Leaving the nest can be difficult.
Especially coming from a very tight-knit Southern family.
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.
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