AJC Sepia HBCU of the Week: Atlanta baseball player swinging for the academic fences at NCCU

But the good thing about leaving that nest is that it provided me with the foundation to survive in a new nesting place.

Honestly, when I first stepped foot onto the verdant green of North Carolina Central University, I liked it just enough to leave Atlanta.

As I stepped further onto the NCCU campus, I was met by the sweet sounds of young people just like me, eager to explore.

Following my First-Year Orientation and Week of Welcome, I knew I had found a home in Durham.

It’s not just a university at which to earn a degree, but rather a place to grow as a man.

And grow I have done.

Being away from home has taught me to advocate for myself in order to prosper in the classroom, on the baseball field, and professionally.

I have been blessed to be a member of the prestigious University Honors program, while also holding the highest grade-point average in my major, computer science and business.

My professors and my advisor have taken me under their wings to mentor and guide me as I navigate my way through life.

Thanks to the connections I have made and continue to make at NCCU, I have been granted the opportunity to work as a software development intern for Johnson & Johnson during the summer of 2016.

Outside of the classroom, I am a member of the NCCU baseball team.

We compete at the Division I level in the very competitive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

The team-building skills learned on the baseball field have been very beneficial to my relationships on and off the field.

I love my HBCU!

The atmosphere created by our alumni and student body is both electrifying and bone chilling.

NCCU is a university engrained with tradition that is based on the words “Truth and Service.”

Each morning I wake up knowing I made a great decision to enroll here, because these values will continue to mold and shape me as I follow the pathway to success.

Should I return to Atlanta after earning my degree, I will be sure to take with me the many life lessons this great university has taught me.

As always, Eagle Pride, Amplified.