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Starting college can feel overwhelming as a first-year student or a transfer. Homesickness and the challenge of forging new friendships are common struggles, but actively engaging in campus life can dramatically transform your college experience and shape you into the person you’re meant to become. This blog explores the importance of participating in school-sponsored events, clubs, and communities and how to begin finding where you fit best. By immersing yourself in these activities, you’ll discover what truly brings you joy, who you connect with best, and what values you hold dear—values you’ll likely carry long after graduation. Connecting with groups that resonate with your interests enriches your time in college and cultivates lasting relationships with your college peers. These relationships are crucial for personal growth and a successful transition into your young professional life.

Know Your Resources

So, what does campus involvement really mean beyond your classes? What does it mean to you? It’s more than just filling your schedule; it’s about finding your place. Maybe it’s a club related to your major, a group that explores a special interest, a specific study group, or a social organization that supports you and helps you break out of your shell. Perhaps it’s through an internship or abroad learning, participation in student government, or the excitement of being part of a sports team. While every campus is unique, offering different groups and clubs, there’s a community waiting for everyone on campus—you need to know where to look! So, where do you start? Sometimes, the resources sit at your fingertips… or just inside your online portal or campus student center. Be sure to check out what in-person events or fairs are available to meet the different groups on campus or connect with your school advisor, who may be able to give you more information on where to look specifically for your school.

Find Your Space

So, how do you find your perfect place on campus? Look inward and determine what you find most important in your college experience. Are you someone who wants to keep their 4.0 GPA and bulk up their resume with related clubs and groups that will impress your future employers? Do you live better if you are active throughout the week and want a group you can work out within a competitive campus league, or are you just looking for people with similar attributes through a social group you can lean on in this new time? Determining what will make your day-to-day life at university better is key.

Look Inward

While you may make friends for life through these campus activities, students more often than not pick up valuable social and soft skills, leadership development and networking connections, confidence growth, and overall enhanced academic and social success. Start with the fundamental question: what can you connect with people on? While everyone’s primary purpose in school is academics, what other aspects do you want to walk away with at graduation? For example, if you have a deep connection with nature and are looking to find a group that can help you live that out daily, maybe your first step is to see what sustainable groups are on campus.

Final Thoughts

While this may be daunting to walk into a new environment, it will be worth it! Search your school’s available campus activities and clubs and put yourself out there! You may have more regrets by not trying something new rather than never leaping to find your place. Make the first move with a new friend or dorm mate and have them attend your campus fairs or club introductions. Turn it into a game, take it one step further, and challenge each other to speak to at least five people to learn more about them or the groups they are involved in.

Finally, if you are a current Scholar in our programs, utilize your Great Jobs KC Scholar Advocate to connect you to your specific campus resources. Your advocate is here for any additional support you may need and will know where to look to get you aligned with your campus advisor or help you stay up to date with the current happenings on campus. As an additional bonus, your Scholar Advocates can connect you with other current Scholars on your campus to form relationships and visit these events alongside you!

If you are still feeling lost, check out our website to learn more about the specific schools in our network and what they offer (Find Colleges in Kansas City that fit your future.), and make sure to utilize your school resources and Scholar Advocates to help you find what will take your college experience to the next level.

About Great Jobs KC

Great Jobs KC is a Kansas City-based nonprofit that provides access to college scholarships and tuition-free job training, along with job placement assistance for young people from low- and modest-income families in the metropolitan area, providing a pipeline of talent for a strong regional workforce. Please join us on our mission for economic independence for all. For more information, visit www.greatjobskc.org.

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Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

The Adult Learner Scholarship application is closed. Please click GET STARTED to be added to communication reminders on when to apply during the next open cycle.

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

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Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
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