ACT Newsroom & Blog

What are your academic and professional aspirations?

Jarrell Fudge, senior, D. M. Therrell High School, Atlanta, Georgia: I plan to pass all my International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, become a scientist, and work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Madison Herrington, senior, D. M. Therrell High School, Atlanta, Georgia: I aspire to attend Clark Atlanta University as a dual Fashion Design and Business major and start my own clothing business.

Beau Morning, senior, D. M. Therrell High School, Atlanta, Georgia: I plan to earn a master’s degree in psychology and help children with their mental health. Eventually, I want to expand my work to support people of all ages to achieve better mental health.

Who has motivated or inspired you in your college-going journey?

Jarrell: A couple of teachers at my school have inspired me to keep going. The most impactful teachers in my life have been Mr. Davis and Dr. Singh. Mr. Davis has been my mentor and has been very supportive. Dr. Singh inspired me to have intellectual curiosity and see that education is the way out.

Madison: My grandmother is the person who encouraged me to pursue my dream of working in the fashion industry. She taught me how to sew and pushed me to continue being creative. I feel that college is the best way to start my career in that field while also helping me grow in knowledge in the fashion and business industry.

Beau: My environment has been a major motivator because mental health isn’t widely recognized where I come from. Transferring to a new school opened my eyes to the importance of addressing these issues.

What one accomplishment or milestone are you most proud of achieving during your high school to college journey?

Jarrell: One accomplishment I am proud of is winning first place in Audio Engineering at the Tech Fair in 10th grade. It gave me a profound hope that winning is possible and not just a fallacy.

Madison: My proudest accomplishment during high school was maintaining straight A’s for all four years of high school while managing sports, clubs, and family.

Beau: Being a member of the Academic Decathlon is one of my proudest achievements. It allowed me to showcase my academic skills while competing in a fun and challenging environment.

What resources, such as scholarships, mentorship programs, or college prep materials, has Reach Higher and/or other organizations provided you in support of your higher education access and success journey? What did you find most helpful?

Jarrell: Virtual Scholarship Academy has a website listing several different scholarships of all varieties, big and small. The school also demonstrated how we can find scholarships through Common App. I appreciate both of these, but the virtual scholarship website is definitely more helpful, as there are just so many to apply for.

Madison: The Scholarship Academy and Big Brothers Big Sisters program has helped me most in preparing for college. The Scholarship Academy is helping me to write essays for scholarships. The Big Brothers Big Sisters program gave me a mentor who has helped me meet and gain connections with people who are in the same field I want to pursue.

Beau: The Virtual Scholarship Center has been a great resource in helping me understand the power of scholarships and how to prepare for college. Their guidance has made me feel more confident about the next chapter of my life.

What barriers have you faced in accessing higher education, and how do you think these can be addressed?

Jarrell: One barrier I’ve faced was accessing articles specified for certain colleges and universities. I think that high schools should have a way to access these articles, especially for students that are a part of the IB Diploma program where using scholarly peer-reviewed articles is mandatory.

Madison: A challenge I have faced in accessing higher education is finding ways to offset the cost of college. Most scholarships are income-based and don’t look at middle-class students who are also in need of financial aid. There should be scholarships that look at academics, leadership, or what the student has done to help the community.

Beau: One challenge I’ve noticed is the limited availability of advanced and college-level courses in high school. Schools should offer more opportunities for students who are ready to excel, helping them get ahead in their college journey.

What advice can you offer to other African American students who are hoping to pursue a college degree?

Jarrell: The advice I would give to other African American students or students in general pursuing a college education and degree is don’t give up regardless of your life circumstances or situations. Use the condescendence of others about yourself in life as motivation to become a better person academically and mentally.

Madison: Don’t quit prematurely, success is just around the corner.

Beau: Believe in yourself, and don’t let doubt hold you back. No matter who you are, there will be obstacles, but perseverance and confidence will help you push through.

What is one thing you wish you knew in high school to better prepare you for college?

Jarrell: It’s not one thing I wish I knew, but it’s one thing I wished they did. I wish, ever since we were in elementary, that schools would make complex critical thinking, interpretation, and critical analysis a part of the curriculum, as that has and will continue to become a bigger part of my life and my learning process.

Madison: One thing I wish I knew was how to narrow down my college search. When choosing a college, you need to look at the location, costs, majors, requirements, and community they have on campus. Schools are looking for certain things in students, and in high school, you should be building your resume to cater to what they are looking for.

Beau: I wish I had taken the ACT and SAT in 11th grade instead of waiting until 12th grade. Taking them earlier would have given me more chances to improve my scores.

Why is it important for people to be aware of and understand Black History?

Jarrell: Understanding and learning about black history is important to acknowledge what people of color have contributed to the world as well as other global minorities alongside Europeans.

Madison: It is important for people to know and understand Black History because this includes something our ancestors have lived through and what we are living through. You need to know your history to take notes on the good but also to prevent the bad from happening again.

Beau: Black History is essential because it highlights the resilience, contributions, and achievements of African Americans. Understanding our past helps shape a stronger and more informed future.

What are your hopes for future African American/Black students like yourself?

Jarrell: I hope that future generations of African Americans will be more open-minded about other cultures and aspire to be knowledgeable while not trying to appease other people

Madison: My hope is that we will be able to work together to create a sense of community, to give back to society, and to make sure the future for those younger than us is even better than what we have.

Beau: I hope that Black students continue striving for success and proving people wrong. As a community, we have the potential to be leaders, doctors, and even the next millionaires. We just have to believe in ourselves.