Like all Project Read learners, Maurice Roberson has overcome a wide range of obstacles as he continues on his path to increased literacy. Although humble and low-key, Maurice is clearly proud of this journey and of a recent achievement - his transition to a 4-year college. We spoke with Maurice just a few weeks after he started classes as a junior at New College of California.
Maurice describes a childhood being raised by his great-grandparents who loved him but were too old to provide the support he needed. “I grew up in a rough and tough part of Brooklyn, New York. It was very bad. I had a lot of friends and we were happy to be together, but we were on our own. We knew things weren’t right - there weren’t adults around looking out for us and we didn’t have the resources other folks had - we were in poverty.” He recalls wishing for someone to ask him about his school day, help him with homework, and make sure he was properly fed. He describes the sadness and anxiety of longing for someone to take a true interest in his life and well being.
Maurice attended public school where he was placed in special education but did not receive the help he feels he needed to be a successful student. He said schoolwork was very difficult for him even though he tried hard.
When asked how this lack of support affected him, he says that in some ways it made him strong, self-reliant, and hungry to achieve things. It also made it hard for him to develop trust in others.
After a difficult period in his teen years, Maurice moved to San Francisco and was reunited with his mother. He quickly set his sights on higher education and began taking classes at City College of San Francisco. He soon realized that he needed extra support to achieve his education goals. He tried special small group classes sponsored by City College but discovered that he responded best to individualized attention. He came to Project Read in June 2001.
Maurice has met with his tutors Suzanne and Dana with impressive consistency over the years. He feels his hard work and the support from his tutors have made him a more fluent reader and writer. He describes being able to go for much greater periods before hitting problem spots where he feels stuck or needs to look up a word.
As Maurice was completing his program at City College, he knew he was ready for the next challenge. With his can-do attitude, increased confidence in his reading and writing skills, deeper understanding of his learning disability (and his experience advocating for the accommodations it requires), he determined to attend a 4-year college.
Maurice began an exhaustive search for a college with an administration and faculty that would understand his specific needs and provide the ongoing support to help him succeed. Maurice was tenacious in his search – he visited campuses, met with admissions staff, spoke with financial aid officers, and got feedback from those around him. He maintained a steady focus through the long and frequently frustrating application process and was accepted at three institutions, Holy Names University, Patten University, and New College.
After careful consideration, Maurice chose New College of California. Maurice tells us that conversations with his English teacher from City College as well as frequent discussions with our own Leon Veal helped him determine that New College was the best fit. Leon graduated from New College 2 years ago and has established a rich collaboration between our programs. He was able to give Maurice valuable insight into the New College Weekend BA Completion Program. Leon continues to provide counsel to Maurice and checks in with his academic advisor, former San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt.
After his first week at New College, Maurice is enthusiastic about his classes and ready for the challenges ahead. He is devoting more time to studying and is working harder than ever – particularly on the often difficult vocabulary he is encountering in these rigorous classes.
When asked what he feels most proud of in his life, Maurice describes the positive choices he made and continues to make. He says these decisions have moved him along a path of education and personal growth and away from the negative things he often sees around him.
What’s next for Maurice? He says that he plans to maintain his positive approach, keep getting stronger, finish his Bachelor’s Degree, and begin a career in the field of counseling. He also said that he is going to make sure he maintains his devotion to playing basketball. He credits the physical activity, discipline, and social interaction with reducing his stress and increasing his positive outlook and can-do attitude. He told us “without basketball I would go crazy.”
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