Kelsey – “As the CAS Valedictorian of the Class of 2019, I can confidently say that the Academic Achievement Program transformed my academic, personal, and professional future. AAP's mentorship program not only continues to be one of its most important attributes but it has also inspired my pedagogical philosophy as I continue my Ph.D. in History at Johns Hopkins University. My experience as both a mentee and mentor in AAP has taught me the importance of fostering a community that will go beyond the boundaries of NYU. The love that I have received and given as a member of AAP allowed me to build and sustain confidence in my abilities as a scholar which is sometimes difficult to obtain at a school like NYU. As a proud alumna, I would like to welcome you to AAP.”

Zach – "I’m currently studying business with a concentration in management, and minoring in the business of entertainment, media, and technology in Stern. I’m pursuing a career as a basketball agent so in my time here I’ve been able to obtain multiple internships at agencies such as Roc Nation Sports and Excel Sports Management. AAP has been a huge part of my college experience. I was lost at NYU until I went on the AAP retreat in the fall of my freshman year and really became immersed in this community because I saw how much of a family it is. Since then, I’ve done whatever I can to help this community flourish by serving as a Public Relations Chair and a Mentor in the Big Brother / Big Sister Mentorship Program. I’ve also served as President, and will be Vice President this upcoming year for the Gentlemen of Quality (GQ), which is a men of color brotherhood on campus that falls under AAP’s umbrella."

Linda – “I’m studying Self-Care, Mindfulness, and Ancestral Healing for Haiti’s future in Gallatin. During my time in AAP, I have been involved in Games Day where I help facilitate a fun and community based space for students to unwind and participate in games/team activities. I look forward to meeting new students at Games Day because as a mentor in the Big Brother / Big Sister Mentorship Program, Games Day will help foster community for you and a place where you can connect with a diverse set of students. This past spring semester I had the opportunity to study at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA as a part of AAP’s FRN Domestic Exchange program. As a participant of the domestic exchange program, I am appreciative of the HBCU experience, what I gained academically, and the lifelong relationships I found at Spelman."

Bashir – "AAP has helped me to grow more into myself while at NYU especially coming into Steinhardt not knowing anyone else. Although I missed out on the AAP Retreat as a first-year, I went my junior year and still heavily benefited and felt the feeling of AAP as a family, as a place with people I can share with and be myself around. AAP has especially given me a platform to grow as a leader as an Events and PR Chair. I’ve worked with great teams to plan awards ceremonies including Golden Rose, KINGS, and Gala in addition to programs throughout the school year, as well as created content for AAP’s social media platforms to promote our events. I also served as a Co-PR chair for the Gentlemen of Quality GQ), and will be President this year. For those of you whom are OP students (yurrrrrrr), OP gave me a great community at NYU both as a student coming in through the summer program and as a Summer Peer Leader last year. Both were great experiences that helped me find myself as a student and as a leader here. See y'all soon!"

Aristides – “Two of AAP’s key programs include the mentorship rogram and Rap Session. The mentorship program has allowed me to continuously give back to our growing community by helping first-years acclimate to a new environment, assisting in the rigorous coursework of pre-med, and being an outlet for everything and anything my mentees want to talk about. My mentor recently graduated. He was the first person to make AAP feel like home before everyone else did. Rap Session is a weekly discussion where students from all NYU schools are given the opportunity to consider the opinions/perspectives of one-another in an open and safe forum while conversing on a slew of topics - for example “Redefining Identity” or “What Is Love?”. Every week, I am able to challenge my belief systems and learn from some of the brightest students at NYU. AAP has become my family at NYU and hopefully it will become yours too.”