Meet Our Bridge Through College Peer Leaders!
By Sayra Solis, Marketing and Communications Intern at SL Network
The pilot of our college success program, Bridge Through College (BTC), is in full swing! By leveraging SL Network alumni, BTC supports first-year students adjusting to college life and provides guidance on financial aid renewal, financial planning, and academic planning. At the cornerstone of BTC are the Peer Leaders, SL Network alumni who were once in the shoes of the first-year students they are now guiding. We are excited to introduce you to our Peer Leaders who are providing critical support at two CUNY campuses: Hunter College and BMCC. Read on and get to know our intrepid BTC Peer Leaders Ashley and Janna!
Ashley Arias: Peer Leader at BMCC
Ashley A. (she/her/hers) serves first-year students at BMCC. In Ashley’s previous position as a College Transition Coach (CTC) in our CollegeBound Initiative (CBI) program, she became familiar with how to help recent high school grads get ready for life after high school and a new environment. Her experience as a CTC gave her a greater understanding of how to improve college persistence. Ashley describes herself as caring, respectful, loyal, and helpful – traits that lend themselves well when supporting new college students in adjusting to college life!
Ashley graduated from Marble Hill High School for International Studies in 2019 and is currently a junior at CUNY Lehman College majoring in Psychology. Her goal is to earn a master’s degree in Social Work. As a Peer Leader, Ashley will always make space for participants to feel heard including offering emotional check-ins to see how students are feeling and dealing with college stress, as well as other factors in their lives. As a first-generation college student herself, Ashley believes that talking with older college students who have experience with campus and college life can be helpful in guiding first-year students towards campus resources they might not realize are available to them.
When she’s not in class or working on BTC, Ashley can be found spending time with friends and visiting new places in the city. Before the pandemic, she loved to travel around the world and go on new adventures. She can’t wait to get back out there!
Janna Chowdhury: Peer Leader at Hunter College
Janna C. (she/her/hers) joined the BTC team as the Peer Leader at Hunter College and describes herself as outgoing, witty, and someone who enjoys helping others – which is exactly why she’s a perfect fit as a BTC Peer Leader! She graduated from The Young Women’s Leadership School of Queens in 2019 and is now a junior at Hunter College where she is working towards a double major in Adolescent Education and Social Studies. Janna’s goal is to become a teacher.
Janna is a first-generation college student and thinks BTC is a unique program for CBI alumni. She says, “Designated advisors aren’t as accessible, especially when you need a speedy response. That’s why BTC can be there for students who need more immediate support, whether it means meeting with them in-person or virtually.” Janna wants to ensure students who are participating in Bridge Through College are taking full advantage of the resources that are being provided through the program, something that she would have done if she would have had a program like BTC available when she was a first-year student.
Janna loves exploring New York City. She particularly enjoys pop-up museums, parks, and finding places where her student discount comes in handy! One of her favorite hobbies is photography and her secret talent/superpower is that she has a high sour tolerance.
Learn more about our approach to college persistence and Bridge Through College.
If you’re a CBI Alumni in their first year at BMCC or Hunter College, it’s not too late to join Bridge Through College! Sign up here and connect with Ashley or Janna on your campus!
