Courtesy: Virginia State College
Spending 23 hours day by day in a jail cell with just one hour of free time provides you loads of time to consider the alternatives you’ve made. For Dennis Freeman, most of that point was spent ruminating on the firearms possession cost that had landed him there.
After his launch, a decide gave Freeman a selection: discover a job or go to high school. Although he had fallen in with the unsuitable crowd, Freeman had at all times carried out properly in class. So, he began making use of to schools throughout Virginia.
Few individuals get a second likelihood and even fewer are keen handy them out. When Freeman obtained his acceptance letter from Virginia State College, he was given the chance to show his life round.
“Getting accepted into Virginia State was some of the essential moments of my life,” stated Freeman. “Some individuals I went to highschool with have been already going right here and have been telling me about how nice it was. I knew this was the place I wanted to be.”
Enrolled in 2021
Enrolling in 2021, Freeman turned a member of the Residential Royal Court docket and later joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, lastly surrounding himself with individuals who truly needed what was finest for him. He additionally joined Kultured Males Making A Change, a VSU group centered on mentoring younger African American males.
Freeman had at all times been entrepreneurial, so when it got here time to decide on a serious, he enrolled within the respected Reginald F. Lewis Faculty of Enterprise at VSU.
Although his tattoos and previous drew skepticism, he quickly proved his dedication. His professors have been champions of his development, serving to him land internships and launch a vogue enterprise.
Freeman needs to finally open a one-stop store retailer that’s closely concerned in the neighborhood and permits youngsters to buy reasonably priced clothes and be round individuals who could be a constructive affect.
“After I was in jail, I got here up with a imaginative and prescient for myself and who I needed to be,” stated Freeman. “Due to Virginia State College, I used to be in a position to escape the state of affairs I used to be in and elevate my life. I’m the very best model of myself due to VSU.”
However adversity didn’t finish there. At first of his senior 12 months, Freeman was hospitalized with an sickness and compelled to overlook the primary two months of courses. Used to overcoming challenges, he persevered to graduate on time.
Enterprise Administration Diploma
So, when Freeman walked throughout the stage to obtain his enterprise administration diploma, he did so with a 3.17 GPA to finish an unbelievable journey.
Again when that decide offered Freeman with choices, the unstated third choice was happening the identical path and returning to life as an inmate. Luckily, he turned a lifelong Trojan as a substitute.
Freeman was among the many greater than 600 college students who graduated throughout Virginia State College’s two Graduation ceremonies on Saturday, Could 17. The 8:30 a.m. processional/ceremony honored graduates from the Faculty of Schooling and Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, with Virginia Speaker of the Home Don Scott delivering the keynote. The 1:30 p.m. processional/ceremony celebrated graduates from the Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Engineering & Know-how, Faculty of Pure & Well being Sciences, and the Reginald F. Lewis Faculty of Enterprise. Virginia Senator Louise Lucas served because the visitor speaker.
