GS Student's Time at Community College Prepares Him for Columbia

Before transferring to the Columbia University School of General Studies (GS) in 2017, Chris Thompson traveled the world, from Los Angeles to Croatia, as a professional chef. While his profession was profoundly satisfying, he knew he needed something more.

October 19, 2020

Forty percent of students enrolled at GS transferred after attending community college. In honor of National Transfer Student Week, we are highlighting many of our students and alumni who transferred to GS, as well as offering insight into the unique role that community colleges play in making higher education possible for nontraditional students. Read more about their stories here. 


Note: After this article was published, Chris Thompson graduated from the Columbia University School of General Studies with his degree in sociocultural anthropology and was named the Valedictorian of the Class of 2021.

Before transferring to the Columbia University School of General Studies (GS) in 2017, Chris Thompson traveled the world, from Los Angeles to Croatia, as a professional chef. While his profession was profoundly satisfying, he knew he needed something more. 

“I was, and still am, deeply passionate about cooking, cuisine, and food; but towards the end of my twenties, a number of struggles in my personal life coincided with the realization that I wanted, and deserved, more from my life,” Thompson said.

This realization led him to the decision to begin his journey at Red Rocks Community College in Denver, Colorado, where he used the skills he had learned as a chef to pursue something that felt equally as impactful as his prior career path. At Red Rocks, Thompson was able to gain a sense of stability and community that he had both needed and missed. 

“The facilities, professors, and academic services were all top-notch, but most importantly I felt a sense of community that was instrumental in my growth as a student and a person. My community college experience was fundamental to me in gaining the skills and confidence needed to be successful at GS” he said.

The facilities, professors, and academic services were all top-notch, but most importantly I felt a sense of community that was instrumental in my growth as a student and a person. My community college experience was fundamental to me in gaining the skills and confidence needed to be successful at GS

Chris Thompson '21GS

During his time there, a recommendation from a professor sparked his interest in his current career path: cultural anthropology. Anthropology allowed Thompson to combine his passion for learning about various cultures with his academic pursuits, and led him to find success in his community college experience and become a member of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international community college honor society. It was through PTK that Thompson first heard of GS, which planted a seed for what his future could hold. 

“I began to see that the gap between what I had achieved at community college and my potential future achievements was really in my thinking and my confidence, not in my ability. The door was there, and already open for me…I just had to be willing to step through.” 

Thompson applied to GS and began his Columbia journey in the fall of 2017. Despite the fact that he had never been to New York City, he packed up his belongings and made the drive across the country. The confidence that he’d gained in his time at community college reassured him that this was the right decision. 

“I always tell new students coming from community college that the skills you learned that led to your success there will translate here at Columbia, and they’ll translate well,” he said.  

At GS, Thompson jumped right into the community, becoming involved in student government and eventually being elected Student Body President of the General Studies Student Council (GSSC) for the 2019-2020 academic year. Thompson also serves as a GS Peer Advisor, providing support and advice to GS students about academics, campus resources, the transition to GS as a new student, and more. 

“Even through the difficulties and tragedies of this past year, having the opportunity to serve the Columbia community in all the ways that I have, to work and study with some of the most brilliant people I have ever met, to make a positive impact on the lives of those around me, to complete a significant piece of undergraduate research, and to open doors for my future that I never would have imagined possible—all of this is due in large part to me becoming the caliber of person and leader that GS helped mold me into,” Thompson said.