Archives: Student Stories

Future physician Esraa Ebraheem said an academic adviser at Delaware County Community College encouraged her to apply to the nation’s first Historically Black College or University. Ebraheem, an immigrant from the southern regions of Egypt, also applied to Temple University and West Chester University and was accepted to both of them. However, after a tour of the campus and learning more about the rich history of the institution, she knew she belonged at Cheyney.

“I could not turn a blind eye to this amazing place,” she said. “I am an immigrant who came to pursue the dream of becoming a doctor. I needed a university that would believe in me and my potential. As I transitioned to Cheyney University I met the amazing faculty, students, and staff. I felt like I was part of this place and I realized I made the best decision for my family and myself. When I got accepted to Cheyney University I felt like I was over the moon.”

Ebraheem joined the Keystone Honors Academy and received a full scholarship. But the transition wasn’t always easy.

“I have a language barrier,” she said. “I had to become accustomed to different cultural foods, adjust to the various seasons. However, because of the support system, I persisted, and overcame all my fears.”

On-campus, Ebraheem familiarized herself with various support from distinguished professors, students, and the academic center. She worked closely with Irma Aguirre, the executive director of student affairs, and with admissions counselors in the undergrad admissions office.

“Their words of wisdom, daily encouragement, made me feel as if I could conquer the world,” she said. “I feel honored and beyond blessed to have gotten to know so many brilliant people. I look forward to continuing a friendship with all of them.”

When asked why she chose Cheyney University, Khadija Pearson said it was in her blood.

“I have always possessed the hunger to attend Cheyney University,” she said. “Being a [Cheyney] Wolf has been in my blood for generations. My Cheyney legacy began with my mother, two aunts, uncle, and cousin. They all attended our illustrious university.”

Because of her prowess in and love of basketball, directly after high school, she chose Grambling State University. But with strong grades and skill with the sport, she transferred to Cheyney with a scholarship as part of the Keystone Honors Program and the women’s basketball team. This allowed her to expand her skillset and join a highly competitive team that challenged her and allowed her to continue doing what she loves.

“Outside of allowing me to expand my performance on the court, I was also able to make monumental shifts in my thinking and preparation for medical school,” she said. “Cheyney’s cultivated legacy of success and determination is something I will take with me as I complete medical school. I will always cherish the HBCU culture and everything it offered me as a Black woman on her way to achieve her dreams.”

In addition to being accepted as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Pearson said her major was incredibly challenging. To balance coursework, basketball, and a social life, she had to find resources that would help her succeed at all levels. School always came first, so when things got difficult, she sought help at the Academic Success Center. Its resources became an integral part of her daily routine.

“We were a family that helped each other succeed and reach our goals,” Pearson said. “Without the support of the tutors and mentors there, I would not have graduated summa cum laude, got into graduate school, or had the opportunity to tutor other students and inform them of the great opportunities Cheyney University had to offer. It changed my life and kept me on track.”

For those who dedicate their careers to public service and supporting their communities, there is always another chapter to scribe and goals to achieve. For Cheyney University student Claire Lane, she is on her way to completing another stage in her life, which is already full of professional and personal accomplishments focused on helping those most in need.

Lane, who has spent more than 30 years in law enforcement and criminal justice, will graduate in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in social relations with a concentration in criminal justice. She enrolled in Cheyney in the fall of 2019 with an associate degree in criminal justice under her belt from the Community College of Philadelphia.

“I chose these particular studies at Cheyney because I wanted a broader perspective of criminal justice and I knew a degree in social relations would provide it,” said Lane. “I always wanted to attend Cheyney because I understand the value of our HBCUs, and it has been the best experience of my life.”

Miss Claire, as her fellow students call her, knows something about the criminal justice system. She is a former Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) officer who rose in the ranks to become a detective and served on the force for more than 20 years. When she retired from the PPD, she immediately joined the Defender’s Association of Philadelphia as an investigator and has been with them ever since, even while she was a Cheyney student.

Upholding the law and providing support for those who need guidance through the judicial system is something that has been part of the Lane family. Lane’s daughter is the Honorable Judge Timika Lane, who was first elected in 2013 and handles major trials in Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas’ Criminal Division.

“My mother didn’t stay retired for long,” said Judge Lane. “After leaving the Philadelphia Police Department she couldn’t stay still and was retired for about two weeks before joining the Defender’s Association.”

“When she told me she was thinking about going to Cheyney, she said she thought she was too old to go back to school. I told her she absolutely can do it, that age has nothing to do with it. I’m so proud of her.”

Sharlet Kennedy-Blalock determined that when the pandemic required her to stay at home, she would use her time to complete online the degree that she initially pursued at Cheyney University more than a decade ago. Now, 10 months later, she completed the remaining courses needed and is submitting the final paperwork to capture her work and life experience credits that will complete her degree and become a Cheyney graduate.

“I wanted to practice what I have been preaching to my kids by finishing school and getting a diploma,” said Kennedy-Blalock. “It was perfect timing to take advantage of the opportunity while having to stay at home and finish what I started.”

She was supposed to graduate from Cheyney in 2005 but was two courses short of her diploma. At that time, she decided to take a year off from her studies so she could work at a job that was offered to her. According to Kennedy-Blalock, life happened, and the two courses she needed to finish grew further out of reach, along with the additional requirements that were added to the course catalog over the years.

She wants current and future Cheyney students to know it is important to prioritize yourself and to make the most of being a student at the university.

“It’s okay to be selfish when the goal is education,” said Blalock. “Keep your eye on the prize and there is always light at the end of the tunnel.”