Allyson Arboleda
2009 Service Fund Participant – City College
The image I have chosen to represent an obstacle to student success on my campus is a collection of flowers. The collection of delicate pink flowers in the middle of this picture symbolizes to me the student body of City College. The flowers seem united and blossoming at first glance, but if you look further within the bunch, one can notice that the flowers in the middle are withered and fallen apart. Like the decomposed flowers in the middle of this array, the students of City College are not as in sync with one another.
The solitary purple flower in the lower right corner of the photo symbolizes the isolation within our student body. The space that separates the collection of pink flowers from the single flower represents the barriers within the student body. The student body is composed of many clubs and organizations like the several pink flowers within that cluster, but those who do not participate in any school activity are like the lonesome purple flower.
When I first entered City College I was overwhelmed with the diversity that makes up the student body. Students attending City College come from different backgrounds, ethnic groups, and so forth; with so many students it’s difficult to have a united student body. There are many organizations and clubs that one can join at my campus. But as a freshman I only knew a couple of clubs through word of mouth and the internet. When I surveyed students at City College many of them said that one would have to have connections with other students in order to obtain support from one another. At the beginning of every fall semester, clubs come together for an informational event, yet only a few clubs introduce themselves and recruit new members.
Without students having a way to interact with one another, not only is the student body fragmented into groups, but communication between students is limited. Insufficient communication affects how students are informed about their campus community. For example students may miss out on information regarding events that are being held and certain scholarships that are being offered, as well as other important information that can contribute to academic success. The lack of mutual support and student spirit also contributes to the lack of student unity. Limited support for students leads to isolation especially for those entering their first year of college who already feel clueless and unwelcomed. I believe that if my campus community unites as one we can succeed together.
I will try to unify the student body by bringing together organizations that already exist within the campus. By getting these organizations together we can better promote student success and togetherness on a larger scale. In order to achieve this goal my project partner and I will host a series of events though out the school year that will be both educational and fun. By forming together as one we can really bloom!
About the Artist
I’m a dedicated student of City College that loves helping others. I believe that by working together and helping each other we can all succeed. I have had the privilege of working with some organizations like the Salvation Army, and UNICEF. Just last summer, I participated at my local hospital and assisted with and AIDS awareness program. I learned and taught my local community about how to protect themselves against AIDS and other diseases. This year, I am participating in the Myself Third Service Program which will allow me to help my campus community. This upcoming year I will try to help my campus by unifying currently established clubs and organizations so that we can promote togetherness and support for one another.
If I’m not busy volunteering, studying, or working, I like to spend time around family and friends. To me family is important. It is the foundation of every moral and attribute I try to embody on a daily basis like perseverance, honesty, kindness, forgiveness, and character. These are morals that I have also tried to pass on to my beloved niece and everyone around me with the hopes of obtaining a better tomorrow.
