Raylynn Hawkins , Wiley College- c/o 2020, Early Childhood
Name : Raylynn Hawkins
HBCU : Wiley College
Graduation Year : 2020
Major : Early Childhood
Minor : Spanish
Email : rhawkins0526@gmail.com
Where are you from? Who introduced you to HBCUs?*
I’m from Marshall, Texas. Coincidentally where I attend THE Wiley College home of the Great Debaters. I was Introduced to HBCUs by one of my high school teachers who attended an HBCU and encouraged her students to attend one. I got really interested in the thought of going to one so I attended the school's college fair to try to get as much information on HBCUs as I could.
Founder of Women Of Wiley a mentorship organization created to assist and motivate incoming freshmen and female students on campus.
Why did you choose an HBCU over a pwi?*
I ultimately chose an HBCU over a pwi because you don’t get the experiences you get at an HBCU anywhere else. Everyone is like family, literally everyone.
Professors invest more time into making sure you succeed, you can make friends by just complimenting someone on campus, the staff is always so friendly I mean I couldn’t have made a better choice.
What is the story of your "experience" at Your HBCU given its heralded status as a stellar and prestigious institution?*
My experience at Wiley has been one for the books. Wiley has a way of making you push your own limits seeing how far you can go, testing your ability to truly chase your dreams. The saying is very true at Wiley “only the strong survive”.
"First time" experiences at your HBCU?*
I’ve had a lot of “first times” at Wiley. One of my favorites was joining the cheer team. Next, would be me being in a pageant and actually placing! But one of my favorites is founding my own organization here at Wiley to help promote positivity to the female body and it actually being a VERY successful organization.
Crowned The 2018 Miss Black in Alpha Phi Alpha’s Alpha Sigma Chapter Miss Black and Gold pageant.
Who are the professors that have impacted your life in and out of the classroom? How did they do that?*
She’s not a professor but she’s someone very close to my heart. Taylor Helton. She’s pushed me to my limits in and out of the classroom she’s always believed me and stood behind me.
I strive to be half the woman she is one day. She’s a God-fearing woman who keeps fighting for her dreams regardless of obstacles that may get in the way. She’s someone that everyone needs in there life and I’m just happy and blessed that she’s in mine.
What adversities (hardships) have you overcome to become the strong person that you are?
The adversities that I’ve overcome had to do with Self-Worth, and Confidence. Absolutely feeling like I was nothing, making these horrible decisions to becoming this Boss made woman who has flipped everything around.
Once I stopped being a victim to my problems I turned my experiences and the things I went through into something positive. I used these things to help other women who’ve felt like I felt realize that they weren’t alone. Together we can conquer the world, and we’re going to do just that. PERIOD.
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Wiley College
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Students: 1,400
- Athletics: Wiley College is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, and track & field. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, track & field, volleyball, and cheerleading.
- Notable Alumni: Lois Towles 1933 Internationally renowned concert pianist** James L. Farmer, Jr. 1938 U.S. civil rights leader** Daryl Joy Walters 2014 Politician**
- Click here to view on Wikipedia