What school will you be attending in the Fall?

Fisk University

What Major will you study?

Either Mass Communications or Journalism.

What is the most important thing you learned in high school?

To always have a plan, whether you follow the plan you have to succeed or not, always have a plan of action.

What is your favorite high school memory?

Going on the overnight campus visit to Illinois State University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Illinois Wesleyan University with my Senior AVID class. Visiting those schools opened my eyes to what I am looking for in a college or university, but most importantly I loved the time I got to spend with my AVID class as well on those campuses. I especially enjoyed discussing how we see ourselves in the future, how we are coming in our college search, and having overall meaningful conversations.

What is your best advice to future first-generation students?

Plan ahead. Whether you know or not what you want to do after high school, have a plan as to what you might want to do. For example, get a job, enhance your skills by interning, volunteering, or working at a certain job. Have a plan, stay informed, and be busy but proficient.

What is a challenge that you have overcome as a first-generation college student?

Learning what comes with the college process. I had my AVID class to help me through the college process with some things, but I mostly had to teach myself how to apply, get a fee waiver, and learning about financial aid, and how it works. It was stressful but worth it.

What does it mean to you to receive the Superintendent’s Scholarship?

This scholarship is a symbol of the progress I have made as an individual outside and inside of school. What I mean by that is it shows the focused path I have built for myself. I made sure to stay focused in school and even if I did stray due to distractions, I always would come back to staying focused and moving forward toward my successful future.