STUDENT PROFILE: RUNNING START
Cyndrea Brown

Meet Cyndrea Brown, a first-year Running Start student here at Shoreline Community College from Ingraham High School. Her journey to our campus began in a very typical way. Her older sister was a previous Running Start student who attended North Seattle Community College. But when her chance to enroll in the program came, she toured the North Seattle campus but also took advice from her track coach who had attended SCC and suggested she visit our campus before deciding where to apply. Spring time was the perfect time to visit our beautiful campus. Cyndrea said she was impressed by the campus and decided to apply to SCC.

When asked about what she found most surprising during her first quarter, Cyndrea commented that comparing the high school environment to college was striking. She especially appreciated how relaxed it was at the college which seemed to be more focused on what students need and want to do. High school appeared to be more chaotic and not as serious about academic achievement. Since she was traveling from the college to the high school and back, this difference was more dramatic. Another surprise was getting better grades here than at the high school. The different climate in the classroom may have added to her ability to succeed.

Cyndrea would like to tell future Running Start students that maturity is very important to success. Students should have a clear goal about what they want to pursue. She found that the faculty and students are more focused on their studies at the college and they expect new students to be so as well. College professors are not going to “play around” like in high school. She especially enjoyed professors Dr. Ernest Johnson and Don Christensen and felt they helped guide her to a successful first year.

When asked what she would do differently if she were to start again, Cyndrea said she would make more time to study – wants to “go past” just meeting the requirements. She liked the idea of accumulating a college record that will help her to accomplish her educational goals.

Cyndrea plans to continue her studies at Shoreline next year narrowing her focus on transfer courses and prerequisites. Her future plans include transferring to a four-year University to major in Business with a minor in Music. She is currently taking Principles of Marketing and saving the music courses for next year when there’s more room in her schedule. She is looking forward to another year of success in the thriving learning environment at Shoreline Community College.