Growing up, my birthday wasn’t celebrated the same way my friends celebrated their big day. When I was younger, I was fortunate to have the family-type birthday parties, where I didn’t really get to have fun. It was more or less my job to make sure my family was having fun celebrating my birthday. For … Continue reading
I wrote this spoken word over the summer as the keynote address at The Bonner Foundation’s annual Summer Leadership Institute. The theme was Uncharted: Reimagining Your Work, and I wanted to share my encouragement to them with this campus community. I hope it speaks to you! *** I am not a procrastinator. My capacity … Continue reading
According to vocabulary.com, fulfillment is the “feeling of happiness and satisfaction.” To be fulfilled is to be proud of the work you’ve done no matter what form it comes in. For me, the path to fulfillment begins with being creative. From oil paints to crocheting, being able to create a physical object has always been … Continue reading
Sept. 11, 2001. A woman drives down a Pennsylvania road to get to a Bible study at a friend’s church. Her baby boy, who turns one in just a few days, sleeps in the backseat of the car. She can’t believe it’s been almost a year since he came into this world. She arrives at … Continue reading
Community colleges have gained a lot of attention recently. They’re a cheaper alternative to a typical four-year school, allowing students to graduate with little to no debt after college. According to the Community College Research Center, 8.2 million undergraduate students enrolled in public two-year schools in 2018-19, and I was one of them. Community colleges … Continue reading
Over the summer, I experienced something that I never thought I would. A death in the family is always hard, but when it’s your own mother and from something as awful as cancer, it changes you. It changes the way you view the world and other people. My mom had breast cancer for the first … Continue reading
In 2020, the American Psychological Association performed a study where they discovered that 90% of college students reported having a significant amount of stress. These students cited education as the source. With busy schedules, students often struggle to find time and activities to help de-stress. Yoga has been proven to have great physical and mental … Continue reading
How can I mourn when everyone around me is laughing? How can I mourn when I am the only black person and everyone else is white surrounding me? How can they understand? I wanted to cry, but the room I was in was laughing. I wanted my tears to flow down my face for the … Continue reading
Almost four years ago, I came to Waynesburg University, just a kid from North Apollo, Pennsylvania. I now leave Waynesburg University, still unsure what lies ahead, but 100% sure I made the best decision of my life coming here. This journey would not have been possible without the mentorship and kindness of Dr. Larry Stratton. … Continue reading
Americans struggle to find common ground these days. But not with this. Over two-thirds of the population cannot digest a common household item—dairy. The pandemic has made short-term health the forefront of conversations today. Yet, the long-term effects of agitated digestive systems wreak havoc on 68% of bodies worldwide, according to medlineplus.gov. Those who are … Continue reading
