When Alia Kabba hit “submit” on her AHS application—seven days after discovering it—she had no idea how much her life was about to change.

Growing up in the southwest suburbs of Chicago as the daughter of Sierra Leonean immigrants, Alia carried big dreams and the pressure of navigating the American education system for the first time.

Even though she was first-generation in the U.S. college system, she wasn’t alone—her mom was right there with her, learning and navigating everything alongside her. That support was invaluable, even as they figured it all out together.

Her first AHS Leader Week in Seattle was the moment she realized she didn’t have just her family behind her—she had a whole community.

She arrived scared, unsure, writing anxiously in her journal about whether she’d fit in.

But by day two, she stopped writing altogether—because she was too busy laughing, learning, and forming bonds with a cohort that still reconnects years later.

That sense of belonging carried her into college. And during one of her hardest moments, it saved her.

As a freshman at Purdue, Alia found herself overwhelmed and isolated. After a check-in with her AHS mentor, Darlene, she closed the call, broke down crying, and wrote a email admitting:

“Darlene… I lied. I’m not doing well at all.”

Darlene could’ve simply reassured her.

Instead, she went further: gathering mental health resources, connecting Alia with support on campus, and even linking her to another scholar who had experienced similar struggles.

“She didn’t have to do any of that,” Alia said.

“But she did. And it truly saved my life.”

Today, Alia is a Senior Industrial Engineer at Cummins. She’s confident, grounded in her values, and giving back—serving on the AHS Alumni Board to support the next generation of scholars.

When asked why she keeps showing up, she says:

“If I can do even a tiny fraction of what Darlene did for me, I want to. Hamilton changed everything for me.”