PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (September 25, 2020) – By students, for students, the Products of Prairie View website offers an array of inspiring student and alumni profiles across a spectrum of disciplines.
Courtesy: Giovanni Medellin
Recognizing and highlighting profound achievements, the student-led website seeks to motivate current Panthers, facilitate mentorship, promote alumni giving, and encourage new generations of highly motivated students to attend Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU).
Devyn Allen, a senior computer science major at PVAMU, launched the website in August 2019 after gaining inspiration from his roommate while interning at Apple.
“Last summer, I roomed with my friend and recent Morehouse College graduate Jared Bryson,” Allen said. “He was working on an initiative, WeAreMenofMorehouse.com. I loved the idea so much that I decided to bring it to PVAMU.”
Allen built and paid for the Products of Prairie View website through Squarespace. He eventually plans to pass it down to someone as passionate about PVAMU as himself.
“I love a lot of things about PVAMU, but if I had to choose one, it would be that it continues to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for all students,” he said. “PVAMU was founded to serve and educate all people, not just those fortunate to have guidance and resources prior to enrolling. Everyone deserves to receive a college education and become more than what their previous environments made them to be, and I am grateful PVAMU afforded me the chance to be an example of this.”
Allen enjoys displaying the opportunities that PVAMU offers students because it is something he wished he knew as a prospective college student.
“I mostly find people to profile through social media,” Allen said. “I look to highlight students and alumni that convey the Prairie View motto [Prairie View Produces Productive People] and who want to share the positive impact PVAMU has had on their lives. I believe this is best displayed through leadership on and off campus, scholarly and professional achievements, community service, and research.”
Allen says he felt compelled to create Products of Prairie View and give back to the PVAMU community as a way of paying it forward for all the opportunities he has received during his time as a Panther.
“I launched this website because I don’t want other students to make the same mistake I almost did,” Allen said. “In high school, PVAMU was second to last on my list of potential colleges, and I never bothered to visit. While YouTube videos showed me the fun of campus, I struggled to visualize the business or professional opportunities available. If I had not enrolled at PVAMU, I would have missed out on two internships at Apple as a software engineer, a semester at Google as a Tech Exchange scholar, and I wouldn’t have co-founded a startup.”
Allen believes the Products of Prairie View website is especially important now as campus visits are limited.
“While prospective students look to attend the best HBCUs, I believe this website will make PVAMU an even stronger contender,” he said. “As campus visits move virtual, this platform can help students learn what PVAMU is about and hopefully help them in their decision process.”
Devyn Allen
Students or alumni interested in sharing their story with Products of Prairie View can apply at popv1876.com/apply.
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By Kendall Hebert