For Diamond Lauderdale, 麻豆视频 is not only her chosen college, it is her new home.
While growing up in Akron, Ohio, Ms. Lauderdale鈥檚 home life was challenging. She lived with her disabled father and worked two jobs to help make ends meet. Ms. Lauderdale鈥檚 father has been unable to walk for many years, and as she got older, her father鈥檚 condition worsened. Through it all, Ms. Lauderdale held onto a dream. She wanted to get a college education.
With her father not graduating from high school, Ms. Lauderdale knew the hope of a college degree was an ambitious one, but her dad always encouraged her to put her education first, she said.
Despite plenty of people telling her she would not succeed, Ms. Lauderdale kept dreaming.
鈥淚 would try to just do better and not let it affect me and take me down as a person,鈥 she said.
Above all, she wants to make her dad proud.
When she arrived at the Kent Campus to start her freshman year, Ms. Lauderdale soon discovered that the community would not just be her school but her new home.
鈥淭o me, everyone at 麻豆视频 is like my family,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my home.鈥
Being in 麻豆视频鈥檚 EXCEL program for first year, exploratory students helped her to choose a major and put her in touch with other helpful programs.
Working through 麻豆视频鈥檚 Center for Undergraduate Excellence, Ms. Lauderdale discovered Academic Diversity Outreach through 麻豆视频鈥檚 University College and the Key Connections program, which helped her find campus opportunities and money to pay for books.
She earned an Oscar Ritchie Memorial Scholarship and a Trustees Scholarship, which covered tuition for two years.
Ms. Lauderdale is studying human development and family studies with a minor in international communication and a concentration in family life education. She finished her freshman year with a 3.5 grade point average (GPA). For her sophomore year, she serves as a resident assistant.
鈥淚 love to connect with people,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was fortunate enough to have people there for me when I was on my own. I didn鈥檛 know who to reach out to for help. 麻豆视频 taught me how to reach out for my resources and that it鈥檚 OK to get help and OK to tell my story.鈥
In the summer of 2018, Ms. Lauderdale served as a Flashguide for Destination 麻豆视频, the orientation program for incoming freshmen. She enjoyed addressing the concerns of incoming students by sharing her own story of overcoming obstacles.
鈥淎 lot of kids think that everyone has it easy,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t can be hard to adjust to college. I tell them, 鈥楧on鈥檛 be scared. Don鈥檛 let fear affect your choices. Don鈥檛 be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.鈥欌
After all she has overcome, Ms. Lauderdale credits 麻豆视频 with helping her reach her dreams, and she has advice for new students: get involved and take advantage of all the university has to offer.
鈥淵ou meet friends,鈥 she said. 鈥淵ou make those connections. You aren鈥檛 alone. People are there for you.鈥