PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Last August, Jerrilynn Taplin posted to social media that her vision board was becoming a reality.
“Praying and pushing! I have arrived!” she said, posting alongside her message a photo of her Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) identification card as she prepared for the start of the fall semester.
Jerrilynn Taplin
The first-year student on “The Hill” was on her way to receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from PVAMU after obtaining an Associate of Arts degree in Communication from Houston Community College.
“Ms. Taplin raised five children as a single parent and had a wonderful spirit and sense of humor. When her granddaughter and current PVAMU student Tae-Lor Griffin was accepted for admission, Ms. Taplin decided this would be a great time to start her journey,” said Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Steven Ransom.
Taplin, who had just turned 60 in December, had a passion for broadcasting. She couldn’t wait to begin her new path at PVAMU.
“Habakkuk 2:2: Then the Lord said, ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run that readeth it!’” she wrote within her first month of attending PVAMU.
Heartbreakingly, Taplin died this month, in the middle of her quest to join the PVAMU alumni ranks.
“She said upon starting at PVAMU, ‘I can complete my requirements and graduate with my grandbaby!’ The family was looking forward to that occasion,” said Ransom. Taplin comes from a strong background of PVAMU graduates, which includes her children.
Taplin’s family will celebrate her life and legacy this Saturday, January 23, at Loving Word Fellowship Church in Houston. Additional information concerning the service is forthcoming.
“Please keep the Taplin family, friends, and classmates in your thoughts and prayers,” said Ransom.
-PVAMU-