Tahjgere Morgan knows what it means to persevere. He also knows the difference a supportive community can make. Morgan, a Slippery Rock University junior cybersecurity major from Erie (Collegiate Academy HS), exemplifies both while developing into a leader on campus.
“For people coming into college, it can be hard to acclimate to the environment,” said Morgan, who attributes SRU’s Jump Start program as a big part of his success.
Jump Start is a peer mentor-based program operated in SRU’s Office for Inclusive Excellence that provides a supportive, inclusive and empowering environment for first-year students as they navigate the academic and social transition to college. Jump Start offers workshops and social activities, as participants are paired with upperclassmen and faculty mentors.
Morgan credits the Office for Inclusive Excellence for helping him succeed, particularly Kristin Black, assistant director of student transitions, who oversees the Jump Start program.
As Morgan has since developed into a leader the past three years, using his experiences to uplift others while also serving as a Jump Start mentor.
“Going through it freshman year allowed me to have some type of experience that I could lend out to others and support them,” Morgan said.
Morgan is the vice president of the Black Action Society at SRU, an organization that promotes and educates others of the African American experience at the University. He attributes his ascension to that position to the bonds he has made.
The time he spent in and around the Office for Inclusive Excellence in the Smith Student Center motivated him to get involved on campus. “It allowed me to express myself and be open to other people,” Morgan said.
Morgan started the Jump Start program prior to starting classes his freshman year, but after the death of his brother, he was unable to finish the week and missed part of his first year on campus.
“I had that on my mind going into college and going into the Jump Start program,” Morgan said. “I was just spiraling.”
Upon arriving back at the University, Morgan connected with his Jump Start mentor and received support from peers in the program.
“We can’t get over grief. It’s always going to be there,” Morgan said. “I went back and I didn’t let it get in the way of my learning. I stayed focused on what I came here for.”
Black was especially supportive.
“She helped me get through everything,” Morgan said. “We talked it out; I kept going to her office, and I’ve met a lot of people coming in and out of her office. I’ve built connections off that.”
Morgan said connecting with others through Jump Start was the uplifting experience he needed at the time.
“I made a lot of connections and a lot of friends.” Morgan said. “All those connections, meeting all those other people helped me come out of my shell.”
Along with the benefits of camaraderie, Morgan used those connections to start building his experiences and find out where he fits as a student.
“Meeting all those people and making all those connections got me to better opportunities,” Morgan said.
Now, Morgan is looking into internship opportunities related to cybersecurity, particularly in identity and access management and cloud security.
More information about Jump Start at SRU is available on the University’s website.
