Unique Bunn graduated from People’s Prep in 2017 and has since gone on to study psychology, join the honors program, and tutor her peers at New Jersey City University. Now a senior with plans for a master’s degree, we spoke to Unique about her journey to and through college, and how People’s Prep has been there every step of the way.

What are some positions you hold at NJCU?

I’ve been an English tutor since my sophomore year. I was really fortunate that it was just one of those opportunities that landed in my lap. I was an Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) student, and I was just keeping up with my work and submitting my papers on time. At that point, I was going to tutoring myself and my tutor told his boss that I was doing really well. The supervisor sent me the paperwork to fill out an application, and the rest is history.

I’m the spokeswoman for the National Society of Leadership and Success, which I’ve been a part of since my freshman year. The requirement is that you have a 3.0 GPA for two semesters. We focus a lot of our efforts on networking, community service, and public speaking which has helped me a lot while I’m in college, but will also be really useful when I graduate. We set goals and share them with the chapters from other universities and communicate with them about our progress and what we can do to improve.

I also became a member of Kai Alpha Epsilon, which is the EOF honor society. To become eligible you have to maintain a 3.0 GPA for three consecutive semesters.

What advice would you give your PPCS seniors who are thinking about going to college and don’t know what to major in?

Going to college causes a lot of anxiety if you don’t have guidance or someone to back you up. Embrace the milestone of being in college because you have time to figure it out. You have to take your general education classes which will help you figure it out. Even if you don’t find something you love right away, you don’t have to rush the process, it will come to you.

I also try to remember that everything you do will be a learning experience. If you do something and fail at it, you’ve still learned something.

What has been a game changing experience during your college career?

The game changing experience has been the Educational Opportunity Fund program. I remember filling out college applications in the Office of College Placement when I was still in high school. At that point, I only liked English class and I didn’t even want to apply to college. But once I got accepted into the EOF program, I met new people, and my counselor said that a bachelor’s degree is like the new high school diploma. That stuck with me, so I stuck with school.

Now I love it and the person that it’s made me. Becoming a tutor and being involved in college has really been a great experience that I have grown to appreciate. Even just being able to have this interview, I appreciate it all.

What are your plans after you graduate from NJCU?

I’m a psychology major now, and I plan on going to grad school to pursue it further. I’m going to take up counseling because I want to be a drug and alcohol counselor. I’d really like to keep the younger generation from getting off track. I’m taking classes with the sociology department that will allow me to get certified in drug and alcohol counseling when I graduate.
Hear Unique discuss how PPCS has supported her journey through college.