For many students, planning for college can feel overwhelming. Between applications, financial aid, scholarships, and deadlines, it’s easy to feel lost. Looking back on my own journey, I realized something simple but powerful: sometimes the most valuable guidance doesn’t come from a brochure—it comes from someone who’s been there and is willing to share what they’ve learned. That realization is what inspired my high school friends Angel Williams, Faith Leach, and me to create College Knowledge.
It Started with Our Own Experience
Like many students, we had questions about college long before we had answers.
The three of us often found ourselves in our high school counselor's office trying to understand applications, financial aid, scholarships, and what we should be doing to prepare. We eventually found the guidance we needed, but it wasn't always easy to find or right in front of us.
Years later, we started talking about those experiences and realized something.
If navigating the college process felt overwhelming for us, there were probably plenty of students and parents in Wayne County feeling the exact same way.
Instead of wishing we had more resources back then, we decided to create one.
Turning an Idea Into Action
College Knowledge was created to provide students and their parents from our alma mater, Southern Wayne High School, with programs and resources to better understand the college journey, from admissions to financial aid and beyond.
Our goal was simple but meaningful: make information easier to access, create a space where honest questions could be asked, and help students feel empowered as they plan for their future.
Community Event: Keys to Successful College Preparation
On July 16, 2016, we hosted our first event, Keys to Successful College Preparation. It included a parent and student panel, presentations from college advisors and giveaways. We wanted students to hear honest experiences, ask questions without feeling intimidated, and leave with practical advice they could immediately use.
PARENT PANELIST
Simone Knight
Daughter is a student at UNC-CH
PARENT PANELIST
Tracie Holden
Son is a student at Morehouse
PARENT PANELIST
Renee Smith
Daughter is a student at NC Central
STUDENT PANELIST
Janee Smith
NC Central University
STUDENT PANELIST
Nelliyah Pearsall
Methodist University
STUDENT PANELIST
Tobias Flow
NC Central University
ADMISSION SPEAKER
Katrina Lee
Director of Financial Aid University of Mt. Olive
ADMISSION SPEAKER
Ni-Eric Perkins
Senior Assistant Director of Admissions UNC-Chapel Hill
Dreamers and Doers Scholarship
In 2017, we launched the Dreamers and Doers Scholarship to help a graduating senior enrolling in an accredited undergraduate program.
While scholarships often focus on tuition, we wanted ours to help cover the expenses students quickly discover after they arrive on campus—books, supplies, and other essentials that make a real difference.
In May 2017, we went back to our alma mater and award the scholarship to Elizabeth Lopez.
A Full Circle Moment
Creating College Knowledge reminded me that some of the best community ideas come from simply asking, "How can we make this easier for someone else?"
Three friends looked back on a challenge we had once faced and chose to turn it into an opportunity to pay it forward. In high school, we didn't have all the answers—but we made a way to find people in our village who did. It was our turn to share what we had learned and help students feel a little more confident about their future.
Looking back, I'm incredibly proud of what we accomplished together. More than the event or the scholarship itself, I'm grateful we had the chance to invest in our community and hopefully make the college journey a little less overwhelming for the students who came after us.