Kemberly

Kemberly Bruno (she/her), a criminal justice major, club leader for the Black Student Union, and cofounder of the From Me 2U Club, originally had planned to enroll at another college.

“The cost was just too much, and I wasn’t getting much for financial aid there,” said Bruno. “My parents and I decided that HCC would be the best fit and my sister had attended here as well.”

In the fall of 2021, Bruno received financial support through the Federal Pell Grant.

“It covered all of my costs — tuition, all of my materials, everything,” Bruno added.

During her first semester, the Oakland Mills High School graduate discovered the benefits of attending a community college, such as affordability, academic support services, free resources, flexible schedules, and a career-focused education.

“I also qualified for work study, and I didn’t know what that was,” said Bruno. “I e-mailed the financial aid services department, and they explained it to me.”

Bruno, who was looking for a job at the time, applied for an Office of Student Life office assistant position.  She was hired and served from 2021-2023, greeting guests, helping to set up special events, and performing other duties.

“I loved working there,” said Bruno. “It was such a great environment, and I learned a lot about campus and made a lot of friends.”

It was an opportunity for Bruno to connect with her fellow Dragons and get more involved, which led to becoming a student ambassador for the Welcome and Information Center, tabling events for Student Life, and serving on the Black Student Union (BSU) board.

“They [the BSU] are very beneficial for students,” said Bruno. “The BSU is open to everyone, not just Black students.”

The BSU’s mission is to inform HCC students about cultural and societal issues. For Bruno, who is Haitian and grew up in Connecticut, the BSU helped her develop leadership, collaboration, teamwork, networking, among other critical skills. Most importantly, she learned about her culture and community.

“Growing up, I never really identified with my culture because in Connecticut there were not a lot of people like me,” said Bruno. “Coming to Maryland and then HCC helped me find out who I am.”

Bruno plans to launch a career with the federal government.