Taking the first STEP
Donning a white leather jacket and toting a Bluetooth speaker, Kayvaan Carillo, CAS/BA ’28, stood at the front of a classroom in the Don Myers Technology and Innovation Building on August 7, bobbing his head to the beat.
Then, with his peers cheering him on, the audio technology major started rapping about his experience in AU’s Summer Transition Enrichment Program (STEP).
“Now I'm blastin’ this beat,” rapped Carillo, who goes by Unknown Rillo. “Haters take a seat. There’s no such thing as grades. There are only stars—and I’m shooting for them.”
Carillo—whose song is titled “The Aginning,” because “I like getting more A’s than B’s”—was among 37 first-year students from California to New Jersey who took part in STEP this year. Run by AU’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), the seven-week, invitation-only program helps Eagles from first-generation or multicultural backgrounds navigate the transition to college.
Last week, each of those students had a chance to share what the experience meant to them during passion project presentations.
STEP students lived on campus this summer and took courses with CAS faculty members Michael Limarzi, Kiesha Martin, and Amanda Choutka. They received tutoring from Academic Support and Access Center and attended workshops on financial aid, self-defense, and how to build resumes and LinkedIn profiles. Students also explored some of what Washington has to offer, enjoying fireworks on the National Mall and visiting the monuments at night, among other adventures.
All of the experiences are designed to establish a network of resources and academic and social supports that students can tap throughout the entirety of their AU experience.
“A big reason why we have this program is to give students a head start,” said Allison Wallen, CDI’s assistant director for student success, transition, and retention. “It’s helpful on the academic side, but it also helps them become better humans.”
The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment’s 2023 summer transition survey found that while 86 percent of AU’s first-year students expressed excitement about being at the university, 40 percent were also anxious about college. Due in large part to CDI support, however, STEP students have an 88 percent graduation retention rate.
Southeast DC native Ray Smith, CAS/BA ’28, said she feels more prepared for her first semester at AU since participating in STEP.
“I’m happier,” said the District Scholar and public health major. “I came here stressed and closed off. Now I’m more open to talking to others and collaborating. I’m becoming more of a college student.” The most important thing she learned was that “you have to advocate for yourself.”
Jaden Boucos, CAS/BA ’28, who grew up in Queens, New York, agreed. “I feel way better going into college and more comfortable around campus. When people go to college, even the small things like getting lost on campus can build stress and doubt. The small things—like getting used to how the dining hall works—gave me a new level of comfort and make me feel ready for the fall.”
Wallen said she wants students to walk away from STEP knowing that CDI is there to help.
“[We want them to] feel like they have a place where they can land, whether it’s a crash landing or a soft one. They have a place where they can regroup and there’s no judgment.”