Sixty-First Commencement

Class of 2026
LiaAshley Scott
Speech Communications major

For LiaAshley Scott, choosing Kingsborough Community College came down to practicality. The Brooklyn native picked KCC straight out of high school because it was close to home and affordable. Two years later, she is graduating with an associate degree in speech communication and a place in one of CUNY's most competitive programs.

Lia is one of two KCC students selected for the new Friedman Transfer Scholars Program, which creates a pathway for CUNY associate degree students to enter CUNY's Macaulay Honors College through one of their partnering colleges. Through Macaulay, New York state residents receive a tuition-free education, along with specialized interdisciplinary seminars and access to their Opportunities Fund to participate in internship, study abroad or research.

"I wanted to apply to Macaulay Honors College in high school, but I was too afraid to," Lia said. "I didn’t believe I would have gotten into the program. To come into Kingsborough and have that opportunity completely changed and challenged my college experience."

For the past year, after being accepted as a Friedman scholar, Lia took seminars focused on challenges facing New York and the global community, coursework she describes as eye-opening. She will walk at commencement in June, then transfer to Brooklyn College in the fall as a Macaulay student, majoring in communication sciences and disorders, with a possible minor in education.

Her interest in speech pathology grew out of her work with children. "I've always known I enjoy working with kids," she said, "and ever since I started doing so, I realized speech disorders are a common issue that isn't being spoken enough about."

Lia credits much of her success at KCC to the ASAP program, which provides academic and financial support to help students complete their degrees on time. She joined ASAP early in her studies and was later offered a position as a student ambassador, an experience she said shaped her in lasting ways.

"ASAP got me through my entire college experience," she said. "I've learned skills from leadership to public speaking, and I'll be using everything I've learned in the future."

She wasn't always so confident. As a first-time college student, Lia found the transition challenging. Her strategy was simple: ask for help. "I wasn't afraid to send hundreds of emails if I truly needed help on something," she said.

Looking back, she wishes she had worried less. "I thought college would be a rough experience, and although there were some rocky days, I blinked and my time here at Kingsborough was up."

After earning her bachelor's degree, Lia plans to become a speech-language pathologist or possibly a teacher. Either way, she knows who she is doing it for. "I've always known I wanted to support upcoming generations," she said.