More than an Academic Challenge—A Sense of Belonging

As part of the National Collegiate Honors Council’s (2022) collection of essays about the value of honors to its graduates (1967–2019), the author reflects on the personal and professional impacts of the honors experience. Johnson County Community College (JCCC) has a mission to inspire learning to transform lives and strengthen communities. And that is exactly what it did for me. My life was transformed not only by attending JCCC but by being part of the Honors Program. I moved to Kansas from Brazil in 2011. I already had a bachelor’s degree, so my intention was not to go back to school right away, if at all. I came across JCCC looking for ways to connect with my new community while I figured out my next steps. I started to volunteer on campus and, during one of my shifts, happened to run across a fair where several program representatives were available to talk to students about majors. Although this event was not meant for me, I felt compelled to talk to some of the staff and faculty anyway. The next thing I knew, I was enrolled and officially a JCCC student