Welcome back. If you haven’t already, I feel it’s best to read part one so everything is in order as far as my experience. After my acceptance, I attended SpelBound in April, which is a one-day experience designed for newly admitted students. The college offers various events while allowing students to attend classes. I enjoyed myself and honestly didn’t want to return back to high school. My “senioritis” worsened. I couldn’t wait to start college. However, there was an issue (so I believed at the time). Spelman is a private HBCU, so the cost of attendance is about $50,000 a year, for non-residents and Georgia residents.

I didn’t know what to do. I thought to myself, “all of this fasting, praying, hollering and I still may not be able to go.” I had to have a serious talk with my parents. Once I spoke with them, my Dad and I sat down to look at numbers. From the moment my Dad saw the enrollment fee, pardon the language, he proceeded to yell, “DAMN!” after reading each charge. Housing? “DAMN!” Tuition? “DAMN!” Books and supplies? “MAN, DAMN!” For this to be a serious moment, I couldn’t help but to laugh at his reactions. I figured that Spelbound would be the closest I would get to experiencing Spelman as a student.

To my surprise, my Dad goes, “don’t worry about it, we’ll figure it out.” Just FYI, the first year at Spelman is always difficult regarding financial aid. Many students get help once they’ve completed the first year (as long as they are in the financial aid office every day of the week, as I was). I thank God for both parents and their many sacrifices during my academic journey at Spelman.

When I first enrolled, I was a health-science major. I was also part of a new program that allowed some students in that major to live in the honors dorm—which was a big deal because it was the only freshman dorm with air conditioning. Spelman has many traditions, and unfortunately, a hot dorm room is one they won’t change for first-year students. God knew I was too Black for that.

After my first semester, I decided to change my major to biology. Since childhood, I truly believed I was called to be a medical doctor. Funny how life changes, right? I also remember listening to an OBGYN break down while sharing her experience in the medical field. She was honest about how her career affected the kind of mother she wanted to be. She said, “If you want to have a family and be able to be in your children’s lives, you may want to rethink this career.”

That moment was life-changing for me. She was proud of her accomplishments, yet vulnerable in admitting she had pursued a career more for her family than for herself. You’d be surprised how many young women confess to choosing paths based on cultural and familial expectations. I had to sit down and be honest with myself. Being a STEM major came with its challenges, but the real struggle was being truthful about what I truly wanted. I prayed fervently for God to intervene—and He did.

I soon learned about the WISDOM (Women in Spiritual Discernment of Ministry) Scholar Program, designed to help women of African descent explore their spiritual calling and leadership potential. It provides a sacred space for students to reflect on what it means to be a woman of faith and to discern their purpose in the world. Only ten women are admitted into the program, and they have the opportunity to live in a designated dorm—Bessie Strong, which many may recognize from the TV show A Different World. I still remember walking into the dorm’s conference room, my heart racing as I was greeted by five faculty members, including Lydia Pace, whom I knew from the beloved Gospel group, the Pace Sisters. Looking back, I can honestly say it was God who carried me through that moment.

A few days later, I received a congratulatory email letting me know I was selected for the program. I was over the moon! By God’s grace, this was my second time living in one of Spelman’s nicest dorms while pursuing ministry—and I even ended up with the biggest single room, too. Shortly after, I changed my major to Religious Studies. At first, I wasn’t sure if I had made the right decision—until I received an email from the department informing me that I was the only Religious Studies major in the class of 2021. Crazy, right? Whew! But there’s still more to share in part three. Stay tuned, and blessings to you all!