Professors Give You an 'Education for Life'

It's a Hampton Thing, You Wouldn't Understand

Professors Give You an 'Education for Life' 

 

As members of the Hampton University Class of 2013 prepare to graduate from their "Home by the Sea," we are taking a look back at their years at HU. This three-part blog series explores the experiences of three Hamptonians as they interpret -"It's a Hampton Thing, You wouldn't understand."

Professor Mavis Carr and Adjoba Anoh

My Hampton University story is very different from most because as a sophomore, I transferred to Hampton from Barry University. As a transfer student I was unfamiliar with the HBCU experience and Hampton University. Upon my arrival, I met a very energetic and enthusiastic woman by the name of Mrs. Mavis Carr, an assistant professor in the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications. Professor Carr, just like me, was new to the university.  Walking into her class for the first time was such a great experience. Professor Carr was warm and welcoming to all the students and really eager to help us learn.

College is one of those places where you find out who you really are. There are many challenges that students often face while in college. It then becomes very important for you to catch on quickly or find someone who is willing to help you on your journey.

Early on I struggled with punctuality, meeting deadlines, dressing for the occasion and even how to properly introduce myself to others. This is where Professor Carr came in, she always told me, “If you know who you are, you will know how to introduce yourself to others."   This is only one of the few life lessons that she taught me. For her it wasn't just about school and classes, it became about how to prepare me for life in general.

Professor Carr soon became my “school mom” and assisted me with recommendation letters, scholarships, and quick emails about job opportunities and offered me a place to vent about all the stress that college has to offer.  It’s amazing to see the kind of connections you can make in college, even with professors.

My Hampton experience came with a lot of ups and downs, but I can definitely say the pros outweighed the cons. Professor Carr really provided me with an "Education for Life," one that I will cherish forever. She taught me to always help when I can, to be truthful, to never take on more than I can handle, and most importantly to remember people’s names, because it makes others feel like you know them personally.

Professor Carr has without a doubt impacted me on my journey to graduation. Now that senior year is coming to a close it is very sentimental to see how I have grown, with the help of her wisdom. As I walk across that stage on May 12, 2013, I will know how to properly introduce myself to others, because I will know who I am.   I am a person I could have never been without the help of my “school mom."

Plato, one of my favorite philosophers, wrote, “People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.”  I was extremely blessed to have found the "Miracle Grow" to help me blossom at Hampton University.

Adjoba Anoh is a senior, broadcast journalism major/marketing minor from Clinton, Maryland.  After graduation Adjoba will be working at Capitol File Magazine in Washington, D.C.