College was not an option for me, coming out of Mt. Hebron High school as a young man with a 1.25 grade point average who only knew how to shoot and dribble a basketball. My foster dad allowed me to stay with him during my senior year of high school. I was currently in a situation where life in my mother's house was not the best. I had failed the 10th grade. I was suspended and dismissed from school more than 20 times, which placed me in a position where I had the lowest grade point average in the district of Howard County, MD.
As I prayed for guidance and wisdom from a God that I believed in but did not know at the time, a pastor by the name of Luther B. Felder called my foster dad and asked him did he know of any United Methodist students who would be interested in attending college.
Encouraged, yet realistic about the young man that he had living in his home, he responded, "Yes, I have a young man, however, he doesn't have good grades." Reverend Felder's response to my guardian changed my life in a way that it would never be the same, "Bring him anyway."
My guardian drove me to Paine College, with the dream and hope that I would find a way to make this opportunity work for me. Had I not seized the opportunity, I would have found myself in a situation where I would be destined for the street corners where I saw many of my friends arrested and shot.
Paine College is one of the black colleges supported by the Black College Fund which provides financial support to maintain solid, challenging academic programs; strong faculties; and well-equipped facilities.
I did not want that for me so Paine College was the only hope that I had to make something of my life. I will never forget the day I walked into Reverend Felder's office, threw my hands in the air, and said, "Reverend, anything you ask me to do I will do it."
My current reality was that I probably would not live to see age 25 trying to survive the rough streets of West Baltimore, if I messed up this opportunity.
My first semester at Paine was a depressing one. For the first time in my life, I had taken school serious because I had to and became a scholar; however, the current coach was strict and never allowed me to have the opportunity to walk-on to the basketball team because of the kid that I was in high school.
Therefore, I promised myself that as soon as I became eligible to play NCAA basketball, I would create a highlight film, reach out to other schools, and transfer because I knew I had the talent and was good enough to play on a college team.
This is exactly what I did. I had made a 3.3 grade point average in that first year and got recruited by a school called Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA, however, as I attended Geneva that following Fall semester and got back out on the court something was missing. The love and encouragement that Paine College had given me to be successful as a young black man in America extended beyond anything that basketball could do for me at that phase in my life.
These relationships had such a huge impact on me. The very thing that had defined me and the reason why I had dedicated my life towards change was no longer my identity because of Paine College. I quit the Geneva team in total shock to everyone that was a part of that program and returned to Paine College. Upon my return to Paine College and because of the level of belief they instilled in me, I decided to make a difference and encourage others to work hard and be the best versions of themselves that they could be.
If Paine College had not taken a chance on me by helping and blessing me with the opportunity to try and make something of my life, none of these amazing things would have been possible.
Upon completing my degree program at Duke I will move back home to Baltimore, MD by carrying my non-profit with me and make a huge difference in my communities by providing needed resources to the youth and eventually run for a political office. Because of God's hand on my life through Paine College, all these things will come to pass for a young man who finished high school with the lowest GPA in the entire school and finished last in his class.
excerpt from a story by Deonte Moses, Paine College Alumni
One of seven apportioned giving opportunities of The United Methodist Church, the Black College Fund provides financial support to maintain solid, challenging academic programs; strong faculties; and well-equipped facilities at 11 United Methodist-related historically black colleges and universities. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the Black College Fund apportionment at 100 percent.
