People of JSU -
  • Home
  • Apply to JSU
  • Prospective Students
  • Fall 2019
  • Spring 2019
  • Fall 2018
  • Spring 2018
  • Fall 2017
  • JSU Home Page
Home
Apply to JSU
Prospective Students
Fall 2019
Spring 2019
Fall 2018
Spring 2018
Fall 2017
JSU Home Page
People of JSU -
  • Home
  • Apply to JSU
  • Prospective Students
  • Fall 2019
  • Spring 2019
  • Fall 2018
  • Spring 2018
  • Fall 2017
  • JSU Home Page

“Learning more about myself has been an awesome experience.”

March 21, 2018 by peopleofjsu No Comments
“I was adopted, like, straight from the hospital. My mom had me when she was very young, and she knew she couldn’t take care of me. And she wanted me to have all the things she could not give me. So that was her main reason for wanting me to get adopted, so that I can have a better life. The hard part that I used to struggle with was that she had my sister, and she kept my sister.

I used to struggle with understanding why I was given up, but she wasn’t given up. But I realize now that my mom was in a totally different space when my sister was born. So it ended up not bothering me after we had that conversation. My adopted parents are great. They support all of my decisions. They allow me to take whatever path I want. They’re behind me 100 percent. I love the endless love and support, and the fact that, even though my mom had to make a hard decision, she ended up blessing another family that ended up blessing me. So it’s like now I have even more family.

And I think family is the most important thing.

Jackson State definitely has a family atmosphere. And I just love the fact that HBCUs are so proud of being black. It’s something that I haven’t always been exposed to. Previously, I went to a PWI for three years. My mom is Puerto Rican and Filipino, and my dad is black and white. My adopted parents are both white. So most of my upbringing hasn’t exposed me to a lot of black culture. At Jackson State, I’m excited to be in a place that has more people that are culturally like me. Learning more about myself and that side of me has been an awesome learning experience.”

– Kathy, senior speech communications major from Seattle

Share:
Reading time: 1 min

“I know that I can do anything…”

March 7, 2018 by peopleofjsu No Comments
“Well, I would have to say, the hardest obstacle in my life was my lack of confidence. In elementary school and middle school, I was bullied a lot. I never thought I was good enough, or that I looked nice enough because I was a little overweight at that time.

I had a lot of issues with my confidence. But Jackson State has brought a lot out of me, to the point where now, I know who I am. I know that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. Certain people and certain organizations have made me realize that I am good enough and that I can succeed in life.

I would tell anyone who’s struggling with confidence to remember that the things people may say about you don’t define who you are. Even though you may be going through tough times, always remember that the things you go through will help build you in some way, and help get you to a goal that God has for you.”

– Darrian, junior physics, pre-med major from Jackson, Mississippi

Share:
Reading time: 1 min

“I was like, ‘What’s an HBCU?'”

March 7, 2018 by peopleofjsu No Comments
“I came here because of Army ROTC. I’d been doing ROTC for four years. Half of my family is in the military. It’s just something that I love.

During my senior year in high school, I became the first multicultural female battalion commander for the ROTC program at my school. The school is predominately white, and I transferred there my junior year. They take the ROTC program very seriously. Someone else was supposed to get the battalion commander spot, but I was really competitive and got the spot. He would say racist jokes, and he had the whole program against me trying to get my rank and trying to get me fired. They used to text racist things, but some people would screenshot them and send them to me. I would show it to my colonel.

My colonel was black, and because of the racism I experienced at that school, he thought that I should go to an HBCU. I was like, ‘What’s an HBCU?’ He started telling me about it. He knew Lieutenant Colonel Brookins here at JSU; my colonel was his mentor. He told me that I was going to Jackson State, and I said, ‘Okay.’

I really like it here. It’s different. I’d never been to a black school in the U.S. or lived in a black neighborhood. But, I like it here.”

– Lacey-Ann, freshman biology pre-med major from Florida, by way of Jamaica

Share:
Reading time: 1 min

“It was hard because I was in Mississippi by myself.”

February 21, 2018 by peopleofjsu 1 Comment
“My major is accounting. I want to be a CPA, but I am also really passionate about financial literacy, especially in the black community. I don’t feel that we get the same resources, same education or same knowledge regarding our finances, budgeting, investing, entrepreneurship or retirement.

So I’m passionate about bringing more of that to the black community – tools of success as opposed to tools for failure. We have so many (payday and title) loan businesses in the black community. You don’t see those in other communities. So, I want to teach people more about what to do with their money and how to be successful.

I’m most proud of coming to college in Mississippi. That was a big thing for me. My older sister was the first person in our family to complete college, but she went to school in Virginia. We’re from Maryland and Mississippi is 16 hours away. So it was a big adjustment.

My freshman year was really hard, but not because of academics. It was hard because I was in Mississippi by myself. I didn’t know anyone here. My first time coming to Mississippi was during the freshman orientation.

But being here has forced me to meet people and get involved. It wasn’t like I could go anywhere. I was always on campus. So I’ve met a lot of good friends. And their families have been very welcoming to me. A lot of professors on campus have also been really welcoming. They give you that mom-away-from-home feel. I’ve met a lot of good people.

Since being here, I have participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi. That has had a big impact on me because I was able to mentor a young girl, who maybe wasn’t given all the opportunities I was. I was able to open her eyes and expose her to some things that she may not have had a chance to experience. And we built a relationship. She was really like my little sister. We talked all the time. That really had an impact on me because I was able to give back to someone else. So, I’m glad I came.”

– Kyah, junior accounting major from Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Share:
Reading time: 1 min

Take a Virtual Tour of JSU

JSU Arts – Daria Beard (Rapper)

Like Us On Facebook

Recent Posts

  • “It’s kind of like a family to me.” November 8, 2019
  • “Don’t give up on your dreams.” October 22, 2019
  • “I don’t want to be a product of my circumstances.” October 3, 2019
  • “I started homeschool in the 4th grade.” October 1, 2019
  • “I’ve moved past the grief.” September 24, 2019

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

Load More...
Follow on Instagram
TwitterFacebookGoogleInstagram
© 2016 Jackson State University. All rights reserved.