Learning Goals
Participants will:

• Learn the background of the memoir and what prompted former student, Aminata Sy, to write about her life.  
• Faculty will gain insight into the kinds of barriers to education many of our students face.  
• Administrators will learn about the application of key policies that support students in Community Colleges.  
• Lesson plans for two chapters of the book will be shared for a practical takeaway for anyone who may wish to share one or two chapters of the book with their students. 

Seminar Description
Former CCP student, Aminata Sy, has written an engaging and insightful memoir about her life that will be launched at CCP in the spring semester of 2025. The memoir entitled, "Destined: A Story of Resilience and Beating the Odds," spans the globe with a fraught immigration story from Senegal to the United States where Aminata finds herself contending with poverty and flourishing as a mother of preschoolers. She stubbles into CCP which she credits with the beginning of her academic success. In this session, we will cover the highlights of Aminata's educational awakening, and we will read some passages from the book. Interested attendees will be invited to join a reading group to meet and discuss the book in a friendly book-club style meeting in the middle of the fall semester. Lesson plans for two key chapters addressing education will be shared with any interested participants.