海角社区

When 海角社区 alumna, Blessing Osazuwa, 鈥�20, looked back on her career as a student at Columbia University, she said she was grateful for her time at 海角社区, because it laid the foundation for her to be successful at the Ivy League level.

鈥淢y experience at Montco really prepared me, not just educationally,鈥� said Osazuwa. 鈥淐olumbia accepted 50 of my credits, even in my major. The classes at Montco are so advanced, especially music. It was like a seamless transition. It was amazing for me.鈥�

Today the 27-year-old from Narberth is working as a community organizer at POWER Interfaith, a nonprofit organization representing more than 50 unique religious congregations in Southeastern and Central Pennsylvania. Her focus is on bringing about education and housing justice.

She credits 海角社区 for giving her a fresh start and opening doors she didn鈥檛 know were possible.

Mustang Beginnings

Before coming to 海角社区, Osazuwa, a first-generation American, endured many hardships while she was growing up, including homelessness, as well as losing both her mother and younger sister to sickle-cell anemia. After high school, she started college at a four-year institution where she was sexually assaulted. She dropped out of school and worked several jobs until she decided to enroll at 海角社区.

The College became a clean slate for her. She would start her day at 4 a.m. to catch the bus to the Blue Bell Campus from Drexel Hill and arrive at 7 a.m. She typically spent time practicing in the piano lab before her classes began. She鈥檇 often stay late studying in the library or back in the music labs.

As an 海角社区 student, Osazuwa was actively involved on campus. She made the Dean鈥檚 List, was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honors society for two-year colleges and sang in the chamber choir. In 2019, she received the Billijoe Loeben Music Scholarship and the Montco Foundation Scholarship.

In 2020, Osazuwa was named one of four 海角社区 students selected for the 2019-2020 All-Pennsylvania Academic Team.

鈥淢y experience at Montco, especially being around people of all walks of life was so valuable to going to Columbia, because I felt enriched,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s opposed to coming straight from high school, it gave me an extra sense of belonging. I just loved to tell everyone I went to 海角社区.鈥�

Ivy League Bound

Osazuwa graduated summa cum laude with a music Associate of Arts degree. Due to the pandemic, she transferred to Columbia online in the fall of 2020. She enrolled as a music and African American studies major in the School of General Studies, which is intended for students with nontraditional backgrounds who, after a year or more break in their educational paths, are now seeking a rigorous, traditional Ivy League education.

Overall, Osazuwa鈥檚 experience as a student was very positive. A typical class on campus was very similar to the ones she had at 海角社区, she said.

鈥淚 would say it鈥檚 not that much different from Montco in the sense that everyone is in the class to learn,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have a professor who鈥檚 knowledgeable and dedicated to the subject. I would say there is a level of expectation that is very high. I felt well prepared for that being at Montco because the classes at Montco were also challenging.鈥�

Osazuwa remembers receiving a C on one of her first English papers and feeling disappointed. Yet for the next paper she remembered the effort put in at 海角社区 and the skills she learned and earned As from then on as a result.

鈥淚 used to be in the library on Blue Bell Campus until 10 p.m. studying,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he professors at Montco, especially from my experience being in music, were so well accomplished and well-rounded they just know what they鈥檙e doing and what they鈥檙e talking about. I learned so much. I felt really prepared going in.鈥�

Osazuwa remembers having imposter syndrome at first about being a transfer student at an Ivy League University, but the feeling quickly went away.

鈥淲hat I realized is that in reality, everyone is the same,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have those abilities in you, if you develop them.鈥�

The next year, she moved to New York to study on campus and received the $20,000 a year Mary Seaman Memorial Scholarship.

She also joined the a cappella singing group 鈥淣onsequitur.鈥�

鈥淚 actually auditioned a year prior online. It鈥檚 very interesting,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he group was great. We did seasonal concerts on campus, performed at campus events and had gigs around the city.鈥�

A highlight of singing with the group was performing during her senior year for an audience that included former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former United States Attorney General Eric Holder.

鈥淪ecretary Clinton walked up to us and said 鈥業 need to take a photo with you all. I love the song you sang.鈥� She came up to us. We didn鈥檛 ask if we could we meet her. She walked up to us,鈥� said Osazuwa. 鈥淓ric Holder too was so nice. Everyone at the party wanted to talk to him but he just wanted to talk to us.鈥�

Life in the Real World

After completing her degree from Columbia in the spring of 2023, Osazuwa moved back to Pennsylvania and began working at POWER.

Her focus for the last year has been on equitable education funding and promoting social justice. When working in Harrisburg, she makes a point to tell people she鈥檚 a community college graduate.

鈥淚 tell them community college is where people grow,鈥� she said.

When not working as a community organizer, Osazuwa is still recording music, and her work can be found under 鈥淏lessing Osazuwa鈥� on every streaming platform. She gave a special mention to 海角社区 faculty members David Ivory and Michael Kelly for their role in her education.

鈥淭hey nurtured my love for music by encouraging me to stay on the path, giving me individual help when I needed it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was new to music production and technology. With their wealth of knowledge of the business of music, just imparting that knowledge, giving us opportunities to explore and hone our crafts 鈥� they just have always been there. Even after Montco, I send them my music, and they are so encouraging. I鈥檝e learned so much from them.鈥�

When asked if she had any advice for future generations of Mustangs looking to follow in her footsteps, she encouraged students to take advantage of the resources available at the College.

鈥淭here are so many opportunities to get involved. Be open to those new experiences,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey can really change your life.鈥