The Road to SU

Taylor Brooks said she came to Southern University at Baton Rouge to pursue a dual degree in psychology and chemistry.
The freshman from North Hartford, Conn. was born to a father and grandparents who all attended Southern as well. Her grandparents, who initially met and married, later became professors at the university.
After her desire to attend Providence College in Rhode Island did not come to pass, Brooks’ father said, “Well, honey, go ahead and advance the legacy and apply to Southern.”
When Brooks arrived, she said it was a huge cultural shock for her because in Connecticut, 15 to 20 percent of the population was made up of minorities-not just black, but all minorities combined.
Something she disliked about the South.
Brooks said the southern mentality focused more on the race complex as an issue. Back home, she said people were friends with whomever, hung out with whomever and dated whomever. Something you’d have to think twice about doing in the South.
“I think it was a necessary experience because the environment of blacks pursuing a higher education is a beautiful thing,” Brooks said.
Regardless to what outer appearances may show, the Southern University system boast a diversified roster of students ranging from various ethnicities, hometown, backgrounds and levels of education.
Why many of them choose to attend Southern for their pursuit of a higher education can vary just as much as the backgrounds of its students.
“This is where God told me to go,” said Amber Usry, a freshman from Baton Rouge majoring in business management.
Usry, one of the university’s many non-traditional students, said she began her undergraduate studies after the age of 25.
“I knew in my heart my purpose here is winning souls for the kingdom of God,” Usry said.
The commuter student said she holds Bible study every Monday in Boley Hall, the freshman female dorm.
Taylor Washington, a 34-year-old husband and father of three, said he always knew he wanted to attend Southern.
“Southern was my HBCU of choice,” Washington said.
The senior computer science major from New Orleans said he completed his associates degree at Baton Rouge Community College first before he entered Southern for his bachelor’s degree.
Washington said if he had to find fault with Southern, it would be the language barrier between some of the university’s foreign professors and the students.
Rachelle Green, a junior math major from Donaldsonville, aggress with Washington, but said she loves the professors because they care and don’t treat you like just another number.
“It’s (also) convenient,” Green said, who lives in Totty Hall-which she said she loves.
“It’s away from home and I am a R.A.,” she said.
Meilin Tan, an Asian sophomore attending Southern to become a dietician, said the university’s affordable tuition costs made the university an attractive pursuit for her and her twin sister who transferred to Southern after attending a college in Malaysia.
“Being at Southern is okay,” Tan said. “I like the scenery.”
Tyrslai Williams, a sophomore and biology major from Baton Rouge, said Southern was not her first choice, but due to a series of unfortunate events, she was forced to call the Jaguar Nation home.
Williams said she started off at Dillard University but became homesick. The journey to find a school closer to home led her to Louisiana State University.
“I didn’t like the way students of color were treated,” Williams said. “You’re just a social security number to those people.”
Williams said she was supposed to attend Southern for the summer sessions and then go back to Dillard, but couldn’t due to Hurricane Katrina.
Despite her hardships, Williams said she has grown to like Southern despite what people tend to say about it.
“Southern is what you make it,” she said.