High school students gathered at Los Medanos College April 21, in the Student Union Conference Center, for Umoja Day, an event designed to introduce them to campus life and the Umoja Scholars program through student voices and community building activities.
The event, hosted by Umoja staff and student leaders, focused on giving prospective students a sense of belonging before they begin college.
“The purpose of today’s event was to welcome local high school students to campus to get familiar with the Umoja Scholars Program,” said organizer Erysse Green. “I hope that they gain a sense of community, that they already feel comfortable knowing that they have people that they’ve already met.”
A student panel highlighted real experiences at LMC, with panelists sharing both challenges and growth. Many spoke about misconceptions they had before enrolling.
“I thought LMC was just going to be a regular community college, didn’t have many resources, but I was totally wrong. It’s a lot here. It’s a lot of support,” said Krishonda Anderson, a student panelist.
Others discussed how Umoja helped shift their mindset.
“I thought I was going to get stuck, but with Umoja, it actually pushed me forward,” said Nasim Lawrence.
Panelists also spoke about the academic and personal skills they developed through the program, including confidence, discipline and communication.
“Critical thinking and just having that confidence. Everybody can’t just get up here and speak,” Anderson said.
She added that Umoja helped reinforce the importance of consistency and accountability.
“You might not always feel motivated, but if you’re disciplined, that’s going to override that,” Anderson said.
Beyond academics, students highlighted the value of support systems and belonging on campus.
“You need community to go far, everybody around you wants to see you succeed,” said Amisatu Kamara.
Green said that sense of belonging is what makes Umoja stand out from other campus programs.
“You really feel seen and heard, that sense of comfort and belonging is really at the core values of Umoja,” she said.
Panelist Lovett Anekwe said Umoja creates a sense of belonging for students navigating college for the first time..
“I hope they took away that it’s okay to struggle in college, there’s a journey within everybody’s story,” Anekwe said.
She also encouraged future students to take advantage of the program by showing up and getting involved.
“Come to the village, attend every event,” she said. “Then you grow a community.”
As Umoja continues to expand, Green said the program plans to continue hosting Umoja Day annually. This year marked the program’s second Umoja Day, alongside other initiatives such as summer bridge and orientation programs.
For many students in attendance, Umoja Day offered more than just information; it provided a preview of connection, support, and possibility at LMC.
