April 12, 2026
Corde August wears several identities in his quest for a consequential life.
He’s an inspired 2025 graduate of San Lorenzo High School, a freshman leader and first-generation student at Laney College in Oakland and, in his mind’s eye, a future alum of Morehouse College in Atlanta.
That vision took hold in November 2024 when August visited Morehouse and several other Historically Black Colleges and Universities on a tour organized by the San Lorenzo Unified School District. Before the trip, he hadn’t even been sure about going to college and considered becoming a police officer or a firefighter.
At Morehouse, August had an impactful meeting with then-senior Hudson Osborne, a 2021 San Lorenzo High graduate who last summer completed an internship with the European Union and is pursuing a career in international relations. He saw firsthand the confidence and pride that Osborne and other Morehouse students exuded.
Although August’s late-decision application to Morehouse fell short, he said he’s more determined to become a “Morehouse Man.” He attends every Morehouse-related event he can find, and recruiters, faculty and alums continue to encourage his hopes. He plans to join the liberal arts college’s Class of 2029, walking in the steps of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Class of 1948, and U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, Class of 1991, among many other notable grads.
August (whose first name is pronounced Core-DAY) intends to use his story of persistence as the basis for his second application essay this fall. “I knew that I could get in, I felt it, and I haven’t lost the fire yet,” he said.
His first Morehouse essay focused on the idea of perception — how he began to appreciate his innate abilities during his junior year at San Lorenzo High when seeing how other students perceived him. He recalls working in a group with “the smart people” in physics and their reaction when he was the one able to solve an especially difficult problem.
At Laney, he is on track to complete an associate degree for transfer in political science and an associate degree in social science by spring 2027, with a plan to continue on to Morehouse as a junior. He is receiving financial aid and also benefiting from work study with the Peralta Community College District, which includes Laney. The Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) at Laney, which supports economically and academically disadvantaged students, is paying for his textbooks and providing other support.
With Morehouse in mind, August is active in student clubs and organization. He is president of both the Black Student Union (BSU), for which he invited several Oakland leaders to participate in Black History Month events in February, and A2MEND (African American Male Education Networking and Development), as well as a member of the Associated Students of Laney College and the Umoja community for Black students. In early March, he attended an A2MEND summit in Long Beach, focused on African American male empowerment. His course schedule includes a class in public speaking, which is of particular interest to him.
“There’s been a lot of hats I’ve been wearing,” he said.
August has met students he remembers from attending Oakland schools, and said he feels seen and supported by Laney faculty and staff, including a counselor who is a Morehouse grad.
“It’s a community college,” he said. “We’re all from the same community, and we’re all trying to achieve close to the same thing. We all want to further our education because we understand that education’s important.”
August, who transferred to San Lorenzo High from online learning, said San Lorenzo was where “I rediscovered my passion for education,” adding, “They put me in position, for my education, to go to Morehouse.”
At first, he recalled, he was just going straight home after school, but in his senior year he got involved with the BSU at San Lorenzo High and found new energy through extracurricular activities. He also pointed to his study of construction technology at the Eden Area Regional Occupational Center as a confidence-builder.
August’s sights are set on Morehouse, but they don’t end there. He can envision himself becoming active in politics within Oakland and seeking elective office as a way to give back.
“That’s where I’m from; that’s my community,” he said. “It needs to be taken care of, and I understand now that politics is what runs the world.”