Archives: Student Stories

Nathan Rosario: Student Entrepreneur Defines Near & Ready

As senior Nathan A. Rosario prepares for graduation from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, it’s clear that he is “near and ready” for the next chapter in his life. He’s shown a desire to succeed since high school, taking dual enrollment classes and graduating with a diploma and an associate’s degree. He’s maintained an average 3.9 GPA and has been a part of the “4.0 club” at Cheyney for most of his college career while also playing guard for Cheyney’s men’s basketball team. And he joined a group of teammates to the NBA All-Star Weekend this past winter in Salt Lake City.

“Student-athlete” may be how most would describe Rosario, 20, but “student-entrepreneur” is also fitting. Using his initials, Rosario started Near and Ready Co., a vending machine business that creates passive income.

“My goal is to use this current small business to help fund my next projects that will ultimately get me to being an apartment complex owner and property owner,” he said.

Rosario currently has a snack machine and a beverage machine but is looking to sign a contract with his former high school.

“My high school has also requested an ice cream machine, so after I put my other machines in their building, I will be acquiring an ice cream machine to add,” he said.

He credits his education at Cheyney with giving him more skills to grow his business. An accounting course taught him proper budgeting and financing. A course on business and law showed him how legislation can impact the bottom line. Rosario plans to get his MBA next and wants to focus on marketing, all with a goal of combing his two passions: basketball and entrepreneurship.

“I would love to partner or be a part of the NBA because it has been a lifelong dream to be a player within the Association,” he said. “But if I cannot play, I would still love to participate in one way or another to have an experience for the sport that has been pivotal in my life.”

One way he’s already parlayed his playing career into a unique opportunity is in broadcasting. Attending Cheyney gave Rosario the chance to call an NBA game on a special livestream featuring HBCU students. He was able to share his analysis on the game, which was in March between the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks, but also tell other HBCU students more about Cheyney and how it has shaped his life.

“It was a very fun experience, and I am so grateful for being offered this opportunity,” he said. “I made new friends from this event and had contact with the NBA which has always been a dream of mine.”

When Rosario walks across the stage in May to receive his bachelor’s degree in business administration, it’ll be the culmination of him always being “ready.” And as that date draws “near,” he’s reflecting on how far Cheyney has taken him.

“This program brought me so many opportunities to not only showcase my skills, but also bring me many business opportunities,” he said. “Coach [Terrell] Stokes has been vital for my progression in both basketball and education, and I am grateful.”

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Alumni Khris Davis Shines on Broadway

2009 graduate meets with students after show and discusses acting, storytelling and time at Cheyney

The only thing better than seeing a great Broadway show is getting to meet the cast after a special one-on-one discussion. For 25 Cheyney University TRiO Scholars, the opportunity became a reality as they visited Broadway to see Death of a Salesman and met with a special cast member after the show.

Khris Davis, a 2009 cum laude graduate who earned a B.B. in theatre arts, recently held a role in the adaptation of the 1949 play that broke new ground and told the story of Willy, played by actor Wendell Pierce, and Linda Loman from the perspective of an African American family. Davis played the role of Biff Loman, one of the sons of the dutifully married couple.

After the show, Davis met with Cheyney students for a special Talkback Q&A Session.

According to Davis, art influences so many aspects of life. Exposure is integral to our society, to critical thinking, to our interpersonal relationships, how we can process complex emotions, and to the way we see the world and its many magnificent differences.

While Davis has never been a teacher, he was a teaching artist with The Philadelphia Theatre Company and worked with students to help expose them to theatre.

“As an artist it is a great opportunity to create a bridge to the next generation,” said Davis. “It is important that we have exposure to art and its many forms. Every student deserves to have that.”

Davis continued, “It is my hope that in the future I can cultivate programs that will bring more arts, not just to those who are interested, but to as many students as I can.”

Originally from Camden, NJ, he attended the Creative Arts High School in Camden. He enrolled in Cheyney in the fall of 2005 and joined The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. After graduation, Davis moved to Philadelphia to pursue acting while performing and being a teaching artist with the Philadelphia Theater Company. He was also a founding member of Quintessence Theatre Company in Mt. Airy Philadelphia, a neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia.

