TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ibrahim Xavier Johnson, CUNY alumnus and veteran, on his experience at Lehman College
1:45:20
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120 sec
Ibrahim Xavier Johnson, a graduate of Lehman College and army veteran, shares his positive experience as a transfer student at CUNY. He emphasizes the commitment and support he received from advisers and professors at Lehman College, which helped him complete his bachelor's degree despite previous academic challenges.
- Johnson highlights the comprehensive support system at Lehman College, including academic, personal, and family-related assistance.
- He suggests that the Lehman College model of support for transfer students should be implemented CUNY-wide.
- Johnson's testimony underscores the importance of dedicated staff and a supportive environment in ensuring student success, particularly for non-traditional students.
Ibrahim Xavier Johnson
1:45:20
My name is Ibrahim Xavier Johnson.
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I'm a graduate of Lehman College in the Bronx.
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I transferred to Lehman fresh from the army.
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I was an active duty army prior to enrolling in CUNY.
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I had an AA degree.
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I dropped out of several colleges.
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I had difficulties in life.
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But after joining the army, I was determined to finish.
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The advisers at Lehman College looked at my 143 credits with no bachelor's degree, and they were committed to me finishing a bachelor's degree at CUNY.
1:45:52
They said and they told me, in the beginning, you will finish with us.
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It was rigorous, it was difficult, but the same discipline that I had in the army, I experienced the same rigorous academic training at Lehman College.
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The professors were committed to my success.
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I went to Lehman during 911.
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That was a critical period.
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A lot of people were dropping out because of what happened during 911.
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The professors at CUNY met with all of us and told us the show must go on.
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You will finish terrorist attack or not.
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We're gonna finish.
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And we finished, I graduated with 3.7 degree, 3.7 GPA, honors in the history department, went on to make a whole bunch of money, and I'm a CUNY success story.
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And I I wanna say this about advisement.
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The advisors at CUNY were not just the academic advisers.
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They were the department chairs.
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They were the professors.
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They didn't just advise us about academics.
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They advised us to our life problem.
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I talked to my professors about marital issues.
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Anything that would stop us from academics, they were there, to support us.
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And it became like an extension of my own family.
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After graduating from CUNY, I go back to Lehman College.
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I bring my children there.
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I meet some of my old professors.
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And I think success for transfer students depends on the commitment from the staff, and that commitment is what I experienced at Lehman College.
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If you can reproduce Lehman College and make it CUNY Wide, I think that's the model.
