“When I was a junior in high school, I took an HBCU tour, and we stopped here. And as soon as we got on campus, something hit me. I was like, ’Okay, I’m liking it here.’ I liked the people and their southern hospitality. People were so friendly and helpful when I was on the tour, giving me more information about Jackson State. I researched the business department because I already knew what I wanted to major in. There was a study that concluded that business graduates get more job opportunities than non business graduates. And the JSU College of Business helps us while we’re here, and even after, to get internships and other opportunities. I saw what they had to offer and I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to like it here.’ And this was my first choice.

My favorite part of JSU is how welcoming it is. It’s kind of like a family to me. Everyone’s accepting, no matter where you came from. They’re just welcoming and willing to help.”

– Iyana, freshman entrepreneurship major from Colorado Springs, Col.

“I’d been wanting to come to Jackson State since 2015. My father figure was a J5 drum major back in his day. The only thing he ever talked about was Jackson State. And we hear so much about it in the Virgin Islands. I researched the school and fell in love with the band and everything else. I never wanted to go to anywhere else.

I wanted to come here right after high school. But when you’re young, you think you know everything, and you don’t want to listen to your parents. That was my situation. After high school, I went to a community college and got involved with people who I thought were my friends. And things happened that really conflicted me. I got betrayed, and it hurt a lot. I fell into a very dark place. I didn’t know myself. My mother and I didn’t talk for almost a year because of my decisions. Everything just started to crumble right before me, but I learned a very valuable lesson. It turns out that if God doesn’t want certain people in your life, He will remove them. I started to pull myself together and remember what I actually wanted to do. I moved back home and started to focus on what I needed to do to get where I wanted to be. And I had a lot of support.

So don’t give up on your dreams. That’s where you’d go wrong. If you change your dreams, that’s fine. But don’t ever give up on them. Don’t feel like just because you hit rock bottom, that’s it. My grandmother would always tell me that you have to pray and maintain. When you pray and maintain, so many opportunities can come to you in so many different ways. Once you have faith, anything is possible.”

– Diata, sophomore entrepreneurship major Saint Croix, Virgin Islands

“My mother was an alcoholic and a drug addict. She had her first child when she was 14. And she didn’t know she was pregnant with me while she was on drugs. My auntie adopted my eight siblings and me because she didn’t want us to be in the system. She didn’t want us to be separated. She, too, was a drug addict. But she got her life together. And she has a daughter. So it was really 10 of us who grew up in that house.

I guess the most difficult thing was being the youngest because I was trying to find someone to look up to. I don’t know my father, so that caused me to feel some kind of way towards men. And not having my mother made me feel some kind of way towards women as well. I didn’t really have a role model. There was just a lot of chaos going on. And I didn’t know which route to take. So I was angry all of the time. But my auntie is so sweet, and she spoiled me. She softened me a little bit.

My mom is doing well now. She’s been clean for maybe a year. We actually just started building a relationship. I’ve known her my whole life and she’s always been around, but we didn’t have that mother-daughter relationship. Now we’re working towards it and I’m excited.

But my mom showed me what I didn’t want to be: addicted to drugs and alcohol. I’d always longed for a mother figure. Not just the title but an actual relationship. So she taught me who I didn’t want to be when I have kids. She showed me that when I get older and out into the world, I don’t want to be like that.

So that’s what keeps me going every day. I don’t want to be a product of my circumstances. So I’m just going to make a difference.”

– Alexis, sophomore criminal justice major with a minor in political science from Cleveland, Ohio

“I started homeschool in the 4th grade.

Being homeschooled isn’t as glamorous as some people think. I had a ton of books. I usually woke up at the same time as students in public schools. My grandmother, a former math teacher at Clinton High School, was my teacher.

The reason for me being placed in homeschool was because I was getting bullied in public school. Some of the students did not like that I could out-work them and sometimes they would take my homework and throw it away or just mess it up so that I couldn’t turn it in. So, from 4th grade through high school I was homeschooled. I thought about going to public school but I didn’t think I would integrate well – having been homeschooled for so long.

The transition from homeschool to Jackson State was a little bumpy at first, because I wasn’t used to a classroom setting. So I would just sit in the back, take my notes and then leave class. But my instructors have helped me come out of my shell. They would come up to me and ask if I needed help with anything. And they would do whatever they could to help me feel more comfortable in the classroom. To me, the best thing about JSU are the instructors.”

– Austin, sophomore biology/pre-veterinarian major from Jackson, Miss.

“One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with was the suicide of a friend. It was hard to cope and figure out how to convey the emotions I was feeling and move on from it. I like to put my life in words and music, and I felt like a lot of the times, I was repeating the same process. I kept bringing her up in songs. I felt like I wasn’t really moving on, and that wasn’t helping me move on from it. That was really difficult because it just made feel like I could’ve helped, or I could’ve been there. It also made me feel like if other people I knew were going through the same thing, I wouldn’t be able to help them. It was a lot of internal struggles with that and thinking that it was my fault that it happened. It was a lot to deal with.

