CCBC Student, Accounting
Accounting major Jhaleel is investing in himself and his community tuition-free at CCBC.
When Jhaleel Hall started thinking about college after high school, he took advice from someone he knew and trusted: his stepmom, a CCBC alum.
“She explained the feeling of community and the flexible class schedules she found at CCBC. That really resonated with me,” he says. That guidance, along with the college’s proximity to home and affordability, made his choice clear.
“I knew I’d be footing the bill for college myself, so cost was a major factor,” Jhaleel admits. CCBC’s affordable tuition opened the door, and learning later about the college’s tuition-free opportunities made his education even more within reach.
“It just goes to show you that sometimes it’s just about asking. I asked around, ‘How can I reduce my tuition?’” he says. He met with CCBC’s Office of Financial Aid and followed their guidance, including completing and submitting the FAFSA.
As of this semester, I’m attending CCBC tuition-free.
That kind of affordability and money management speaks to Jahleel on a personal level. As an accounting major, he is learning not only skills that will benefit organizations but also those in his community. Beyond a career in business and accounting, he plans to educate others to be financially literate.
“Growing up, I saw people struggling with finances to the point where my mom had to help them apply for loans. My sympathy for them, along with the generosity my mom continuously showed, made me fall in love with helping people,” he says.
His journey has also been shaped by the Male Student Success Initiative (MSSI), a key source of mentorship and community. Through MSSI, he was introduced to the Honors College, where smaller classes encourage deeper discussion and reflection, and travel opportunities strengthen leadership skills and self-awareness. As an honors scholar, he traveled to Belize to study the country’s health care systems, experience a new culture and expand his worldview.
“It was there that I was reminded how beautiful life is when we slow down a bit. I realized how adaptive I am in new environments and how that can be a beneficial life skill,” Jhaleel says.
Back on campus, he continues to participate in honors classes and MSSI. He also volunteers at his church and local soup kitchens when not working at an Amazon fulfillment center.
Once he finishes his associate degree, Jhaleel plans to transfer to Morgan State University through Degrees to Succeed and eventually sit for the CPA exam.
For Jhaleel, CCBC has been more than a college. It’s been a place to grow, explore and discover what he wants to give back to the world.
Jhaleel is part of the Fresh Faces 2025-26 cohort.