In 2016, he made his New York stage debut as the star of Marco Ramirez’s The Royale at the Lincoln Theatre where his performance won him numerous honors including the Clive Barnes Award for Theater, an Obie Award, Theatre World Award, and a Drama Desk Award.

Since that time, he has starred in the film Space Jam: A New Legacy playing the childhood friend of Lebron James. He also appeared in the movie Detroit and in the Oscar-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah and has other credits that include the FX series Atlanta, NBC’s The Blacklist as well as the Tony-nominated Broadway play Sweat.

Telling stories is his true passion in life.

“My heart is in storytelling, and I believe in the power of storytelling,” said Davis. “It doesn’t the modality in which the story is told, just that it is conveyed and that it changes and inspires people.”

Davis is leaving his mark on the world with a sense of social responsibility and passion for excellence, making him an outstanding example of “Cheyney Made.”

“A lesson that I took from Cheyney is that there is always another opportunity to start over,” said Davis. “Cheyney has given so many students, self-included, that very opportunity. It’s a way to reset and pivot. So, when challenges arise, some failures may present themselves.

“I know when a hardship presents itself, so does an opportunity for a new start.”

Audiences can next see Davis perform on the big screen as he plays the role of two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman in the George Tillman Jr.-directed biopic which is set up under Sony’s AFFIRM Films label. The film follows the life of Foreman from Olympic Gold medalist to World Heavyweight champion. It is scheduled to be released in 2023.

“I was over the moon about being chosen to play the Heavyweight Champion,” said Davis. “It is such a major opportunity to have the responsibility of playing an icon. It is my hope that I have honored the Champ in my portrayal.”

When it comes to his hometown Davis misses the people the most. “What I miss the most are my people,” explained Davis. “My family, the many friends I’ve made over the years, my fellow artists from my time there,” said Davis.

“Camden is home for me, so no matter where I am, or what I am doing. “I will always miss home the most,” said Davis.

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Cheyney Alum Tamika Ponds: “Cheyney Chose Me”

Sometimes it takes the right choices to be offered to help pave a positive path forward. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “May your choices reflect your hopes not your fears.”

For Tamika Ponds, a 2022 graduate, Cheyney provided her with choices that were supported by guidance from staff members. These choices have allowed her to earn degrees in programs such as English, Art, and Communication, as well as to become a Supplemental Instructional Leader and enroll in a graduate program.

Ponds admits that it has not been an easy journey, especially when it comes to academics. She dropped out of high school in 9^th grade, before eventually returning and earning her GED. Additionally, getting through community college had been a huge challenge for her.

Then, she met Vernell Edwards, who was Assistant Registrar at the time, at a college’s recruiting event. He asked to see her transcripts, because she might qualify for a scholarship, but she was hesitant and didn’t believe in herself and academic abilities at the time.

“I wasn’t going to show him because in my mind, I wasn’t good enough for a full scholarship nor knew if my GPA met the criteria,” said Ponds. “Something in me made me submit my transcripts. Within a week, Mr. Edwards got back to me and said I was eligible and I could enter the Keystone Honors Academy.

“I was ecstatic, overwhelmed with excitement and joy with the opportunity.”

From that moment, she committed herself to the unique journey she was embarking upon. She was determined to demonstrate to the university that had realized she had something special in her, that it was no mistake giving her a chance to prove something vital to herself. That she could become successful.

“It’s hard to believe how far I’ve come, especially as a non-traditional student,” said Ponds. “I currently work at the same school that gave me a chance to better my future.”

Ponds is a Supplemental Instructional Leader at Cheyney, where she hosts workshops to assist students with writing development. Additionally, she is currently a graduate student in the Goddard College’s Creative Writing program where she takes courses virtually and is an editor for the school’s literary journal.

Her ultimate goal is to use the skills she learned before and during her time as a student to teach students in a classroom of her own someday.

“I want to work with college students from diverse backgrounds; those who have set their goals and especially those, who like me, need that extra push to find success.”

During her time at Cheyney, she met some of the most amazing people who helped her from day one, including Stephanie Stevens, Interim Registrar, in the Enrollment Office. Meeting and getting to know some of the professors gave her faith in herself and the boost she needed.