It’s kind of better now. I guess a big thing was time, and the music and conversations I’ve had with people. I got to perform a song with a verse that mentions her and the situation. I think that was like a release for me – to have that story be put out to the world and to have that off my shoulders a little bit for other people to hear how I felt about it. I still think about her a lot, but it’s not at the forefront of my brain anymore.

I’ve moved past the grief, and now I want to help other people deal with their problems a little better. Whether it be a friend or a person that I’m not close to, I just want to let them know that I’m a person to talk to and somebody with empathy. I think empathy is a big thing for people to have, not judging, just listening. I know from experience that it’s nice to have someone in your corner and somebody to talk to. So I feel that it’s really important to talk about it, help people cope, help yourself cope, and help yourself move on from those things and get better.”

– Justin, sophomore computer science major from Biloxi, Miss.

“This is kind of weird because I really don’t talk to too many people. I have friends but I don’t really just talk, like that. Actually, when I was in middle school, I was really outgoing. But when I got to high school, I went into a bubble because I didn’t trust people. Here, I feel like I can trust people more, because I’m around my community, so I’m more outgoing now than I was in high school.

I’m a singer. But I don’t compare myself to any other singers. I’m just me. I like many styles of music – gospel, R&B, pop, rap, metal, rock. I like everything.

I was actually a music major at first. I changed my major but I still sing in my free time. But when people put me on the spot, that makes me not want to sing. It’s not that I don’t want to sing in front of people. I mean, if it happens, it happens. For instance, if I’m in a store, and I’m just singing and you happen to hear me – that’s fine. But when somebody asks me to sing for them, it’s hard for me to do that.”

– Ariona, freshman Psychology major from Milwaukee, Wis.

“Many of our people are financially illiterate. And I was, a while ago. But I’ve learned things, like how money works and how you can do something with your money rather than spend it carelessly, like shopping a lot. Yes, it’s good to dress nice and everything, but if you have to go broke buying certain brands and certain things, then it’s not worth it.

Growing up, I watched my mom struggle a little bit. She would tell me stories about how when she went to college, she signed up for two or three credit cards and messed up her credit. Now, my mom is teaching me how to save my money, invest and do better in life. So she’s teaching me from her mistakes. That’s where my drive comes from. I don’t want others to make those same mistakes.

Now I’m helping my sister since she’s coming out of high school next year. And I’m helping my cousin. I’m starting small so I can eventually have classes or seminars on how to manage your money the right way.

My ultimate career goal is to own a bank or maybe a branch of banks. I want to intern at Bank of America to learn how the system works and all the aspects of the business so when I decide to create my own, I’ll know where to start.”

– Keenan, junior finance major from Jackson, Miss.

“My hometown is still segregated by train tracks. In high school, I had a history teacher that opened my mind up, and I realized that I was black. I already knew I was black. I knew I had beautiful brown skin, but I didn’t know what ‘black’ meant in the current social context. But I think it’s something that’s not unfamiliar to the larger black community. After learning that, I realized that it’s not right. It’s not fair. It’s not equal, and someone has to do something about it.

So I’ve come to learn that my purpose is helping other people. Not like the general ‘helping,’ but literally being a resource to my community. Because my community needs information, I just want to be that person that people can come to, and ask me anything: whether it be for funding or assistance with legal stuff, or help me make a video or anything. I really want to be a resource. I want to actually combine film, policy, law and social justice and bring all of that to the front screen.”

– Samesa, public policy graduate student from Indianola, Miss.

“The social work program brought me to Jackson State University, and I wanted to come to an HBCU. I also have a couple of family members who attended here. I love it here. I love the atmosphere. The people are friendly, and they make it feel like home. I feel like I can be myself here.

My grandmother inspired me to become a social worker. Growing up, I took care of her and helped her around the house. Her sweetness and kindness brightened me up inside. And the way she appreciated me for doing things for her made me feel loved. I like helping people and putting smiles on their faces.

My grandmother passed on November 29, 2016, from sickle cell. It affected me a lot. I think that was my 11th-grade year. I was going to graduate early, but I ended up not graduating early because of the effect her death had on me. I was kind of depressed at the time. But I had to understand she’s not coming back, and I’ll someday have to get over it. I’m not fully over it. I think about her from time to time, but I’m better. My friends and family step up and keep a smile on my face, so I don’t have to think about stuff like that.

And I know my grandmother feels good about what I’m doing.”

– Deontrevious, senior social work major from Natchez, Miss.

“I started drawing when I was in the first grade. And my family has pushed me to keep at it. I want to incorporate graphic design into animation, to make cartoons for kids.

The first cartoon character I would create would be based on my son. Actually, even before he came into the picture, I wanted to create cartoons with positive messages, and I wanted to incorporate black people and various other cultures. Now that I have my son, who’s mixed, I have to make sure that I incorporate Hispanic people and culture into my cartoons.

My son’s name came from God. I remember when I was going through what I was going through – my situation was very unfortunate. I stepped outside of God’s will, but God blessed and turned my situation around. And I never thought I’d be back in school. I sat out because of my son. I was like, ‘God I can’t go.’ But things just started happening at the last minute. And now, my son is my inspiration for me being here. His name is Chance because God gave me another chance to redeem myself and start fresh.”

– Terriannah, sophomore graphic design major from Jackson, Miss.