For many students arriving at Highline College, the challenge isn’t just balancing classes, it’s finding a community that truly feels like home. CLCs offer support to students that lack a sense of belonging and community and are a great way for students to get involved on campus.

In case you don’t know, CLC stands for Cultural Learning Communities. They are small, supportive communities for students sharing similar goals, histories, cultures, or ideas. The purpose is to offer support, opportunities, and connections to help students adjust to college life.

There are multiple benefits for just being an active participant of these interesting communities such as academic support, skill development, scholarships, connections, job opportunities, travel, fun events and free food. Participation is open to all Highline College students.

When Jayden Mulamba found Umoja, he also found unity and everything he was looking for. “Umoja is a  community where I feel welcomed and supported,” said Mulamba. “Also, it’s not only Umoja that is part of the communities available for students, there is also Juntos, and Highline promise – communities that are really helpful in general.”

Just like Mulamba there are a variety of students all over the campus seeking help and support. 

Santiago Galeano, a member of Highline Promise, explains that he joined after seeing flyers in high school and hearing from friends that the program would help him with college planning and future steps. What drew him in most was the supportive community – he felt included, welcomed, and guided by peers, counselors, and teachers.

He says the best part of being in Highline Promise was the opportunities it provided, especially field trips and visits to different colleges and universities. These experiences gave him chances he never expected to have and let him meet professors and learn more about higher education.

One of the main lessons he learned is not to be ashamed of who he is. He emphasizes being proud of your culture and background, using that identity as motivation to pursue your dreams.

“CLC communities act as a cornerstone for student success, providing the mentorship and support needed to thrive,” said Galeano.

The sixth floor of Building 25 is essentially the home base for these communities — a welcoming spot with plenty of room to study, connect with peers, or relax between classes.

There is no better way to navigate college life than by keeping that spark of curiosity alive. As Albert Einstein said, “We should never stop asking questions.” Perhaps the answer to your questions about support and belonging on campus is waiting for you on the sixth floor of Building 25.