What is your major and how did you decide to pursue it?
My major is Computer Science and I actually chose it as a backup option in the case I wanted to still pursue law after I graduated – because that was my original plan. I wanted to be a lawyer because I wanted to be able to help a wide variety of people. However, after interning at a couple of law firms, I realized that I could achieve that same goal without necessarily having to do law. So I switched from a philosophy major my freshman year to a computer science major because I had experience fixing computer problems at home, and thought it would be cool to learn more about computers and their uses.
How have you changed since your freshman year?
I would say that I still have my same personality of being a sociable person who is easy to talk to and people gravitate towards, but I have changed in a sense that I am more discerning with who I hang around, and disclose information to. I am still a pretty open person but I am smarter about who I speak to about certain subject matters. If college taught me one thing, it was that not everyone is who they say they are, or who they try to present themselves as to others. Many people can say something to your face, and then say the complete opposite behind your back. Add that to the fact that the African-American community is small here at GW, and you realize that not even your business stays private anymore as information travels pretty fast – and not all of it is true. I know I’m kind of preaching (he sighs), but it’s factors like these that taught me to be smart about what I do. In the real world, you need to have that ability to discern the good people from the bad because not everyone wants you to succeed, not everyone wants you to be great, and not everyone is your friend… “But if God got us, then we gon’ be alright.”
What was the biggest challenge you faced in college?
LAZINESS and PROCRASTINATION. I’d say more so procrastination because it is what led me to get behind on work, caused me more stress than I needed, and worst of all, put me in a mindset that it was okay to do things last minute; but in reality, that is not true. It is very hard to try and be proactive to complete an assignment not due for another week, month, or even at the end of the semester when you have a nice, warm bed in your room, and new seasons of your show on Netflix or Hulu (if you’re ballin’ like that, he jokes.) College has so much to offer, and so much going on, and with homework being so unappealing, it is hard to prioritize it at times. But it is a challenge that once you learn to overcome, serves as a great benefit to you in your college career and beyond.
Were you able to work, travel or intern during summer breaks?
I interned most of the time during summer breaks and one of my internships – Cisco – allowed me to travel to North Carolina to stay for the summer.
What was your best achievement in your undergraduate career?
I would say my best achievement, and the one I am most proud of, was being able to play a role in resurrecting the Black Student Union in my junior year. One thing I disliked about being at GW was how divided the black community was – and at times is – and how there wasn’t as much being done to rectify it. So when the time came, I decided to take the reins of BSU and help bring it back to life with the goal and intention of unifying the community.
It was a very strenuous job, but in the end, I saw the results I wanted, and that made it worthwhile in the end. But despite me being president of BSU, I believed, and still believe, that it is everyone’s responsibility to help uplift their community in any way they can because change is sparked by one person, but takes the contribution of everyone to make a reality.
What role has the SJT scholars program played in your college career?
I’m not worried about college bills and loans. That is something that even as a senior I am still finding hard to fully grasp. I hear my fellow graduating classmates already talking about how they’re just waiting for those loan payments to hit after graduation, and how it will make it a lot tougher for them to make power moves because of financial reasons. I am truly blessed to have earned this scholarship. The burden it has relieved on my family and I’s shoulders is an incredible relief that I thank God for every day. It’s hard out in the real world; but even with the 99,999 problems that have to be dealt with, paying college loans won’t be one.
What was your favorite memory with the SJT scholars program?
My favorite memory from the SJT scholars program was the bonding we did this school year where we learned how to work as a team out in the “wild” through some creative and difficult activities we did as a group. Despite it being a tough challenge, it was fun and a great learning experience. And of course, being able to spend some time with the other scholars in a less formal environment was a nice bonus.
What advice do you have for current SJT scholars?
Do what you can do today and your future self will thank you – a lot. Make use of the connections you have now because you never know where it could take you. Don’t be afraid to approach people for help of any kind: professional, educational, physical, or even spiritually. We have all had times when we didn’t know what to do or how to handle a situation, but chances are, someone around you has, and overcame it. Don’t just go to school. Get involved, make an impact on at least one other person’s life while you’re at GW, and give back—hence our theme, paying it forward. Manage your time wisely and prioritize the important things that need to get done.
Don’t give yourself the opportunity to make an excuse for not doing well in a class. Do whatever you can to keep your grades up or improve them. So if that means sacrificing some social time to go to office hours, do some extra reading, attend a tutoring session, or meet a classmate who knows the material, so be it. Professors can be ruthless when it comes to failing students. This isn’t high school anymore. Be scrupulous…SAT words coming through…with who you call your friends and who you are sharing your life with. Just because y’all say hey on the street doesn’t mean you’re friends – and that’s real talk. That doesn’t mean trust nobody, not even nobody, but to just be smart. College is a learning experience. FYI: Being a good judge of character is one of the most beneficial and crucial skills anyone can have.
And most importantly, go to the GBMs if you want to eat (he says jokingly)
If you could start college all over again, what would you change?
I don’t know if I would want to change anything because I may not end up at the same spot, or have learned the same lessons if I did everything perfectly. But if there was one thing, I would probably have taken more time to do things on the side, like learning how to make apps, learning how to invest, or other things that would make me even more financially stable and/or successful after graduation.
What are your plans post-graduation?
I plan on working with one of the big four consulting companies, Deloitte, as a Cyber Risk Consultant.
What advice do you have for scholars seeking jobs during and after graduation?
1. Adopt a mentor – or 12. Make sure at least one of them is in your career field, successful, very knowledgeable with creating impressive resumes, and can be brutally honest with you if they need to.
2. Make sure you are being smart about what you post online to social media. It can come back to bite you.
3. Get in touch with your career center and start finding internship opportunities early.
4. Use your summers more effectively to either work or improve yourself professionally.
5. Be more than a student. Take on leadership roles, get involved in student organizations, and make moves on campus to ensure you have tangible things to show to employers.
6. Talk to professors, advisors, friends, students in the MSSC, and upperclassmen about finding different job and internship opportunities (cough) because you would be surprised who is plugged (cough).
What will you miss the most about college?
BREAKS. I am still really salty and cannot believe that after graduation, I will no longer have Winter Breaks, Spring Breaks, Summer Breaks, or even Fall Breaks. They came in so clutch when I needed a break from school, or even life. Now I will have to look towards paid time off to catch a break from anything work related, or hopefully sickness. Well actually, I shouldn’t wish that on my life (laughs). I will say paid time off and holidays to be able to relax.