“I started working at the Tommy Hilfiger in the mall during my senior year of high school. It was my first job, and I’ve been there ever since. I applied for it because my grandma told me I needed to get some work experience. Part of that was to get out of her pockets because she does almost everything for me. I needed to do something on my own and have my own money. I also needed to learn how to manage my money to be able to get the things I want, and that has helped me appreciate those things more. And I actually enjoy working. I come in early, and I stay late. If I could work every day, I pretty much would. That work ethic probably comes from my mom.
My mom was a single parent with four kids, and when I was growing up, we struggled a bit. But she made it work. She gave up a lot to make sure we had what we had. Even when it looked like it was impossible, she still got the job done. She’s that example of how I need to go about my life to get where I want to go.
In the future, I want to be a fashion designer and a business owner. I plan on being able to do more for not only myself but for my entire family. I have to do this for them. Failure is not an option because if it wasn’t for my family, I would not be at Jackson State. They paved the road. I just go the rest of the way.”
– Robert, sophomore business administration major from Memphis, Tenn.
