Dr. Roderick Heath '06

B.A., Mass Communications

Former Director of the Men’s Achievement Center

A rocky start 

"I grew up gifted, but in the wrong environment. I was the first to go to college in my family – I had a sports scholarship to play football, and then flunked out and left the school – I was a lost young man. After getting into some trouble one night, a friend saw me and said, 'You’re going to be dead or in jail if you don’t change things.' He was transferring to NCCU and saw my potential; he was my guardian angel. I knew my football dreams were over, but before I went to sleep that night, I decided to go back to college. I was tired of being the youngest one working in the factory, watching older men day in and day out with no purpose, and I couldn’t do that forever. I studied for the SAT, applied to NCCU, then started calling the admissions office every day until I found out I was accepted. I was a 22-year-old freshman living in the dorm because I gave up everything to be there, and I didn’t have much: two bags of clothes and a pair of shoes. When I stepped on campus, my life changed – I saw people with dreams, missions and passions – but I had high anxiety, imposter syndrome, low self-esteem and lots of issues in my suitcase." 

The turning point 

"Early in my time at NCCU, I started getting into trouble again, and I got called into office of the Dean of Students. He didn’t know me personally before that, but he knew who I was on campus, and he realized I had been letting out the anger and pain I had from my past and allowing it to get in the way of my potential – he saw more in me. He had to suspend me because of my actions, but said if I agreed to go to counseling, I could come back when I was healthy. I went home that summer and worked through my issues, and it allowed me to have a new mindset. I tell everyone now if you have these feelings, get some help. If you’re carrying baggage, healing is ahead of you if you do the work. He could’ve thrown me out for good, but he took a chance on me. It taught me a lot – that was the turning point of my life. I knew the chance I had been given, and others saw a gift in me that I didn’t see in myself. When I came back, my brain was clear; I knew how to make the right decisions, I was involved all over campus, my grades sky-rocketed, I began taking pictures as the editor for the student newspaper, Campus ECHO, and I was refreshed and renewed. I became someone even I didn’t recognize, and I was able to graduate in three years. NCCU saved my life, so my mission now is to help others." 

Spinning a web of connections 

"Now I have my doctoral degree with research in non-cognitive behaviors because the people at NCCU cared and gave me the ability to break through those barriers. I worked in multiple roles in my early career, and then NCCU reached out and asked me to consider this position because I could work with young people coming from similar backgrounds as me, and it became my passion. I call it a lottery DNA – you never know what family or who you’re going to be born into, but that’s not anyone’s fault, so I wanted to help future students understand that no matter where you came from, you don’t have to be that. I learned to have empathy for all situations and backgrounds, and I wanted to help more young men who looked like me realize that what you see in the streets and the traits you grew up with, you don’t have to do that. I see brilliant young men who don’t realize their potential become confident, well-spoken and break generational curses. I get to watch these young men graduate, start careers, become scholars and fathers, and eventually become my friends, and I challenge them to do the same. I’m building a spiderweb so that these young people can take what they learned and spread it to others through these connections that can take you places money never can. Every day, I wake up and say, 'Who am I going to help today?' – I know that the work I’m doing is appreciated, and my work matters."   

Global growth 

"The more I work with the Men’s Achievement Center (MAC) and African-American Male Initiative (AAMI), the more I want to build and grow it. This program is one of the first in the nation, and we’ve been able to put it in structure. My goal is to expand this program to all males on campus, if at least the freshman population, which will grow retention and the male population on campus as a whole. One way we’re doing this is through giving them confidence in how they present themselves, both in the way they communicate and how they dress. Each of the 40 young men in the incoming class receives a maroon blazer, and then they receive a gold one when they graduate to represent wealth, health and brotherhood. We’re also growing in other populations, so our Latino students wear gray blazers, and our African Alliance students from Ghana wear green blazers, a symbol of the earth and resources. We want everyone to find a place of belonging, so we’re in the process of launching a study abroad program in partnership with Ghana University for the purpose of building a similar program there. We currently have a 30-day summer program, and eventually, we will be able to offer students a full semester or year exchange program to experience other cultures and broaden their experience. We’ve also partnered with female students on campus to grow healthy relationships. I help bring up these Eagles, and they then become the birds that soar in other places to push the program forward and bring others into the program as we continue to grow." 

