Jayla Allen
Jayla Allen

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Degree

B.A. in Political Science
Marvin D. and June Samuel Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences

Which organizations were you a part of at PVAMU?

Honors College-Program, Blackstone Pre-Law Society, IGNITE, Student Government Association, The Panther Party, and Pi Sigma Alpha – Rho Nu Chapter (National Political Science Honor Society)

What are your plans post-graduation?

After graduation, I’ll be preparing for graduate school to obtain my Master’s Degree in public policy and Juris Doctor Degree. My overall career goals include becoming a Civil Rights Attorney, Politician, and a Law School Professor.

Why did you choose PVAMU?

Initially, I was not planning to attend PV, but my family pushed the school on me from the time my siblings and I were born. Three months before my high school graduation, I was planning to move out of state and attend another HBCU but soon realized God had other plans, and that plan was to come to PVAMU. That very plan and decision has been one of the greatest decisions thus far. I knew that I could grow at PVAMU. The school had so much to offer, but I also knew I had so much to offer PVAMU. It has been an honor to continue my family’s legacy and continued tradition of attending PVAMU. I’m forever grateful!

What does PVAMU offer that other universities do not?

PVAMU has given me opportunities that I never dreamed of while granting me the chance to obtain a first-class education and break through barriers across the board. PVAMU has given me the chance to grow as a young black woman, as a scholar, and as an activist. It has also given me a unique and one-of-a-kind experience with its campus, culture, and curriculum. I have no doubt that I could have excelled at another institution, but PVAMU has given me so much more…more than I could have ever imagined.

How do you feel PVAMU helped you to achieve your career goals?

One of the greatest opportunities I’ve had while at PVAMU was being appointed Precinct Chair 309 and being able to join a voting rights lawsuit as a plaintiff in the Fall of 2018. During the 2018 midterm election, four other students and I joined the NAACP Legal Defense Fund federal voting-rights lawsuit challenging the discriminatory allocation of early voting opportunities against PVAMU students by Waller County, Texas officials (where PVAMU is located). Joining the lawsuit has given me an outlook on civil rights law and, essentially, it has shown me what my future holds in reference to my future career.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-rural-texas-black-students-fight-for-voting-access-conjures-a-painful-past/2019/09/24/fa18e880-ca69-11e9-a1fe-ca46e8d573c0_story.html

What do you love most about PVAMU?

I can’t just pinpoint one thing. I LOVE PVAMU! I love my university for the legacy that I’ve been able to continue, the opportunities, and of course, my degree, but what I love most is the family I’ve gained while at PVAMU.

What is your advice to current students?

Take pride in your university. Get involved and have fun, but prepare for life after college. Understand everyone’s college experience is different. You will experience highs and lows-it honestly comes with being in college. Be sure to take care of yourself (mentally, physically, emotionally, and academically).