I want you to do what you're supposed to do--
do your four years--
make me proud of you.
It's going to be weird going to college
because my mom does everything for me.
What boys do you gossip about?
I'm going to just be honest.
We talk about Melik.
Melik, we love you.
And we thank God for you.
I'm going to U Albany, and I feel nervous,
but I feel excited at the same time.
In a community where only 4% of the kids go to college,
students come from homes where the homes sometimes
have no food.
These kids have overcome all kinds of things
and all they want to do is go to college.
We reached out to the people at Wal-Mart--
they want to give each one of you a four year scholarship.
I cannot wait to see--
in four years-- what these young people are going to do.
I can't wait to see how we helped launch their lives.
I love it!
Look at this view!
Your room's bigger!
I know-- but your view--
I love your view.
Yeah, I love it, too.
Aw.
Where's Melik?
Two floors down.
I gotta go give him his stuff.
Does he know we're going?
Nope.
We're going to pop up on him.
Pop up?
Let's see.
Hold on.
Melik!
Miki!
Yeah, can we just go in and see what you've done so far?
This is my roommate, Michael.
Hi, Michael.
Nice to meet you.
Well, the girls-- they've been, like, really
hectic-- because girls are different from guys.
So, you know, for me-- packing was like an hour and a half.
Them-- was, like, three hours.
Are you going to Wal-Mart today?
You talking about stealing my sweaters, right?
Imagine, just put it under your sweater.
That's why I watch her hands.
They were stealing my sweaters.
That's what they both-- not they both--
specifically Nyasha-- she steals all my sweaters.
And Sherinel-- oh yeah, that looks really
nice-- you should take it.
She's like the one that tells her to do it and she does it.
They're like a package.
Look at your drawers.
And they were rolling my underwear,
which is really awkward.
You know who would look great in this?
Me.
I brought it for me.
We're here!
Say, hi.
Say, where are we at?
Where are we at?
College.
Hi.
How are you?
I'm good.
Good-- welcome.
OK, you know your room is only this big.
Yeah.
OK.
I'm excited-- yes.
What room number are we?
203-- 203.
Ooh, look at the suite.
It's nice in here.
This is Rudy's new home.
Which one is mine?
Hello.
[INAUDIBLE]
Hi.
Hello.
Hi.
How are you doing?
Hello.
Hi.
Hello.
What's up?
Which one is your room?
Let's see--
203--
Wait, I got to learn how to do my first thingy--
let's see if that works.
Yeah.
Wait-- but it didn't turn.
Yeah.
It didn't turn.
Oh.
Look at my room.
Oh, room-- got to make it work--
yes.
Oh man, it's really happening.
It really makes me appreciate my mom a lot because she
does a lot for me.
Without her, I don't know where I would be.
Like, she's always there for me whether she's far away or not--
she will always be there for me.
I think she's, like, one of the greatest moms that you
could ever possibly have.
What do you see out there?
Do you see all the trees over there?
Look-- come look at it.
Let me pick you up so you can see it.
See them?
You see all the trees right here?
Look at all the trees.
We don't have that in Brooklyn.
You see?
Yeah.
It's more nicer over there.
Yeah.
Are you going to miss me?
Yeah.
It's sunny outside-- it looks-- it looks good.
I'm excited.
I'm a little nervous being here.
Just a little bit.
This is his house.
Why?
Because he has to have a-- he has to get a good education.
And he has to take care of us.
I was sad at the beginning-- but I love it.
I'm ready for him to get this education in--
do what he have to do.
Please give a big, warm welcome to the 20th president
of the University of Albany--
Dr. Havidan Rodriguez.
Good afternoon, everyone.
Welcome.
Let me assure you, in coming to U Albany,
you have made an excellent decision.
So I encourage you to challenge yourself--
to be engaged at all levels--
academically, socially-- as a member of our U-Albany family
and as a part of the larger community.
There are about 19,000 kids on this campus--
just about-- and that's really a big change.
My goal at the end of this semester
is to make at least 2000 new friends.
And it says a lot about the value our students play
on these serious opportunities.
I feel like-- in Summit--
like, everybody knows everybody.
You get to meet a whole group of new people here.
And the diversity is amazing--
and it's, like, pretty awesome just to meet new people.
And that speaks volumes about the kind of university
that you and I have joined.
[SPANISH]
Oh, wow.
Oh, you got the laundry room.
That's good.
OK.
Now it's time to teach me--
--how to do laundry.
You're doing it all.
When you put the clothes in, you need put the white clothes--
That's the light clothes.
The light clothes and then the dark clothes, OK?
I'm teaching him to grow up.
He's used to me doing everything for him--
now he's on his own.
I'm sad because I got to do my own laundry.
Less work for me, now.
More work for me.
This is a drier.
You take it out--
try not to put it on high-- just try to put it on medium.
We don't know no burning clothes here.
All right-- and then you close it.
That's it.
Always separate your clothes--
light and dark.
I think I got it.
You got it?
Yeah So light clothes is hot--
and dark clothes is cold.
All right?
You got it!
[INAUDIBLE]
Hey, look at the president.
Oh, hi.
Hi.
How you doing?
How you folks doing?
We're doing well-- thank you.
Good to see you.
And your name is?
Sherinel.
Sherinel?
Yes.
And I'm Nyasha.
Nyasha?
Yes.
Nice to meet--
I'm Melik.
Melik-- so congratulations.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
I heard you have this great scholarship.
Yes.
Amazing.
That's good.
That is amazing.
Yeah.
That's very, very good.
Welcome to U-Albany.
Thank you so much.
These are three great students.
They're going to be incredibly successful.
We will support them, we will nurture them,
and we will work with them to ensure their success--
among with the other 17 thousand plus great things.
Study, getting engaged, have fun--
Right.
In that order--
In that order-- study, get engaged, and have fun.
But you can still have fun and be engaged at the same time,
right?
It's great meeting you folks.
It was nice meeting you too.
Yeah, of course.
Thank you.
Good seeing you.
[INAUDIBLE] I love you.
[INAUDIBLE]
Come back next week.
No, I'm not coming back next week.
Come on, guys.
Bye, Rudy.
The
Bye.
Don't cry-- ma, you said this was going to be your last cry.
Bye, Rudy.
Bye.
It's all right.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Clipped wings, I was a broken thing.
I had a voice-- had a voice but I could not sing.
You would wear me down.
I struggled on the ground.
Oh-- so lots of lines have been crossed.
Had a voice, had a voice, but I could not talk.
You held me down.
I struggle to fly now.
Oh-- but there's a scream inside that we all try to hide.
We hold on so tight-- we cannot deny-- it eats us alive.
Oh, it eats us alive.
And I don't care if I sing off key.
I found myself in my melodies.
I sing for you.
I sing for me.
I shout it out like a bird set free.
No, I don't care if I sing off key.
I found myself in my melodies.
I sing for love, I sing for me.
I shout it out--
OK, I'm good.
OK, bye.
I'm good.
Oh-- oh-- oh--
I shout it out like a bird set free.
Oh-- oh-- oh--
oh-- I shout it out like a bird set free.