Doors Are Opening: Destiny Russell’s CCP Story

When Destiny Russell first started at Community College of Philadelphia, she wasn’t certain what kind of career she wanted to pursue, so she enrolled in the Liberal Arts program to give herself time to explore her options. Now, she is graduating and in the running to receive a generous scholarship toward a bachelor’s degree from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.

Destiny graduated from high school in 2020 when the world looked different and confusing, especially the world of higher education. After a few challenging years following high school, Destiny decided to enroll at CCP. “For the most part, I feel like CCP was the thing, the step that I needed,” she said. “Because after a time of deep depression, I needed to find myself again. And this was the cheapest option for me.” Destiny is a Catto Scholar and received funding through the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Scholarship throughout her time at CCP, both of which gave her confidence that college was the right decision for her.

“Honestly, freshman year was my breakout year, because I did not believe in myself at all going into this,” she said. “But I eventually made it through because of my professors, because of the people around me.” After taking courses in the Liberal Arts program for her first year at CCP, Destiny found her passion for media. “The second year, I joined the Communication and Media Studies program...music, TV, film, everything. Those are my favorite things in the world actually.”

After graduating from the College, Destiny plans to attend either Temple University or Chestnut Hill College to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Media and Production. She said that she is grateful to her professors who pushed her and helped her see her own potential, as she might not have ever realized this passion without that support. “I really want to talk about my professors throughout the way...They were all wonderful to me. Even during the times I didn't believe in myself,” she said. “I didn't think I would have...people in my corner just cheering me, rooting me on.”

As a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship, Destiny could have a large chunk of the cost of her next academic endeavor covered. When she applied to the scholarship, she didn’t realize just how life-changing it could really be. But when she started to receive outreach from colleges and universities encouraging her to apply, she realized what an honor it truly was. “That's when I was like, ‘Oh, doors are opening...this is a big deal.’”

After finishing her bachelor’s degree, Destiny wants to move somewhere like New York City or Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, likely in music. As a first generation college student, she is proud to be able to explore these career options. “[I want to] spread my wings. Because a lot of people in my family, they didn't get to do that,” she said. “[I want] to make sure my family's proud of me at the end of the day. That's all I really want.”