“The transition from high school to college was a real challenge for me. Despite taking Accelerated and Advanced Placement courses in high school, I struggled with the coursework and independence of being a student at Truman. Being a first-generation college student did not help at all, as I felt a bit isolated seeing the confidence and preparation of second-generation students. Nevertheless, I prevailed, but it was not without the support of systems in place within HES (and Truman at large) to help students who look like me and come from my background be successful. My academic aspirations (goals and plans) and expectations (likelihood of reaching those goals and plans) were not exactly aligned as a started my freshmen year within the Pre-Med concentration. As I sought to revise my aspirations, the warmth of the faculty welcomed me to seek advice that led to the development of an interdisciplinary pathway. This led to the development of longstanding relationships with Truman faculty members that have helped me to be the successful scholar I am today. Opportunities outside of (yet still supported by) HES made a big impact on my success at Truma
n as well, such as the Ronald E. McNair post-baccalaureate achievement program and other programming offered by the Multicultural Affairs Center (i.e. SEE program, tutoring services etc.). For a city boy with a small-town heart this was a great place for me to grow and transition into higher education. I earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology and Biostatistics in 2014 and am now enrolled in a PhD program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. I have had great work experiences with WestEd Justice and Prevention Research Center as well. I am incredibly grateful for my experiences! As an HES student at Truman, know that you will be encouraged, pushed and supported regardless of who you are, where you came from and how you learn!”
—Darius Taylor (’12), Health Science, Minor in Biology