One of my former students recently filled me with hope for the next generation. Clifton Jett Jr. is the director and writer of a play that he was about to bring to the stage, “Black Tar Boulevard,” when the pandemic hit. Although many productions have shut down, Clifton decided instead to pivot and turn the play into an independent film. He says, “We have worked too hard and waited too long to just throw it all away.” He and his team are moving ahead, in a safe and responsible manner.
Where does this drive come from? Author Angela Duckworth calls it grit: “the power of passion and perseverance.” But grit doesn’t just bubble up. We need to find ways to spot it and encourage it.
I’ve seen this in Clifton’s life. As he tells it, he “fell into the categories of being Black, gay and having a learning disability. I now live life understanding that having a disability is what affects me the most with academics, but that does not mean that I am incapable of succeeding. With that knowledge, I knew that going to college was just right for me.”
I see parts of Clifton’s story in my own life. I grew up on the South Side of Chicago and went to Tuskegee University in Alabama. Early on, I received important guidance: Succeeding in college was non-negotiable.
Now, as president of the University of Southern Indiana (USI), I’m even more committed to creating and backing systems that encourage students to discover their inner drive.
One way we do that on our campus is through TRIO Student Support Services, which Clifton participated in during his time at USI. Student Support Services fosters an environment that advocates, serves and mentors first-generation, low-income and disabled participants.
The goal of our student-centered program is to prepare and empower our participants through identified student learning and development objectives to be self-aware and globally responsible.
