Commencement: A beginning, a
start. That’s what I was told at my high school graduation in 2012.
That life hadn’t even begun for me and that college was the first true
step to starting life. Well, here it is, 2016, and once again at commencement,
I was informed that this is just the beginning, that I now have been inducted
into the fabulous REAL World Hall of Fame. Scary.
As I reminisce back to my freshman
year, I realize that I was extremely timid yet so bold to tackle uncharted
waters as a first-generation college student. Statistically, the odds
were never in my favor. I’ve always heard the societal norms/opinions
that as an African American I wouldn’t graduate high school, that I wouldn’t be
admitted into college, and that, if I am part of the lucky bunch to attend
college, I will most likely give up and drop out. Here I am today,
officially an alumnus of THE University of Arkansas! A graduate from THE
Sam M. Walton College of Business! And an Area Manager for Amazon.com,
Inc. Oh, and did I mention that I was awarded over $50k in scholarships over
the course of 4 years and graduated with $0 of debt!? Now that’s
what you call defying the odds and crushing statistics!
I say all of that not to boast, but
to merely share my testimony and to encourage all of you reading this to pursue
your dreams and goals despite the odds and statistics of achieving them.
You may be thinking to yourself: “Cordarius, how did you do it?” Of
course it wasn’t easy. There were a lot great days and a lot of dark
days...and my senior year, it seemed to be more dark days than there were
bright. But regardless of the adversity I faced, I remained
focused. There were three things that helped me cope through the stress
each school year: God, family, and some amazing mentors I networked with on
campus. Because of those 3 tiers of support, my resilience strengthened
each year. I prayed (a lot) for God to bless me to make it
through. I called home (a lot) just to hear my family members
soothing voices so that I could regain my nerves after failing an exam
lol. And I asked for help and advice (a lot) from my network on
campus (notably the Office of Study Abroad and the Office of Diversity and
Inclusion in Walton).
One day I was talking to one of my
many mentors, Dr. Barbara Lofton. I was venting to her about exhausted I
was from studying, how I was ready to give up, and how I thought
all of my hard work had been in vain because I didn’t see the results I wanted
to see at that specific moment. I’ll never forget what she told me.
She said, “It’s not about you. It’s about your family. It’s about
making sacrifices so that you can support them.” The Light of Salvation’s
brightness amplified a thousand-fold! From that moment, I realized my
purpose. A purpose that was bigger than myself. That purpose was to
continue to strive for success regardless of the obstacles in my way because I
have a family to support.
With that being said, if I can share one piece of advice to put in the How to Succeed in College Rulebook (don’t go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble looking for that book, I’m not sure it exists), I’d say find your purpose. Your purpose will grant you serenity. Your purpose will strengthen your resilience. Your purpose will give you something to strive for. And, ultimately, your purpose will aid in your personal, academic, and professional development.
All of my endeavors within the University strengthened my
purpose. From being a Student Ambassador, to studying abroad in Panama
and Vietnam, to all the professional development workshops, to all the support
and advice from my mentors, they all played a pivotal part in my scholastic
success. I am proud to say that I have earned the right to
declare: "I MADE IT!"
#HogsAbroad #WaltonImpact #GoHogs #IMadeIt
#FindYourPurpose
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Cordarius
Enright
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Get started on your journey today! Check out http://studyabroad.uark.edu/getting-started/first-steps.php to learn more about taking advantage of studying abroad here at the U of A.
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Get started on your journey today! Check out http://studyabroad.uark.edu/getting-started/first-steps.php to learn more about taking advantage of studying abroad here at the U of A.
