I found my voice and my purpose at my HBCU.
– Ayanna, junior at Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee
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I always dreamed of going away to college, but I didn’t know if I could really do it. I had pretty good grades, but not great grades. I was kind of quiet and a little unsure of myself. If I felt this way in a school where I knew people, how would I be able to make it in a brand new school that’s in a whole other state, so far away from my family in Los Angeles?
A counselor suggested I look into a historically black college or university, an HBCU. I had never really heard of that before. She said that the environment would be very supportive, and that they wouldn’t let me fall through the cracks. She encouraged me to check it out and told my mother about an HBCU college tour. I didn’t know what to expect but I stepped out of my comfort zone and went.
It was the most amazing experience that I had ever had! I had only seen the huge universities near my home and when you walked on those campuses, I didn’t see many students that looked like me. But on my college tour, EVERYONE looked like me! That blew my mind! The schools felt inviting, the professors were so caring and the student ambassadors showed us around and let us ask questions. When I got back home, the more I thought about it, the more I knew that this would be a good fit for me.
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Now I’m in my third year and I am doing things I never dreamed of in high school. I am active in student organizations and I volunteer as a tutor and mentor with girls in the community near the campus. Helping them lit a fire in me to make sure that they know that they can dream and that they have what it takes to succeed.
I discovered that I want to be an educator. Working with youth brings me so much joy. I found my voice, and I found my purpose. The nurturing and support that I received at Fisk made all the difference. The preparation and the high expectations that my professors had for us built my confidence. I know without a doubt that I will one day open a school for youth to help them find their voice, too! An HBCU education is a special gift. Thank you for taking the time to let me share a little of my gift with you.
Help the next generation of Game Changers find their voice too! Together we stand. We’re united with our global community. Join the ICF community and let’s show our strength.
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