A tremondous moment for Morehouse College
On Sunday, Morehouse College will make history by graduating it’s first white valedictorian in the 141 year history of the all-male historically black college. The student’s name is Joshua Packwood. Joshua Packwood was a Rhodes Scholar finalist who maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout his academic career at Morehouse College. Upon graduation, he will immediately start working for financial powerhouse Goldman Sachs. If you knew Joshua Packwood’s story, you will understand how he was able to thrive in such an environment. Joshua Packwood grew up in a poor section of Kansas City, Missouri and attended a predominately black high school in his neighborhood. Because of trouble and controversy within his own family, he lived briefly with the family of his high school friend, who is African American. This is a man who chose to turn down Columbia University for Morehouse College.
He is very popular among his peers and there are students that have embraced this moment as a historical one and one that the school should be proud of. However, there are some students, alumnists and some administrators that are unsettled by this. They see this as a huge wake-up call as to how black men as a whole are doing academically in college. Some students have even spoken directly to Joshua Packwood and expressed their congratulations but also their discomfort with the whole issue.
Morehouse College should stand up, pat themselves on the back and take a bow. This institution prides itself on achieving MLK’s dream and advancing that cause as much as possible. This accomplishment by Packwood, no matter how unsettling it may be to others is a great sign of progress. It should be congratulated and embraced by every American, especially the African-American community. We should congratulate a young man who despite his tough circumstances chose to embrace a community and a culture completely different from his own in hopes of gaining an education that was more than academic. This is an example and lesson we can all learn. All of us needs to be taken out of our comfort zones at times and placed in a contrasting environment or situation so that we can really test ourselves.
This man took that risk and reaped a great reward.
Those that are uncomfortable or unsettled should consider the situation in the reverse. Picture an African-American valedictorian in an Ivy League school or a mainstream institution such as a USC or Ohio State. Wouldn’t we as a community expect this man or woman to be embraced in the same manner for their same achievements? As an African-American, I feel that we should set the example and not be bound to the racial divisions that continue to plague us to date. This is a tremondous opportunity for Morehouse College as well as the rest of us to use this moment to do so. I believe that this situation should not be the scapegoat that validates the academic performance of black men in college. {there are many more factors}Certainly, there are students that will be also walking with Mr Packwood that worked just as hard and sacrificed just as much to get to the same position. And if this situation can be used as a motivating factor for all of us to achieve better, then it’s all gravy.
Congratulations to Joshua Packwood for his achievement and congratulations to Morehouse College for this great advancement toward MLK’s dream.
