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The Power of TC3. When Mame Ndiaye is asked about the first stop on her higher education path, she talks about the Power of TC3.  

“The Power of TC3 is that you are going to be developed to be strong academically, no matter where you go after,” said the 2015 criminal justice graduate who is now the Associate Director of Inclusive Enrollment at Cornell University. “After TC3, I went to a strong four-year institution, and then I went to an Ivy League institution. So, I got the full experience of being a college student: at a community college, a four-year, and at an extremely competitive Ivy League institution. When I was in those competitive environments, even at an Ivy League school, I felt secure, because of the foundation that I built at TC3.”

During her time at TC3, Ndiaye was a peer tutor, a resident advisor, and a part of the Panther Welcome Crew, providing a friendly face for many new students. After TC3 she went to SUNY Cortland for her bachelor’s degree and Cornell University for her master’s degree, continuing to connect with people, and continuing to use what she learned at TC3. 

“The Power of TC3 was that I saw all walks of life,” said the 2015 graduate. “I would always surround myself with international students, or non-traditional students, military veterans or traditional students who had just graduated high school. You could connect with all walks of life. I didn’t feel pigeon holed into on lived experience because I got to see what different lives were like, outside of what I was used to being that New York City girl with an African immigrant family. I was able to connect with so many different people.”

“My path literally developed while I was here. If you looked at my resume from when I was here, you would see so many different things that I did because I was finding myself. That's why I say this school is good for you to find yourself, because it offers you enough space for error and there are people here who care and will get you back on track if need to be.”

Why did you choose to attend �첥��Ƶ Cortland? I decided to start at a community college because I wasn't there academically. I think there was a lot of confidence that needed to be built academically, but also good habits. That's what I learned at TC3 - habits that will set you up for �첥��Ƶ. So that's the reason why I went to a community college, but why specifically TC3? I went on a lot of community college tours, but I remember the first thing I said to my dad when I got back in the car after visiting TC3, was soon as I walked in, it was vibrant. It was vibrant. There were so many colors, and it really just grabbed you as a place that you want to be, simply because the space seemed so welcoming. It was very helpful to walk in and see a student at the front desk, and they would just talk with you. And I remember that throughout the day, people kept asking me things like, ‘Do you need any help? Do you have any questions? Oh, you look lost. Are you looking for anything - can I help you find it?’ You could see that people were actually responding to you. I came here by myself, but I left with lifelong friends. I met my closest friends here. I came alone, but I left with family.

Who had a positive impact on your time at TC3? One of my professors, Susan Cerretani, really had an impact on me when I was here. She was like my second mother. I was homesick up until I met her, because she really guided me. My first week here, I was placed in remedial courses, and I wanted to go home. I was in her remedial English class. I slept every day in class for the first two weeks, but I was getting all A's. What I really appreciate about her was that she realized I wasn’t being challenged in the class, so she gave me a new responsibility, and that was to be a tutor. She said if I continued to do well, and stayed awake in the class, she’d like me to a tutor in the writing and research center. It gave me a sense of responsibility, it connected me to the school, and that was all I needed. I had that sense of responsibility and someone invested in me. It doesn't have to be faculty, but it just takes one meaningful relationship to keep a student at the school. For me that relationship was with Professor Cerretani. She was there through all challenges and all �첥��Ƶes.

How did your college experience at �첥��Ƶ Cortland prepare you for what came next? I think this was a great starting ground for a first-generation student. It was intimidating going to college, but when you got here, it was welcoming enough for you to want to continue and learn the ropes. 

When I came to TC3, my goal was to go to Cornell. I was a student that graduated high school with a really low GPA, like my mom has my high school GPA framed next to my college degrees, because she can't believe this is the same student! I came to TC3 and my first semester I got a 4.0. I knew it wasn’t just me, it's the environment, how I'm learning, how I'm being taught. It really taught me to love school. There's enough to challenge you, but also enough for you to understand that you can be �첥��Ƶful in in a in a higher education institution. 

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to yourself (or anyone) when you started at TC3? Network and go to those social events. When I started at TC3, I didn’t go to the first two days of orientation, and it was the worst decision, because I was asking questions three months in that were answered during orientation. And it wasn’t that I didn't want to go - it was that I was afraid to go. I sat in my room and cried for an hour when my parents left. I didn't know anyone here, but I literally made friends the day I finally went to orientation. So, that’s the advice I would give to an incoming TC3 student: go to orientation. It doesn’t sounds like much advice, but it’s especially good advice for the incoming student who may not know anyone here and thinks it's easier to stay in your room, or easier to stay away from campus if you're a commuter. Go to the orientation events. Build relationships with faculty, staff, and your fellow students

What does the TC3 mean to you now? I so appreciate my TC3 experience. It definitely built me into the student and person that I am today.