I'm from Stockton, CA where if you don't end up pregnant or incarcerated, you'll just be working a middle class job to live "comfortably" in the city. I'm from Stockton, CA where the annual household income is $55,295 (ZipRecruiter, 2024) and there were certain levels to being poor. I'm from Stockton, CA where if you wanted a way out, you had to make a way. My name is Shayla Collins, senior finance major from Stockton, CA and I love where I'm from, but I had to pave my own path.

Though I just told you all of the negative attributes about where I'm from, let me tell you about the positive. This is one of the most mixed race cities in California, where your friends with people of all walks of life and have the opportunity to learn about different cultures easily. Our young athletes turn out to make it big, like pro-boxer Nate Diaz. Though all of these things are great, it wasn't enough for me.

After two years of community college and a year off, I took my try at applying to a couple of HBCUs that gave me the best chance at succeeding as a young black woman. After acceptances came in, I got accepted into THE Howard University, where the graduation rate was 64.5% and it was almost a guarantee that you would be equipped to succeed in corporate after graduating from the School of Business. Where you're surrounded by people who look like you, think like you, and take nothing but the best like you.

After realizing that Howard was the place for me, I uprooted my life and moved across the country alone, (with my family's support of course). After almost two years at Howard, I have interned for The Estee Lauder Companies, a Fortune 500 Company, and have accepted an offer to intern at Marriott International this upcoming Summer. These opportunities have tremendously assisted in my hopes of working in corporate finance/accounting in the hospitality industry, with hopes of eventually building my own hotels/resorts.

So when people ask why I chose an HBCU, I show my resume and let it speak for itself. I'm from Stockton, CA, and I love my city, but I am more than ecstatic to see what the future holds for me after attending MY HBCU.



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	It's my pleasure to have you join, us as a new or seasoned member. May you have an amazing, blessed and marvelous day Tagged by Ralph White on 02/18/2024
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