As a second-generation Aggie, North Carolina A&T was never simply a university. It was home before it ever became my home. 

Growing up, homecoming wasn’t just an event on the calendar. It was a family tradition. Every year, we packed our bags and traveled to Greensboro to reconnect with family, celebrate our Aggie roots and immerse ourselves in the unmatched energy of Aggie Pride. Those weekends created some of my earliest memories, and long before I submitted an application, I knew exactly where I belonged. By the time I enrolled as a freshman in 2007, I had already attended several homecomings and dreamed of continuing a legacy that meant so much to my family.  

My family’s roots at A&T run deep. Several of my aunts and uncles attended before the School of Engineering was established, and a host of cousins proudly followed in their footsteps. Choosing A&T wasn’t about taking the expected path. It was about honoring the generations before me while adding my own chapter to a story that continues to grow.  

Today, I smile knowing that one day my own children will understand why Aggie Pride has always been woven into the fabric of our family. I earned my B.A. in elementary education in 2011 and later returned to earn my M.A. in school administration in 2020. During my undergraduate years, I joined the Student North Carolina Association of Educators, where I found mentors, built lifelong friendships and developed leadership skills through networking opportunities that continue to shape my career. Today, as a senior manager in early literacy, I still rely on the foundation A&T gave me to lead, serve and advocate for students.  

A&T gave me an exceptional education, but it also gave me moments that helped define my life. I witnessed history during President Obama’s election in 2008, celebrated championships with classmates who felt like family and experienced the richness of Black excellence represented by students from every background imaginable. Those experiences reminded me that while our stories were different, our purpose and pride united us.  

Perhaps the greatest gift A&T gave me was introducing me to my husband, Newton Dennis, a fellow two-time Aggie alumnus and proud member of the Beta Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Together, we built a marriage rooted in the values we learned on this campus. A&T didn’t simply prepare us for careers. It gave us each other. It gave us lifelong friends, an incredible professional network, and a community that continues to pour into our lives. The family we are raising today is part of A&T’s legacy, too.  

Even as an alumna, A&T continues to shape my journey. The Aggie network has opened professional doors, created lifelong friendships and reminded me that no matter where I travel, Aggies have a way of finding one another. There is an immediate sense of belonging that cannot be explained, only experienced.  

Aggie Pride is more than a chant. It is heritage. It is tradition. It is family. It is a lifelong commitment to excellence, service and lifting as we climb. I am honored to be part of a multigenerational Aggie legacy, and I hope my story reflects what so many of us know to be true: once an Aggie, always an Aggie. 

Brittney Dennis ‘11, ‘20 

Photo by Jarrelle Harris @relnicephotography