GET READY 2 CHANGE YOUR WORLD AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
As a student at the world’s premier public university, you inherit a 150-year-old tradition of academic excellence, community fellowship, and transformation. To change the world, you need only to connect the dots.
I have made getting involved one of my priorities by joining a multicultural dance group and earning the title of social manager in an African American themed co-op. — Kashawn C., Major: Political Science & Media Studies
DESTINY I. As soon as I got accepted, I found black organizations to support me. I first lived on the African American Theme Program floor in the residence halls with 50 incoming black students. The African American Student Development Office offered a seminar where we examined what it means to be black on a university campus and recognized the diversity of blackness. I went on to join a historically black fraternity Iota, Phi Theta, which gave me the opportunity to serve the greater black community and develop a strong brotherhood with students from colleges across the nation.
MAJOR: AMERICAN STUDIES: RACE, EDUCATION, & PUBLIC POLICY • MINOR: AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
We are blessed to have an African American Studies Department with resources to support students aspiring to pursue majors, minors, master’s, or Ph.Ds. I later became a board member for the Black Recruitment and Retention Center in order to give back to my community by reaching out to black high school students to encourage them to pursue higher education. Most recently, I ran for student government and won with the highest amount of votes in school history with the support of the black community. Join the conversation with #BlackAtCal.
Berkeley is so great because I have finally found a way to intertwine my artistic side with my technical side. Pursue what you love and Berkeley will help you find some connection. — Ashley C., Major: Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
Self-portrait by Ashley C.
JACQUELINE R. MAJOR: BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION My best classes have been African American Studies 39D, a Summer Bridge seminar with Professor Cara Stanley, and African American Studies 5A with Professor Brandi Catanese. I loved them because of the professors; their passion and energy made the classes so much more fun. They helped me think critically about society and grow as a person. On this campus, where I am a minority, I have been in a classroom where I was the only black person and when the topic was about black people, everyone stared at me as
if I should know what the text was about. But overall, my experience has been really positive. I met many great people in Summer Bridge and, when I moved into Unit 1 for the fall, I met even more great people on the African American Theme Program floor. These two experiences helped make a big campus smaller and made me feel like I was at home. Even though I’m from nearby Oakland, it’s good to feel I have family here in Berkeley, my new home.
The Black Recruitment and Retention Center allows me to go to middle and high schools, encouraging students of color to attend college. — Kwamena H., Major: Social Welfare, Minor: Gender & Women’s Studies
GARY W. MAJOR: INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY
The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity has taught me how to be a great servant/ leader in my community and how to carry myself as a young black intellectual male. We use the phrase “iron sharpens iron” because our organization is filled with men who have countless amazing accomplishments, which inspires all of us to do more and strive for the best for ourselves and our community. The number of African American students at the university is low, but it
allows all of us to be really close and well connected. I found my place on campus by surrounding myself with likeminded individuals who allow me to feel comfortable with where I’m at. I’ve made countless close friends here at Cal, and I’m very thankful for the experiences I have had thus far. There are many people here who aspire and will go on to do great things in life, and this pushes everyone else to be the best they can be.
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AUGUST → The application is available in early August.
SEPTEMBER → Make sure you’ve completed or registered for the SAT or ACT + Writing exams. International students from non-English-speaking countries must take either the IELTS or TOEFL. NOVEMBER → The application filing period is November 1-30. The application deadline is November 30—there are no exceptions. MARCH 2 → The priority deadline to submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). LATE MARCH → Freshman decisions are released.
LATE APRIL → Transfer decisions are released.
MAY 1 → The deadline for freshman admits to accept their offer of admission. JUNE 1 → The deadline for transfer admits to accept their offer of admission.
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As a Georgia native, being an outof-state student greatly impacted my college experience. Not only was I in an extremely unfamiliar place, but I also was here alone– at least so I thought. If it had not been for the close-knit and welcoming attitudes of the African American Community here on campus, I would not have survived my first year at Berkeley. — Tyler M., Intended Major: Public Health
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OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS | 103 SPROUL HALL | BERKELEY, CA 94720 | ADMISSIONS.BERKELEY.EDU
8.2018