“Everything.” That is how Jazmor Jennings, a senior at Tennessee State University (TSU), describes the meaning of his four-year college career. Jennings explained that as he grew up in Anderson, Ind., with his parents absent for much of his life and being raised by community mentors, achieving a spot on the Dean’s List at a prestigious university was a goal he kept in mind.
“No other word evenly distributes the good, the bad, the excitement, the overwhelming, or the fun times. ‘Everything’ describes the successes and the failures of my journey,” said 22-year-old Jennings.
The Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper first met Jennings in 2011 when the prospective college student was seeking funds to attend TSU. Four years later and with much community support, he is now enrolled in the College of Health Sciences at TSU where he is studying to become a physical therapist.
“I will definitely be a physical therapist in five years. I am going to speak that into existence,” said the ambitious Jennings. “I will go to physical therapy school and graduate and in 10 years maybe own my own practice or earn my doctorate degree.”
He said he feels extremely honored that strangers, family members and friends contributed money to help him achieve his higher education goals.
“Whether it was $5 or $1,000, I told myself I would use it wisely and make the best of it,” commented Jennings. “I didn’t want to go to college with someone else’s money and play around. At the end of the day, I want people to know I did the right thing. Essentially I am working for those people and my siblings so they can see a successful African-American male.”
With an overall 3.4 grade point average and multiple Deans List certificates to show, Jennings said he owes much of his success to Jannette Mansfield, his college roommate’s mother, Jeanette Jones, his mentor and Ruth Jennings, his grandmother. He reflects back on the time each one of them have pushed, encouraged and shown him tough love.
With his grandmother now ill in the hospital, Jennings said bringing home a college degree will be one of his life’s most treasured moments.
“I would do anything for those women. Four years is a long time to support someone and they haven’t let me down,” he said.
Jones met Jennings, also known as “Jaz” four years ago through her daughter India, who was a classmate of his at Anderson High School and also attends TSU.
“His maturity, his focus and his willingness to succeed has grown tremendously and I’m so proud of him,” commented Jones, who said she speaks to Jennings a couple of times a month and often visits him when she travels to see her daughter.
Jones describes Jennings’ personality as “determined” due to his great desire to succeed no matter his surroundings.
“Although they aren’t my biological mother, we all know how powerful African-American women can be. It’s just amazing that they can speak to me as their child to get their point across where I am not offended,” stated Jennings. “It helped me get to where I am. If they weren’t as aggressive I wouldn’t have prospered.”
Growing up with six siblings, Jennings was always told by others who knew him that he would attend college. Although his two sisters and older brother have not attended college, he leads by example for his three younger brothers.
“After I left, there wasn’t a male figure in the house and things kind of got out of hand,” admitted Jennings. “But my three younger brothers are definitely encouraged and feel as if this is something they can do. They always say ‘I want to go to Tennessee State just like my brother’ which is pretty cool.”
He remembers his 14-year-old brother expressing to him that he wanted to attend college. While Jennings was surprised, he did nothing but provide encouraging words because he believes guidance is the key, especially when it comes to ending the violence in the city.
“For the youth, I feel many don’t have guidance. Not seeing someone do something you want to do is disappointing.”
In the meantime, Jennings said he will continue his studies until his set graduation date in May of 2015. While he will become the first in his family to graduate college, he has many people awaiting the moment when it is his turn to cross the stage, claim his diploma and turn the tassel.
“He is going to excel in whatever he pursues because someone gave him a foundation and helped him stand on that foundation,” said Jones. “What’s more important is that he knows he has support. His physical, social and spiritual transformation is amazing.”
