Jeremiah Lambert-Norfleet '27: From Belonging to Becoming

When Jeremiah Lambert-Norfleet '27 began his college career, he experienced a sense of belonging that many students hope for—but few experience so immediately. Welcomed into the MBK Connect Summer Program before his first semester even began, Jeremiah quickly found himself surrounded by peers, mentors and staff who made the transition to college feel not just manageable, but affirming.

The Program gives men of color a head start on their classes as well as a stipend, free course, free MetroCard, free John Jay merch and brotherhood before the fall semester starts

MBK Connect, he recalled, “made it very warm – you felt like you knew people.” From the moment he walked through the door, the atmosphere was unmistakable. “People were dapping you up – How you doing? You good? – from literally walking in the door. It was a great initial college experience.”

Just two weeks later, that promising start was abruptly interrupted.

Jeremiah became seriously ill, and his symptoms soon landed him in the hospital. He was diagnosed with kidney failure—a life-altering moment that arrived just as his college career was beginning. Suddenly, Jeremiah was navigating far more than coursework. He faced a complex and overwhelming convergence of challenges: managing a serious medical condition, participating virtually in his first semester of college and working through unexpected financial aid complications that stemmed from his shift to online learning.

Throughout it all, the MBK Connect community rallied around him. Staff, mentors and peers stepped in to help him stay enrolled, connected and supported during a moment when continuing might otherwise have felt impossible.

“MBK Connect made the process as seamless as it could be,” he said. “Ms. V [program manager] helped me switch all my classes online.” He also spoke powerfully about the role of his one-on-one mentor: “He was literally one of the greatest role models that I’ve had in my life. He taught me a lot within that one semester. From accountability to just [reminding me that] this is only for a season and better will always come. You have just got to give it that time and do your part, so when that time comes, you’re ready and prepared.”

Reflecting on that first year, Jeremiah shared, “Thank God I went to John Jay early, because if I didn’t – if I just ignored that email from MBK Connect – I promise you I wouldn’t be in college right now. I don’t know what I would be doing in my life.”

Jeremiah made it through that difficult semester—and returned to John Jay in person the following term. When he came back to campus, he rejoined his MBK Connect community with ease and focus, quickly re-establishing himself both socially and academically. That semester, he earned a spot on the Dean’s List. 

Yet even as his health stabilized, Jeremiah encountered a new challenge. The dietary restrictions required to manage his condition meant that he could not eat most of the food available on campus. Rather than accept this limitation quietly, Jeremiah saw an opportunity—one that extended beyond his own needs. 

Together with his friend David, another MBK Connect Scholar, Jeremiah began imagining ways to address food access on campus more broadly. Their initial idea was simple: “an apple a day”—making apples freely available in public spaces for students who needed quick, healthy options. But they kept pushing each other to think bigger. 

With funding support from the Student Council, on which they both served, Jeremiah and David launched The Fruit Basket Initiative. In its first month alone, the initiative provided fresh fruit platters to more than 300 students. It quickly became more than a distribution effort. The initiative also served as an information hub— connecting students to existing food resources on campus, such as free breakfast and lunch programs, while gathering data about unmet needs to share back with the college and inform future services. 

Following the pilot’s clear success, Jeremiah and David secured a $20,000 donation to sustain and expand the initiative. The funding will allow them to open two additional fresh fruit distribution stations in the coming semester, extending their impact even further. 

Today, Jeremiah is majoring in criminology and is on track to graduate in 2027. He plans to pursue a PhD in sociology, continuing a path rooted in understanding systems, justice and community well-being. 

With the support of his MBK Connect community, Jeremiah transformed a moment of profound personal hardship into a source of collective benefit—one that has already touched hundreds of students. His story reflects not only resilience, but leadership and service grounded in lived experience.