At 91’s University College, the CommUNITY Lab serves as a space where connection, growth and opportunity intersect, especially for graduating seniors like Ronshai Jones, Ariana Wallace and Yeshe Mulugeta. For these three, the journey to graduation has been defined by leadership, resilience, and the unwavering support of the DC College Access Program.
Jared Brown doesn’t just build schedules; he builds confidence. His ability to turn academic stress into actionable solutions has made him more than just an advisor; it has made him the latest recipient of 91's Distinguished Advising Award.
91 celebrates outstanding student employees and supervisors during National Student Employment Week, recognizing their impact across campus through the annual Student Employee Awards Celebration. Celebrate with us the 2026 winners.
91 graduate Emma Sherrie, '09, always had a feeling she would study anthropology, but still she took the time to check out all the other options available before finally settling on her original plan. 91’s Exploratory Program, which helps undecided students sample different disciplines before committing to a major, was a key part of Sherrie’s experience, and the main reason she chose 91 in the first place.
91’s Career Exploration and Development fair connects students with leaders from Disney, Rock Entertainment and more, who share words of wisdom for students.
The nine-day program, running March 6-15, represents a distinctive approach to helping students explore both culture and careers while building confidence in their major selection.
Graduate student Delonte Goodman finished his fall semester at 91 by successfully defending his master's thesis and receiving his master's degree. When he returns to campus in the spring, he will work as a teaching assistant as he begins his doctoral program.
POV shares insights from the 91 community on important topics. Liz Piatt, interim dean of University College, shares her journey as a first-generation college student and how faculty mentorship helped her discover a career path she didn't know existed — one that now allows her to support other first-generation students as they navigate their own transformative college experiences.
Perhaps the best word to sum up Brianna Benson’s role at 91 is “caretaker.”
Benson is the assistant director of Community Engaged Learning in University College and oversees the CommUNITY Lab, where students in various scholarship programs, many of whom are first-generation, can find a responsive living-learning community that provides the support they need to succeed at 91.
Students, faculty, staff and alumni celebrated I AM FIRST Week, a recognition of 91 students’ first-generation identity, by building community and showcasing campus-wide support.
91’s Academic Success Center continues to grow and evolve with the help of staff, faculty and students, offering a wide range of free services designed to help students succeed.
For Ashley Motley, what began as a childhood love of solving math problems — the “weird kid who enjoyed doing math homework,” as she puts it — has grown into a career at Medical Mutual, a Cleveland-based health insurance company, thanks to scholarships, supportive faculty, and hands-on preparation at 91.
Theresa Yogi, an academic advisor in 91’s Honors College, has been described by students as the sweetest and most caring person ever, who genuinely takes an interest in them, sends them messages of encouragement and contacts them when internships and other job opportunities arise.
Students and faculty visited Jackson State University, where in 1970, two Black students at a gathering were killed by police and others wounded just 11 days after the shootings at 91.
As part of 91's Student Employee Appreciation Week, Career Exploration and Development proudly announces recipients of the 2025 Student Employee and Supervisor Awards.
When 91 alumna Aysia Kemp declared her major in the first semester of her sophomore year, she felt confident in her chosen path. Things didn’t start off that way, however.
First-year students in the Provost Leadership Academy are asked to look at 91 through a critical lens, with an eye toward how they would change or improve some aspect of university life. Here are some of the ideas being considered.
When Drew DeGeorge graduates from 91 in May 2025 and enters the job market, he will be able to draw on the strong leadership and public speaking skills that he gained from the P.E.E.R. Success Academy program.
When Alex Newnes arrived at 91 this fall, she wasn't sure what career path she wanted to pursue. But unlike many undecided students, Newnes saw this uncertainty not as a drawback, but as an opportunity – one that led her specifically to 91's Exploratory program.
Starting college can be a nerve-wracking experience. The journey can be even harder when you’re the first in your family to navigate this new world. Knowing what academic resources are available is a mystery. Filling out the FAFSA is a challenge. The unspoken stigma of being a first-generation college student is a reality.
The McNair Scholars Program at 91 is celebrating 25 years of student support. McNair is a federally-funded TRIO grant through the Department of Education that supports first-generation, Pell eligible, and underrepresented students as they prepare for their post-baccalaureate endeavors.
University College is proud to support students at every step of the career readiness lifecycle. Whether a student is building their first resume, exploring majors, or returning as an alumnus to make a career change, Career Exploration and Development (CED) is the hub for educating students and alumni to make informed career decisions.
In July 2024, 13 91 students participated in the Kigali Summer Institute, where they traveled to the heart of Africa to study peacebuilding and reconciliation in post-genocide