3 Eagle Sisters

Marion Taylor Bunch Holloway '74, '78, B.S., Behavioral and Social Sciences, Master of Library Science

Naomi Taylor Totten '79, B.M., Music Education

Teressa Taylor Huff '89, B.S., Political Science

"As African American women coming from the farm and walking onto this campus, there’s a family feel here, and it teaches you things you wouldn’t have known because you get to meet a variety of people with different backgrounds and you learn to accept them for who they are. Due to our upbringing at home and our experiences as students of NCCU, we were given the opportunity to show ourselves how we can influence other people. We have grown personally and professionally to ensure that everyone that we come in contact with will be able to receive some form of education."

Our shared path

"When we were young, our parents were sharecroppers, and we had two older brothers. Neither of our parents had a high school education and nobody had been to college, so they always told us that education opens opportunity. One day, the landowner asked our dad to keep our older brothers out of school to get the crop on his land, and he refused, so the landowner kicked our family off the land. Our dad didn’t know where to go with his family or what to do next, but he knew that education was the key to freedom. That tenacity, grit and firmness highlighted how important education was, because he gave up everything for us to have it. Thankfully, we were able to move to a farm owned by our mom’s family, and we lived down a dirt path in the woods with no indoor toilet. We worked hard on the tobacco farm and later in the textile mill, and we were taught to be independent, knowing that through education, there was a better life out there for us."

Marion Taylor Bunch Holloway:
the trailblazer

"I was the first girl of the children, so I saw myself more as a caretaker than a regular sister. I was very serious as a child. If you saw a picture of me, you wouldn’t have seen a smile. School was an outlet for me because I loved books and studying, and it was my way of escaping. In 3rd grade, my teacher was the teacher librarian, and that’s what I wanted to be. I went through desegregation as a senior in high school, so some of my ties and friendships were separated, and I was attracted to NCCU because there were people who looked like me. When I was accepted there, that was it. My sophomore year, I realized NCCU offered a master’s degree in library science, and I had forgotten my dream because I thought it didn’t sound exciting or prestigious, so it was at NCCU when that dream came together. NCCU prepared me for the transformation and innovation happening in education and library sciences at the time so that I could truly be a leader. Now, I smile a lot more, I really do."

Naomi Taylor Totten: finding her voice

"Five years later, I came along. I was the quietest growing up, and I didn’t want to be seen; I tried to be invisible as a way of protecting myself. I am an introvert, but I had a hidden confidence – I needed to be given the opportunity to shine, but I didn’t feel it at first. We saw a change in Marion when she came back from school, and I liked what I saw. I wanted to become more vocal and assured in myself. I didn’t want to sit back and allow others to make decisions for me, so I went to NCCU too. When I walked into the college classroom, a professor said to me, 'You need to communicate and let people know what you think,' and I really appreciate that. I did have ideas of my own, and that was a metamorphosis for me. For the first time, I felt important – I was important, and I could add to the story. The students we got to know had their own stories, cultures, and dreams. They became an extension of my family as part of my growth process. Those relationships helped feed what I wanted to become, and I went into music education to give others a voice, too."

Teressa Taylor Huff: a unique journey

"As the baby girl of the family, I am the sister who was the most different and unique. Growing up, I went to the fields to 'heish tobaccah,' and took on a lot of the farm work. I wanted to go to college because I had a hard time going through desegregation and saw both of my sisters transform into these beautiful, strong women, so I wanted to have that freedom too. I had lived most of my life being everyone’s little sister, so once I got to NCCU, I was able to see the culture and find out who I was. My professors helped me to speak up, and I learned to argue facts. It brought something totally different out of me: I’m a fact-finder now. I see what NCCU did for me – I felt accepted by a community that not only looked like me, but also those who didn’t. It helped me realize that I am somebody, and it gave me confidence and an opportunity to hone what was already in me. I realized the fight that I had, and I was able to manage it and realize I wasn’t angry at people from the past, but at ideas. I started out in the political science field and then became an educator to honor my dad."

