Kadian Townsend ’15 knows how expensive a college education can be. When she and her brother, Clayon, were applying to college they didn’t qualify for financial aid because of their immigration status. “As immigrants, and being in a single parent household, there were a lot of hardships when it came time to matriculating in college,” said Townsend. “College was an out-of-pocket expense.” Fully aware that the lack of financial aid could mean the end of the college dream for most, Townsend and her brother have created a scholarship that gives immigrants, DACA scholars, and students from underserved communities, a chance at making the dream a reality. “The adversity my brother and I faced inspired us to create a scholarship to assist students who have dreams of furthering their education, but may not have all the resources to do so,” said Townsend. Through the Townsend Scholarship, book costs are covered during the recipient’s freshman year of college.
Migrating to the United States
At nine years old, Townsend migrated with her mother and Clayon to the United States from their home country of Jamaica. The goal was to give the children a chance at a better life and access to education. “Unlike the U.S., where school is available for free, in Jamaica it’s not. It’s reserved for those who can afford it,” said Townsend. “Education there is considered a privilege, not a right.” Her grandmother, one of the greatest influences in her life, was only able to go to school for four years. “From the age of 10 to 14 she was able to attend school, sit in a classroom, engage with other kids, and learn. Sadly, it all ended when her parents passed away and the family couldn’t afford it anymore,” she said.
“When I first came to visit John Jay, I was blown away by the diversity in the student body, faculty, and staff.” —Kadian Townsend
In the U.S., Townsend and her brother settled into the Uniondale, Long Island, school system, and performed well academically and athletically—they were both on the track team. But they weren’t without challenges. “Transitioning was difficult. While we spoke English, we didn’t write it well. So we had to enroll in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. Then there was the challenge of assimilating into a different culture that had different expectations of us.” Those difficulties, coupled with the influence of her grandmother and mother, created a laser sharp focus in Townsend. “I look at my grandmother and she’s someone who has so little, but gives so much. My mother made countless sacrifices for us to have a good education. When we couldn’t get financial aid for college, she was the one working to help us pay for it. There’s no way I wasn’t going to make something of myself. And there’s no way that I wouldn’t give back and help marginalized communities.”
“Through the PLI program I learned to articulate myself clearly and more eloquently. I learned how to communicate and gained more confidence in myself and in my abilities.” —Kadian Townsend
Coming to John Jay College
With an innate desire to advocate for others, Townsend knew John Jay College was the right environment to finesse her advocacy skills. “When I first came to visit John Jay, I was blown away by the diversity in the student body, faculty, and staff. The professors, experts in their respective fields, were so welcoming. The students were ambitious and inspiring. The campus was beautiful and the College immediately felt like home,” said Townsend. She credits two professors in particular with helping her see how powerful her voice could be. “Greg Donaldson and Charles Davidson are two professors who had a profound impact on me,” she said. As her speech professor, Donaldson validated her voice, teaching her how to project, captivate and engage an audience. It was through her work in the Pre-Law Institute (PLI), led by Davidson, that she gained confidence. “Through the PLI program I learned to articulate myself clearly and more eloquently. I learned how to communicate and gained more confidence in myself and in my abilities.”
When she began feeling doubt about getting into law school, Townsend went to Davidson. “I remember going to Dr. Davidson and breaking down because I didn’t think I was going to make it to law school. That’s when he told me something that will stay with me forever. He said, ‘Kadian, all you hope to be, you already are. You’re just on the path now of figuring it out.’ Anytime doubt starts to creep in, I remember what he said.” Since that pep talk, Townsend has gone on to do amazing things. She’s worked at a number of law firms including a global corporate immigration law firm; acquired her paralegal certificate in 2017; transitioned into litigation; and is now a first-year law student at the University of District Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law. “John Jay was a launching point for me. It opened so many doors and led me to so many opportunities,” said Townsend. “It’s because of the College that I’ve been able to have the internships and career experiences that have led me to where I am today.”
“I remember going to Dr. Davidson and breaking down because I didn’t think I was going to make it to law school. That’s when he told me something that will stay with me forever. He said ‘Kadian, all you hope to be, you already are. You’re just on the path now of figuring it out.’” —Kadian Townsend
Creating the Townsend Scholarship
After successfully pursuing her own dreams, Townsend knew she had to pay it forward. “The challenges both my brother and I faced when we were growing up and trying to pay for college inspired us to have a role in nonprofit work, to give back to marginalized communities, and promote healthy community development,” said Townsend. The siblings created the Townsend Foundation in 2016 with the hopes of reaching back into underserved communities and helping students in similar situations with financial assistance. The Townsend Scholarship is one way they’re accomplishing that goal. The scholarship is currently available to students from Uniondale High School—the school attended by both siblings—but they plan to expand it to other schools in New York City.
Providing a breakdown of the application process, Townsend said students are asked to write an essay explaining what their challenges are, how they’ve overcome those challenges, and what they plan to do in the future to positively impact others. The scholarship helps pay for book expenses during the student’s freshman year of college. But the award isn’t the only prize. “Mentorship has become a byproduct of the scholarship,” said Townsend. “We’re able to help these students in so many ways socially, academically, and professionally.” And, while it’s only been around for a few years, the scholarship has proven fruitful. “The first student to win the award just graduated from Hofstra University and she’s already paying it forward by helping others. It’s so fulfilling helping students who aspire to be something great, meet their goals. Then to watch them give back to their communities and help those next in line, it is such a blessing,” said Townsend. “The scholarship created a ripple effect—our scholarship helped her, and now she is helping others do great things.” The latest winner of the scholarship will be a freshman at John Jay, starting in the fall of 2019.
“It’s so fulfilling helping students who aspire to be something great, meet their goals. Then to watch them give back to their communities and help those next in line, it is such a blessing.” —Kadian Townsend
For students that are immigrants, of DACA status, or from underserved communities, Townsend hopes that despite the current political climate, students know they can still achieve greatness in the United States and that they still have supporters in their corner. “I hope they know that attaining success in this country is still possible for them,” said Townsend. “And when they do reach that success, I hope they feel inspired by their own journey to reach back and help others.”
For more information on the Townsend Scholarship contact Townsend.fund@gmail.com.
