so focused on facts and figures that they miss the essence of their purpose, and the identity and humanity of students are lost in the sheer size of their college and classes. The quality of a school should depend less on its prestige and acceptance rate and more on whether the institution shapes people or merely manufactures diplomas. As I said before, for an education to truly mean something, then it must function as a valuable currency within the world. History books are full of names of people who changed the world, but I have yet to read of a diploma changing society. According to Aristotle, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”
My Experiences
If I were to compete for a position against an Ivy League graduate, could I honestly claim to be as well equipped, as well educated as my opponent? Barring against circumstance, I dare to answer yes. Why? Because I believe I possess a quality education, as defined by the previous section. Here is my evidence:
At community college, I was treated as an individual, not as a number. There were several teachers who faithfully came to class every day for the sake of only six students. The leaders of my school taught me how to serve by considering me as a human first and a student second and did everything in their power to help me grow as a scholar and a person.
When I locked my keys in my car during finals week, an instructor not only drove me to school for my last final but also drove me home to retrieve my keys and then returned me to my car. My chancellor happily trekked eleven miles around Washington D.C so he could share with students the amazing history of our nation and its founding fathers. When I needed advice to create my first cover letter, my student life director critiqued and sent me feedback, during her Christmas break. The head of student affairs constantly welcomed myself and other students into his office to talk over concerns and ideas for the college.
My Phi Theta Kappa advisor deliberately stopped school administrators in the hallways so she could introduce her chapter members and let us share the latest projects we were working on. My other chapter advisor accompanied me to Honors Institute even though she still had to teach her online classes. Consider also the humanities professor who felt so strongly that her students needed to experience serving others that she spent her spring break driving students six hours straight to the Appalachians to “rough it” for a week doing construction work.
These examples are only a few among many and do not include the countless number of secretaries, assistants, tutors, and desk personnel who field endless questions from students; or the janitorial staff and security personnel who, like the Wizard of Oz, keep the school running from behind the curtain.
A Comparison
Before taking a trip to Appalachia, I never truly appreciated the incredible people or the amazing resources that exist in community college. The leadership workshops, guest speakers, volunteer activities, road trips, student organizations, and tutoring sessions hosted by my college truly make an incredible difference in the lives of students. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to these resources. Children growing up in the Appalachia regions of the United States face the worst poverty and lowest educational attainment in the nation. Compared to the national average, Appalachian students fall behind in high school graduation rates and attainment of college education, leaving young people trapped in an economically stagnant region with few options for advancement. Most young people stay in the region they grow up in; the few who leave their homes for better opportunities never return.
Previous to my Appalachia experience, I often complained about my school assignments, my teachers, and the features I disliked about my college, but if nothing else, my college gave me opportunities to better myself. These opportunities lead to options, and options equal freedom. I did not merely receive the chance to attend community college, I had the privilege to participate in an institution that provided me a with a quality education at an affordable cost. Not everyone has options to choose from.

Qui Memores Estis
Most people will regard this personal reflection as an essay, but I prefer to think of it as a love letter—a love letter that expresses a deep affection and gratitude to the institution of the community college, to my school, and to all the incredible teachers, administrators, and staff that have changed my life in the past three years. In Latin, qui memores estis translates to “remember who you are.” I am a misfit and proud of it.