Colin is a 12 year veteran of Minds Matter, having started as a mentor in 2007, later as a Team Leader, and as a College Advisor for the last 5 years, now serving as Director of College Advising. He will be honored at this Thursday’s Brilliant Minds Benefit.
Q: How did you first get involved in Minds Matter?
Colin: My wife and I were looking for a volunteer opportunity to do together on the weekends. We came across Minds Matter on Idealist.org and decided to give it a try.
Q: Have your reasons for being involved evolved over time?
Colin: Yes, over time, both of us (my wife and I) have become very invested in the mission. We’ve gotten to know the college access landscape well and found a place in it where we can do something really important. We also really enjoyed the work itself— it was really fun to come in on Saturdays and work with Minds Matter students.
Q: Where did you go to college, and what did you study?
Colin: I went to Bowdoin College and studied music and sociology.
Q: How did college impact your life?
Colin: College felt like a blank slate; it was a chance to go and do what I wanted to do (even though I had no idea what I wanted to do). Early on, a professor told me that one of the best things you can do in college is take classes by the best, most interesting professors, regardless of subject. I took that advice and ran with it.
By taking courses that interested me, instead of what I thought I “should”, I let doors open that I never knew existed. This approach to life has been very rewarding and exciting. The nature of a liberal arts college and education has been implanted now in my brain—I always want to be doing many different things and thinking about the world in a variety of ways. This is when I feel most healthy and happy.
Q: Did you feel prepared for college?
Colin: I felt academically prepared for college, but less so in other ways. I went to a large public high school that had one college counselor for a class of 400 students (not dissimilar from the ratio of many of our students’ schools). There was definitely a college going culture [in Ithaca], but less overall guidance about finding a best-fit college. I also wasn’t prepared for the cultural differences with wealthier students, students from boarding schools, or similar..
Q: Why is it important to you to help our students get into college?
Colin: College graduates have greater socio-economic opportunity, yet this credential is not evenly accessible for all students—some students are just not going to college, and those who are, often struggle or feel they don’t belong. I want to help open up opportunities for others, and see college as a critical first step.
Q: What recommendations do you have for new volunteers?
Colin: Show up. Make it a priority every week. Take it seriously and that’s when you’ll get the most reward out of it. I also recommend investing time in getting to understand the mission of the organization. In this day and age, providing more opportunity is such an important cause, and if you don’t engage with that “why” you can feel lost in why you’re doing this. The bigger picture is the main focus—it’s all about creating opportunity.