Race to 100 Alumni

Jade Powell

KCC Class of 2007
Major: Liberal Arts
Current Title/Profession: Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) Academic Advisor at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC)

Jade Powell came to Kingsborough Community College looking for a good start; what she found was even more than she expected. Her decision to attend Kingsborough began as a practical, financially accessible path to higher education, but it eventually became the foundation for a career devoted to helping others navigate the same journey she once traveled.

Graduating from KCC in 2007 with a degree in Liberal Arts, Jade appreciated the college's affordability, its beautiful campus, and above all, the quality of its advisors and support staff. Those relationships she was able to build left a lasting impression, so much so, that they directly influenced her future career path. Jade went on to earn a bachelor's degree in English from The City College of New York and has since dedicated her professional life to academic advising and student support.

Today, Jade serves as an ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs) Advisor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), where she works with students who are navigating the challenges of higher education for the first time. Her work is deeply personal, and she draws on her own experience as a community college student to help her connect with the young people she serves. She understands firsthand that the process can feel overwhelming without proper guidance.

Prior to her role at BMCC, Jade worked at the Harlem Children's Zone and has consistently gravitated toward positions where she can support communities in need. Her professional passion is centered on helping students reach their full potential. She explains her driving force in life: "Helping people, especially those entering college, is what drives me. It can be difficult to navigate, and I like being part of what makes it possible."

Jade is a firm believer in resilience and in the importance of asking for help. Her advice to students is to keep going, even when the road gets rough. She explains in greater detail, "There will be bumps, but what you do after is what matters. You have choices, know that." She also emphasizes that programs like ASAP exist precisely so that no student has to try to figure things out alone.

Jade maintains that as an alum, there are a multitude of ways to give back to KCC, whether that is giving directly, volunteering, returning to campus to speak with current students, etc. She believes that community colleges like Kingsborough do not just educate students, but they cultivate the workforce and community leaders of tomorrow. For her, giving back to KCC is an investment in the people who will one day shape the world around us.