Being an Aggie isn’t just something I became, it has always been a part of who I am. Long before I enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University, I experienced the magic of The Greatest Homecoming On Earth as a child. I remember standing alongside the parade with excitement, eagerly waiting for the Blue and Gold Marching Machine drumline to break down and march through the streets. Those moments planted the seed of what it truly meant to be an Aggie.  

In 2006, I proudly stepped onto campus as a freshman, ready to begin a new chapter. N.C. A&T became more than a university, it became home. It was where I gained my independence, built lifelong friendships that became family and created memories that still make me smile. From working my first work-study job in admissions, writing for The A&T Register in my journalism class, enjoying Holland Bowl movies, shopping in the bookstore and C-Store for my dorm essentials, to using my Flex dollars on a personal pan meat lover’s pizza from Pizza Hut or grabbing Krispy Kreme with friends — every experience shaped who I am.  

Some of my favorite memories include snowball fights after Greensboro’s rare snowfalls, football victories, NxLevel parties and events, spring break trips, and, of course, GHOE. Whether it was the parade, the football game, social events or simply gathering on “The Yard,” there was an undeniable sense of belonging. No matter where you were, hearing someone yell “Aggie Pride!” instantly connected you to a family that spans generations.  

That Aggie spirit didn’t end at graduation. Celebrating with my classmates during the Swag Surf at commencement was the perfect ending to one chapter and the beginning of another. Today, I have the privilege of serving my alma mater as an administrative support specialist in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T. Every day I walk on campus, I am reminded that I am living the dream I once imagined as a little girl watching the GHOE parade.  

When I received my breast cancer diagnosis in 2020 (I’m now a survivor), the first shirt I received was a pink N.C. A&T shirt in support of the breast cancer awareness movement. The Aggie Pride was with me then.  

I come from an Aggie family, and now my son proudly carries on the legacy as an Aggie Pup. The love, pride and honor I have for the greatest and most illustrious historically Black university is unmatched. Being an Aggie isn’t just where I went to school — it’s who I am.  

And wherever two Aggies meet, there’s only one proper greeting: “Aggie Pride!”