A reflection on leadership

"We all hold post-graduate degrees now and are leaders in our communities because of two reasons. One: our parents pushed us to go to school and become educated so that their past struggles would end with us, and two: NCCU took it to another level to show the art of the possible so that we would break limitations. Education was encouraged, and within those expectations, there may have been a ceiling, but being able to be away from home and in a setting at NCCU, the ceiling was so much higher and broader, and we were able to see and experience more to truly lead in our careers. Where we came from, it was about who you knew, not who was truly qualified. Education opened the door for us, and without the avenue of NCCU, we shudder to think what our lives would have been like. It gave us the tools to use our voices, and because we are really involved in other people’s lives as educators, we can help others be the best version of themselves that they can be. The people we met and the culture there allowed us to learn that no matter your background or where you came from, you have a voice and something to say, and there would be people willing to listen."

Transforming the present

"We have a nephew who’s dubbed us The Three Wisewomen, and when the three of us get together, we’re known as a force to be reckoned with. We didn’t soar in areas that most people write about, but we soared as educators. Our trajectory was positively transformed by NCCU, and we have accomplished great things as individuals while continuing to serve others and help them also obtain greatness."

Taysha Elliot '21

B.S., Nursing

Clinical Nurse, NICU, Duke University Hospital

"You should consider NCCU because no matter what field or major you’re interested in, you’ll have an armful of people willing to help you with your success. If you voice where you want to go, the professors, alumni, and other students will be there to share information and support you. The sky is truly the limit because you have the support there."

Seeing the cycle

"I grew up in North Philly in a not-so-great neighborhood, and it put me in a position to repeat the cycle of the people around me, but I used it as a motivation to stay away from the bad choices, so that’s the core of what pushes me to excel. I saw a lot of the friends I grew up with get into drugs, go to prison, and even lose their lives. It hit me because we weren’t just rebellious kids having fun. If you stay in that rut, you will be on a dark path. The kids I grew up with on the same street are no longer here, and I knew I had to do something better. Coupled with that motivation, NCCU has given me the support I needed to succeed in my career."

Striving forward

"During my time in nursing school, I noticed how helpful everyone was in pushing me forward and helping me to envision where I could plant my feet after graduation. NCCU really pushed professionalism and how you carry yourself. That carried me through all of my clinicals, so when I interacted with nurses and patients, I was able to represent the university in a positive way. We usually wore burgundy scrubs, and it would differentiate me as an NCCU student. I would walk through hospitals during clinicals and hear nurses say, 'Look at those NCCU nurses! Eagle Pride!' Growing up, all odds were stacked against me, and you can take the easy way or the hard route and stay focused – and I’m proud of where I am today because of that."

The path becomes clear

"The first day I got to do a clinical rotation in pediatrics, it all felt right – and I knew I had found my specialty when I got to shadow in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I had an opportunity to meet the nurse manager who happened to be in her office, and I was nervous and speechless, but I didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity. In that moment, I remembered one of my instructors had encouraged me to network with the nurses. I could hear her voice in my head saying, “You’re already there and that’s how you are going to get a job, so open your mouth and say something.” So, I introduced myself and explained I was passionate about this population and that I wanted to work in this area in the future."

Future-ready before graduation

"During senior year, NCCU nursing school requires a class to prepare you for the NCLEX, and a lot of other schools don’t have that – you graduate and figure it out on your own. I had the support of a coach to help me along the journey, so I studied every day and passed my state board before graduation, which had never been done before by an NCCU graduate. In my final semester, I got an email from the nurse manager that I had met in my peds clinicals six months prior – she remembered me and informed me about a position opening in the unit, and I knew that would be my job. I applied and already had a job lined up to start in May upon graduation."

Full-circle moments

"Now, I’m working in the NICU and I always get comments about how I’m so professional, and NCCU played a big role in that. When I see NCCU students come into the unit, I can be a source of motivation for them because I was once there. They can see themselves in me and know they can get to the other side. I wouldn’t hesitate to talk to students now about what to expect once they graduate and to stay the course, because they’ll be prepared for their future too."

