College was never a guaranteed destination when I was growing up. Living in Detroit when I was younger, there were some days I felt that my safety wasn’t even guaranteed.

There were days when I’d hear gunshots from outside of my elementary classroom. We walked past a wall on campus where they found bullets lodged in the side of the school. It wasn’t an environment for learning, and my grades suffered.

In a city that has the distinction of being one of the most dangerous in the nation, my school days were filled with strife, stress and anxiety and didn’t allow me the ability to focus on my schoolwork. I fell behind to the point that some of my teachers thought I might have a learning disorder. As I grew older and made my way through school, teachers told me I lacked the ability to do the work and that I was not college material. All the while, I knew I was destined for something more.

When I was 18, I moved with my family to Northeast Florida, jumpstarting my dream to attend the University of North Florida. I had worked hard and prayed for the past few years that I could improve my grades throughout high school and graduate with the credentials to enter college immediately. My focus ultimately paid off with a 3.33 GPA, but my SAT scores just weren’t there. I spent a few semesters at Florida State College at Jacksonville before transferring to UNF, accomplishing the goal I had set for myself.

At UNF, I feel like I have people in my corner, rooting for my success and helping me along the path to fulfilling my dreams. At other larger schools, I might only be able to interact with a professor through a teaching assistant. At UNF, I’ve benefited from a tremendous amount of individualized attention between my instructors and myself. This support has helped me get a clear picture about the opportunities that lie ahead for me.

When I graduate and start working in the communication field, I want to establish a career for myself in sports journalism. While the field of communication is going through a period of evolution, the skills I’ve learned from my UNF professors in the classroom and the hands-on learning experiences I’ve had outside the classroom have prepared me for the different challenges presented by a changing industry. Additionally, I’ll be working on an internship with the University’s Marketing and Publications team in the spring, which will undoubtedly boost my professional experience and give me a better insight into the communication field.

My direction in life seems so much clearer ever since I stepped foot on the UNF campus. Now, when I arrive on campus each day, I am reminded how far prayer and dedication can take you. I’m proud to say that I’ve accomplished the goal that set for myself when I moved to Northeast Florida. I’m a UNF student, and I can’t wait to be able to say I’m a UNF alumni.