SENIOR PROFILE: Success without shortcuts

Alexis Joyner

As May 12 approaches, Alexis Joyner spends her last few days making her last college memories.

Alexis Joyner came to Orangeburg from Washington, D.C., in 2013 to attend Claflin University as an early childhood education.

"After about a month and a half of field experience at Rivelon Elementary, I found my niche after recess one day. Human performance and recreation became my official major no more than a week after," Alexis says.

With prior skills in her field, she planned on furthering her education. So she decided to set her career path working with children with disabilities or who were abused.

Every morning as the sun rises and the birds chirp, Alexis gets a call from her loving mother Theresa Joyner to start her day.

Being from D.C. and going to school in South Carolina, figuring out what kind of career path you want to pursue gets hard. Especially because you must leave your family behind, but that will only push Alexis to finish her senior year strongly. 

Throughout her years being at Claflin University, she has been a part of the health alliance, started her own club on campus (The DMV Panthers). She became a part of the National Society of Leadership & Success, has been an English peer mentor, has served as an ambassador for incoming D.C. freshmen and even managed to create a physical education program for children.

"I didn’t come here knowing what to expect coming from a home where the subject of college was barely talked about. So no, I can’t say my time here has been a breeze or that I have been the best student, but I’ve put forth everything in me to make it at least this far without any shortcuts," Alexis says.

She is a hard worker. Very dedicated to what she does and what she puts her mind to. After graduation, Alexis Joyner is working at D.C. Parks & Recreation as a therapeutic facilitator.

Later she plans on going to grad school for her master's in recreational therapy at Indiana University.