Personal Statement

Kevin Holloway

    I am a young African American born and raised in Oakland California. Ultimately, I am a leader trying to make a difference in the community. The middle son of my mother’s three children, I’ve always been encouraged to good in school. Moms always had the hopeful idea that we would be alright. The paycheck to paycheck lifestyle was not in mind for me. In my mind to avoid that struggle I would enrich myself learning and trying my best. Never quitting became a concrete law never to be broken. As a student and young man giving up is not an option.

Throughout education, which is expected, I experienced ups and downs in school. Growing up in the hood, school was not the most nurturing environment, but it was what I had. I won’t blame and make false claims about why I was not student of the millennium. People and schools fall short of perfect. Sometimes I almost got all A’s; sometimes I got straight F’s, the reason why can’t be justified, but the truth is I love learning and education too much to ever give up.I am attending Berkeley City College because I care about my future in academics. In school I saw there was much to be learned about myself and the world. Going into 9th grade I started to see how chaotic life could get as a student. Being a 4 foot 11 inch kid attending a huge school in a new area with bigger responsibilities was very tough. The new rhythm and environment high school shook me as a little fourteen year old.

I went into highschool with a somewhat doubtful attitude. I lost my fervent edge for striving in the classroom. Things were not how they use to be. As a kid school was cool, always something good to look forward to no matter what. Class use to be my friends and I racing to complete the warm-ups first; or competing to be finished with all our homework so we could play Madden ‘06 or NBA Streets. That is how it use to be. In high school things got totally different, it was like every man for himself and that discouraged me. I managed and started to see high school in a different light. High school was a new environment and opportunity to enrich myself with lessons of the real world. Now, I look forward to my responsibilities with joy knowing deep inside I can achieve because it’s my learning. I look to exercise my responsibilities as a young adult and student here at Berkeley City College.

In high school education seemed joyless and a very hard challenge. Throughout high school I learned-I have to work for what is rightfully mine. In life things are not just handed out-they are obtained through hard work. Understanding this changed my attitude in a positive way. Being at Berkeley City College is an opportunity to succeed. High school was like a jungle gym for me. I had many shifts, changes, and obstacles going on. Transferring from school to school showed me that- it does not matter where-you must be a success wherever you are. This became a non-negotiable idea. Jumping from school to school showed me a positive lesson but had a negative effect. The switch from school to school created a crash in my social life. First a Freshmen I attended Oakland Tech then I transferred to Fremont High. It was tough to make good friends while switching schools. At this time of my life I was in a jacked up jam that was likely to make me a high school dropout. Trying to pull my grades together and stabilize at a school seemed useless. Around Sophomore year my house caught on fire, this was one of the most devastating things that I imagined would never happen to where I live. Fifteen years old and my world was caving in on me. School was my main priority but it took a heavy hit and lost importance in my life at that time. Through tenth and eleventh grade reality smacked me; my house burned up and I could have lost my whole family. From that experience things I thought I cared about didn’t actually matter so much. Stuff like my Xbox 360 and flat screen t.v meant nothing. I thank God that only my home was physically damaged and I was able to transfer to my last high school, Leadership where I graduated June of 2012.

This brings me to Berkeley City College where I look to be a successful student. Wherever I go after Berkeley I plan to be successful because I believe learning is an everyday task. Coming to Berkeley I hope to establish a choice for my major. I understand college is where I will find what I want to do throughout my life. I have interest in the health field in healthcare administration. I know people sick or hospitalized that aren’t satisfied with things. Unsure if it is just their life or what; but when it comes to health, I’m sure a person who is ill should get what they want or need, no questions asked. Sad and true, patients in hospitals are mistreated and don’t fully have the voice they possess. I think because in reality they are in the hospital and shouldn’t bicker or question things to the people trying to help. But I strongly think, why shouldn’t they question? Why shouldn’t they speak their mind? Patients should have the safe space to voice needs and things without the thought of neglection. As a student no matter the circumstance I must have a voice. Similar to patients, I have needs that must be addressed. I believe I deserve better in my life. My older brother has Bipolar schizophrenia; along with sympathy, there is motivation and a sense of entitlement to those like him. I believe people like my brother could benefit from a person like me advocating for them. Patients have needs just like students; at the end of the day needs are things that need to be completed. I also have interest in the field of communications. One thing my mother always says is, “Nothing beats an understanding”. I love communicating and doing so in various ways. I like to communicate what it is I’m feeling through dancing, writing, or simply silence. I believe in expression and if there is no clarity communication is nothing. Communication is a necessity. Attending Berkeley City College I am able to set sail toward making a choice for my major. By coming to Berkeley City College I hope to find the field of study best for me.

           I’m at Berkeley City College right now with the intent to help. I look to help the success of my future. I desire to help my family and loved ones and I want to help those in needs a bit. Growing up, I was not a spoiled kid but I wasn’t super poor either. I desire to have better things in my life, the finer things of this world. I look to provide for my family in a great way. I want to be able to buy my mother a house, give my grandmother money whenever she needs it, and have good stories from college for my family. The hope for a better future and BCC puts me in perfect fit to start my path of success. I did not have the most nurturing environment growing up but it was a place supporting enough for positivity to thrive. A boost from friends, neighbors, and folks held me to a sort of expectation. It was always love and a hope to see a young brother rise and strive to better. Somewhere in every human being is a burning desire to be the best they can be. I want to show people and myself that-it doesn’t matter where you start- but what matters is where you finish. Berkeley City College is a good place to begin attaining my goals. I will buy my mother a home. Becoming a successful man and not living from paycheck to paycheck I am going to be a good role model for young people familiar with wanting to give up.

I represent both where I come from and the color of my skin but most of all importantly I represent principles and qualities I believe in. I am an open minded thinker. I am open to different ideas but likely to challenge those ideas. I’m a person of reason and to be straight forward I’ll ask why? The kind of person I am. I will ask why or question a thing when I do not agree. I am a normal motivated person and I try to bring up people around me. I can only lead myself  and see that others will follow if they choose; but, like I said I only have control of myself. I am individual and not your average young man. I believe balance is essential in life and I strive to interpret it in my everyday tasks. I’m a strong member of the community because I am a leader and see leading by example as a key to progress in a society. I strive to be an individual that has impact on the world. I am attending Berkeley City College with the hope that I will be my own person and not a statistic of failure. I intend to go far in academic studies. Berkeley is a good starting line for me to look, rise up and dash for my destiny of accomplishment.