Alumni Profiles
Ashley Milton, Class of 2006 SEED graduate at Connecticut College
Q: In what ways did SEED prepare you for college?
A: “SEED’s boarding program prepared me for college because I already knew what it was like to be away from home. Also, the administration was very supportive of the students both academically and socially.”
Q: How do SEED and your college compare?
A: “They are actually very, very different, since SEED’s students are mostly black and at Connecticut College only a small percentage of the students are black. But, for college I wanted something that was different from what I had experienced, and also something that was similar to the work force that I want to be a part of when I’m finished with school.”
Q: How does college compare to your expectations?
A: “Academically, I thought it would be much more challenging, because a lot of students here went to private high schools, but SEED prepared me better than I expected. Socially, I had to do a little more adjusting, but that’s okay.”
Q: Describe your favorite college class so far.
A: “This year, my favorite class was The History of Hip Hop. We went through its whole history, from 1979 to the present. We discussed the political, economic and social factors that contribute to the hip hop culture. It was the most creative course I took as well.”
Q: What do you do when you aren’t in classes?
A: “When I’m not in class, I’m doing school work, at my off-campus job, sleeping and watching TV. I’m also involved in Umoja, the black organization on campus.”
Q: How has college changed you?
A: “College has made me more mature, since I’m actually on my own. At SEED you’re on your own since you’re away from home, but you aren’t totally on your own. Now, I make decisions without consulting anyone, and have to deal with the consequences of my decisions. I’ve stepped a little bit into the adult world.”
Q: What 3 adjectives would you say best describe you?
A: Today, the three adjectives that best describe me are anxious, motivated and tired. I say anxious because I’m eager about the summer job I have lined up at home. I’m motivated for next year, because I want to do better as a sophomore than I did as a freshman. Freshman year was a stepping stone for me and I have everything planned out for next year. Lastly, I’m tired because I’ve been writing papers and staying up late trying to get things done. I have a final and three papers due at the end of the week, and my family is coming up on Saturday to bring me home for the summer, and I still have to pack!”
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
A:“In five years, I see myself in graduate school studying psychology, hopefully working toward a PhD.”
Johnita Patterson Class of 2005 Currently attending Lesley University
Q: In what ways did SEED prepare you for college?
A: “My biggest life challenge has been coming to The SEED School. The SEED School was a completely different atmosphere from regular public school. Living away from home at the age of twelve was one challenge. I met a lot of new instructors, and it took me a while to overcome such a major change in my life. SEED is a small community and I knew that when I went to college I wanted that same small atmosphere. The academic expectations at SEED were much higher than at your typical District of Columbia high school. I still try to live up to the same expectations. Now that I’ve been to college I have compared my experience to non-SEED students at their schools. I can see how well SEED equipped me to have a successful college experience. At SEED, we were on a set schedule, and for me it carried on as I came to college. Now, after class I follow the same routine of doing schoolwork after class.”
Q: How do SEED and your college compare?
A: “They are similar because at both schools, there are people who are making sure that I succeed in college and post-college. I saw that from my teachers at SEED and now that I am at Lesley, people here are taking on that same role.”
Q: Why did you choose your college?
A: “Originally, I was planning on attending a college in North Carolina. One of my close house parents at SEED drove me to several different colleges up north, including Lesley, just to see what the colleges were like. Since she knew a lot about me, she knew the kind of college atmosphere that would give me the support I needed to grow personally and professionally. So, it was a combination of her knowing me, me trusting her opinion, and really enjoying Lesley when I visited. Oh yeah, and they have an awesome human services program!”
Q: Describe your favorite college class so far.
A: “My favorite class so far has been Introduction to Counseling. Going into that class, I thought we’d learn concepts about how to be a counselor. But, the objective was to learn about ourselves and thus what would make us good counselors. I learned a lot about myself and about not being judgmental. I also learned about how my personal experiences will affect me as a counselor. Experiences can make you judgmental, but I didn’t realize it before this class.”
Q: What do you do when you aren’t in classes?
A: “I work at Tag, a hardware store, go out with friends, and have an internship in a town nearby called Everett, where I’m working with the elderly as well as administrators and staff.”
Q: How has college changed you?
A: “It has definitely made me more independent, since I’m not five minutes from home anymore. It’s also exposed me to different cultures and people, even people of my own race. Before college, I hadn’t thought about people from my own race being different from me. I’ve learned that there is variety within the African American community even state to state. College has definitely given me the chance to grow.”
Q: What 3 words would you say best describe you?
A: “Caretaker, Intellectual, Independent”
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
A: “I’ll most likely come back home and maybe work at SEED while getting my masters degree in social work or nonprofit administration. I’m interested in attending Howard University, but am also looking at graduate schools in California and Ohio.”
