Ashanté Edwards
Name: Ashanté Edwards
Hometown: Charleston, SC
Year in School: Senior
Major: Psychology
Minor: Forensics
Coastal was familiar, it gave me an overwhelming feeling of home. Simultaneously it felt like I had this new opportunity to be independent and discover myself. My sister attended Coastal as well, and she always had great stories to tell and this broad and mature perspective. One semester she let me stay with her for a week and she gave me a “mini” tour of the campus. When she was in class, her friends took me around campus to the game room and the café, mostly to keep me busy. Even then, I had this great feeling of being welcomed and seeing her friends willing to sacrifice their time for me made me feel special. I mentally noted I wanted to experience my education in that environment, I wanted to build the bonds I witnessed shared between my sister and her friends.
As I come to end of my undergraduate career, I am proud of my accomplishments and failures. As a freshman, being away from home was a tough and a major wake up call. I had these expectations my college experience would be very similar to my sister and I discovered every student must walk their own path. I have joined different initiatives and clubs, I am a mentor and I work at CHANT411. I have proven to myself that I can balance academics and a social life, while still prioritizing my personal needs. I have blossomed into a loyal friend, a dependent coworker and a role model. I am thankful for every opportunity I have earned while at Coastal.