“Seeing Black women like Dr. Norma George (Professor, Humanities Department) and Dr. Tamara Hollins (Professor of English) each reminded me that there are no do-overs in life,” said Ponds. “They grounded me in a way that forced me to take life more seriously. Seeing women like them made me feel I could have a place in academia as well.”

Ponds said that if nothing else, she is an individual who embodies what it means to never give up.

“I was a high school dropout who became a professional academic. I learned to never give up on myself, even when it seemed as if the world had written me off. Let my journey be a reminder that none of us lack what it takes to become amazing individuals,” said Ponds.

“I am forever grateful and humble to be part of the legacy of Black excellence that I read about, especially those who have roots in Cheyney University. Cheyney chose me.”

Check out Tamika’s Spoken Word Piece below!

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Jaleah Bowman-Blanton: With Patience and Commitment, Anything Is Possible

When it comes to getting the most out of her education, Jaleah Bowman-Blanton always strives to aim high and invest in her future. She has already developed an exceptional academic profile that includes being the first Black valedictorian at Coatesville Area Senior High School and earning an associate degree from Delaware County Community College before she graduated high school.

As a high school senior entering Cheyney as a first-year junior majoring in Business Administration, she continues to set the bar high. She now looks to Cheyney to continue her academic investments and to help her one day land her dream job as a forensic accountant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

“Education is extremely important to me. My dad always says, ‘no one can ever take your knowledge away from you,’” said Bowman-Blanton. “Those words and the support of my parents have motivated me throughout my educational journey.”

Bowman-Blanton is a first-generation college student. She applied to other colleges and universities, but Cheyney was the only school that offered her what she felt she was worth, which included a Keystone Scholarship through Cheyney’s Honors Academy.

“It made me feel like Cheyney valued me and what I accomplished,” she said. “Attending new student events made me feel even more excited about attending Cheyney because of the indescribable energy I felt being immersed in an environment with Black excellence and people who looked like me, enjoyed things that I do, and more.”

In her sophomore year of high school, she started taking college courses at Delaware County Community College, which allowed her to earn an associate degree during her senior year. She maintained a busy schedule being a part-time high school student and a part-time college student, while playing on the girls’ tennis team and participating in other extracurricular activities.

“Taking high school and college courses simultaneously was hard, but I would not do anything differently. The experience put me ahead educationally and mentally,” she said.

Becoming valedictorian was also a journey that required many long nights and a few sacrifices with her personal life. However, she considers those times to be great investments in her future.

“Those investments allowed me to become the first Black valedictorian at Coatesville Area Senior High School,” said Bowman-Blanton. “Anything is possible when you have patience and commitment.”

She knows her education at Cheyney will help her be more confident so she can share what her self-worth is as a young Black woman. She often feels Black women can be overlooked, especially in areas dominated by non-minority people. She believes Cheyney can teach and enhance what she already knows about herself, and the university will ensure that she is respected and valued in her future career and goals.

“My experience so far at Cheyney has been great! I understand the environment I am honored to be part of is one of a kind – one that only an HBCU can provide. I am able to share who I truly am, including my interests and having most of my peers be able to relate to me and what I enjoy.”

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Cheyney student Victor Wright always wanted a career in which he could help other people. He was interested in becoming an attorney, but was really good at science and began cultivating an interest in the biosciences, particularly biology. Wright graduated from Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School, and Cheyney made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“They offered me a full-ride scholarship,” he said. “My academics were excellent, and I came in with 15 extra credits when I graduated from Boys’ Latin. I was able to attain those credits from different internships and a dual enrollment at the University of Pennsylvania. My internship at the Perelman Center involved giving a comforting hand to cancer patients. It was very rewarding.”

Wright engaged in multiple internships while at Boys’ Latin in preparation for his post-high-school education. One of those internships involved studies at the Mutter Museum at the College of Physicians. The Mutter Museum’s education program is geared toward middle and high school students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, and partners with area schools to expose students to the wide variety of careers in healthcare and biosciences.

“The Mutter Museum is basically a cadaver museum and so much more. It’s the first and largest museum of medical knowledge,” Wright said. “It’s a museum of medical history. They have preserved collections of anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments. It was a way for general medicine to be studied at the time. They have skeletons of the tallest and smallest people who ever lived. They have preserved Albert Einstein’s brain. It was an amazing experience.”