This week’s lecture by Dr. Alvin Thornton was very enlightening and thought provoking which made for interesting class. Dr. Thornton stressed to us the importance of education, what it means to be a citizen of the United States today and the importance of not only becoming successful for the sake of our lives but for others, we must be role models for the future. Dr. Alvin Thornton stressed that as a student of Howard University it is not only enough to be a part of the legacy but to continue it as those people who have come before us have done.
As students of the prestigious Howard University one of the top HBCU’s it is a known fact that for the next four years of our lives we will be receiving the best education that we can get at a higher institution. However we alone must not be the only ones who benefit from the knowledge we receive here at the “Mecca”. We must take this education that we receive and become role models of our society for our younger generations; we must become a representative of our people. We must not take our education and keep it to ourselves for the sole purpose of greed and wealth but share it with those less fortunate so they too can become wealthy in knowledge and economically. We must lend a helping hand to the African American community, our roots, and be their mentors and advocates so that we as people can progress.
As a student of Howard University there is so much that I can do to become the “best and brightest” both for personally and for the Howard community. Personally I can make sure that I attend every class that I am mandated to take for my major as well as making sure that I am prepared so that there is nothing stopping me from getting the best education possible. I must not stop there however; I must continue to complete all my assignments as well as reading ahead and studying all the material covered. I can study hard by myself or with a group and seek help from my peers as well as teachers when I am having trouble, I must utilize all my resources. To be the best and brightest of Howard I can get involved in many of the clubs and organizations going on. Many organizations strive on giving back to the community and helping those less fortunate than ourselves while also building student’s leadership and character skills. Students in these organizations and clubs are the best and brightest of Howard.
In the lecture Dr. Thornton spoke about what it means to be a citizen in our country. She repeatedly said that as citizens of the United States we must not be complacent and it is our job to take the opportunities that are presented to us. We must remember that African American’s fought for the rights that we have today and for that we owe it to them to take full advantage of what we are given. We must allow to government to limit our rights, we must not be limited by our funds; our citizenship must not be limited. To be a citizen of the world means to not only the basics of living in that particular country and having that country’s rights and knowing its history but much more. To be a citizen of the world we must carry on the legacy of our country by representing and serving it, we must not limit ourselves.
In Dr. Thornton’s lecture he said that we as Howard students are expected to “till and turn over the soil.” This expression was unfamiliar to me at first and I kind of brushed it off after hearing it but now that I see it here in this question I am forced to really think about it. This expression to me means to continue what others before me have started my nurturing the idea and concept more and making it better and furthering it along. Throughout my two months here I have met many upperclassmen that are so involved around campus while also maintaining a very high GPA. They constantly tell me to not limit my dreams and that I most work hard and go after them. Like these upperclassmen and from the many representative thinkers of Howard I have been inspired to carry on their way of thinking and to inspire those that come after me to continue to fight and better our community.
-Alexandria Daley
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