Nicolette Cumberbatch '20

B.S., Nursing

Traveling Nurse for Underserved Populations

"I’ve been through obstacles, and I want to give back. I want people to have access to care. For those in certain environments, they may not, and that’s where my calling is. I want to help people who may not have health literacy and be able to share with them that knowledge and care at an affordable cost. NCCU gave me the confidence to do anything I set my mind to."

A shared goal

"My mom was a registered nurse, and she had always wanted to get her full Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree to have more opportunities for her future. When it was time for me to go to college, I wanted to pursue nursing because of her influence, so she asked me how I felt about us doing it together, and I thought it was a great idea. I knew she had been through a lot of hardships, so we made it a goal to accomplish together, and we moved to North Carolina to attend NCCU at the same time. I was so excited to have this shared goal with my mom."

Hectic schedules

"During our time in school, we quickly realized that being able to do your classes and clinicals in the timeline given is hectic and hard. If you’re not in class, you’re at clinicals. If you’re not in either, you’re studying. The nursing professors really supported us in that because they knew it was hard. There were times we could sit down with them and say, 'I’m struggling,' and they helped us. There were times I wasn’t sure if I’d make it happen, but the NCCU professors and staff gave us the support, help, and direction we needed to make it happen. NCCU definitely fulfilled its promises to me. The curriculum that they set out is very concise and easy to follow, and they wanted to make sure I could stay on track and earn my degree in 4 years."

Hardship arrives

"When my mom and I were in the program together, she was in fine health, from what we knew. Then the year before we finished, we found out she had stage IV pancreatic cancer. It was a shock, and she wasn’t given long to live, so she wrote out a goal that she wanted to be alive to see us graduate together. She fought so hard to make it until the next May, and unfortunately, she did not. After diagnosis, she lived a year and 2 months, and passed away in February 2020, just 3 months before our graduation. Before she passed, she said to me, 'You’re going to finish.' It was so hard – I didn’t want to go to class anymore, and emotionally I was down, but surrounded by people who didn’t allow me to stay down. My classmates and professors carried me to that finish line and made sure I had my emotional and financial needs met so that I could be where I am today."

Pressing forward

"We did her service on spring break to make it work with my school schedule. My professors were so understanding and helpful, so with the support of those around me, I did what I had to do to make it work. I had made a promise to my mom, and nothing could interfere with completing my degree on time. Right after my mom’s funeral in New York, the whole world shut down due to the pandemic. It was tough to get the clinical hours we needed to graduate, and that 4-year timeline was tested, but NCCU made it happen. During that time, I was caring for very sick and dying patients, which was so tough after dealing with my mom’s death so recently. It kind of felt like I was just thrown in the trenches of war."

Giving back

"It wasn’t until I went into my community health clinical rotation at Lincoln Community Health Center where I found my passion. It ignited my fire, and I wanted to give back to underserved populations who deserve access to care. You don’t know what others go through until you experience it for yourself. I’m a travel nurse now, and I work with those populations to make sure I can give back and make a difference for people to have access to care at a low or no cost. That’s what I want to do – help people who usually can’t get it, and as a nurse, I can make an emotional connection and help them understand and simplify medical terminology to make sure they understand what’s happening to their life, I can be an integral part of their healthcare. My mom would be so proud, and my heart is so full."

Passing the torch

"Before my mom passed, she was on track to finish – so the Dean, our professors, and NCCU made sure that she was still awarded her degree at graduation, just like we had planned. I put on my graduation cap, 'I am my mother’s wildest dream,' and now, I’m fulfilling the goals and passions that she had, and I’m walking in her footsteps and legacy. She was able to accomplish a lot in her nursing career, and she was on fire, so she passed that torch to me to continue to be a great nurse, to make opportunities for others, and to help others. I’m doing the things I know she wanted to accomplish and couldn’t because of the circumstances, and now I can do that for her. Literally, I am her wildest dreams, so I can’t let her down, and I will always keep pushing."