Gerald May ‘21
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (January 12, 2022) – Each year, Prairie View A&M University nominates five talented, graduating undergraduate students scheduled for spring graduation for the United Negro College Fund Achievement Capstone Scholarship. The latest recipient, Gerald May ‘21, who earned an English degree from PVAMU, has put the $3,000 award to good use at University of California, Riverside, where he is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts.
As a senior in PVAMU’s Honors Program, May wrote, directed, and edited a short film titled Paranoia, which was screened at The People’s Film Festival 2021 and the 2021 San Francisco Black Film Festival.
We caught up with May in between his studies at UC Riverside for a talk about the impact of the UNCF scholarship, life in a California graduate school program, and any future projects that readers could be on the lookout for in the future.
Q: What impact has PVAMU’s Honors Program had on your achievements?
A: My time at Prairie View really helped shape me into who I am today. I met so many wonderful people and had so many life-changing experiences; I honestly don’t think that I would have had a better undergrad experience anywhere else.
Q: What does your time at Prairie View A&M mean to you as a graduate?
A: The Honors Program really reinforced the idea of excelling at whatever one does in life. You may not always be successful, but in whatever you do, you should always put your best foot forward. I try to remember that whenever I’m faced with a task that seems daunting. Also, it was the Honors Program that made me consider going to graduate school; if it wasn’t for them, I likely wouldn’t be in my graduate program today.
Q: What do you think of UC Riverside?
A: I love it! The first time I walked on campus, I felt like an ant; the buildings feel enormous, and I’ve barely scratched the surface of seeing all that the campus has to offer. I went to the student health center for a general checkup, and that area of UCR feels like a different place entirely. The school is also surrounded by mountains and many local spots, so there is always something to do nearby, whether it be taking a hike or trying out a new restaurant.
Q: How did your time at Prairie View A&M help prepare you for graduate school at UC Riverside?
A: At Prairie View, I constantly proved to myself that I was capable of doing things that I previously thought I was incapable of. I was constantly put into rigorous situations, and since failure wasn’t an option, I was forced to rise to the occasion. This subsequently made me more confident in my abilities, and looking back on my accomplishments at Prairie View helps me remember that I earned my place here and that I can handle the work.
Q: What does it mean to be the recipient of such a prestigious award from UNCF?
A: It’s a huge honor! I almost didn’t think I was going to get it, but I’m so happy that I did. It’ll help greatly with covering my living expenses out here.
Q: What’s the latest on Paranoia? Is it set for additional screenings?
A: That chapter of my life is closed. It was my first real short film, and it was really a team effort to produce it; I learned so much from that experience. But I’m happy that I was able to get it into three film festivals. It now lives happily on YouTube. I’m going to use what I learned in making that film to go even harder on my next one.
Q: What’s your latest project? Is there anything you would like to share about it?
A: My latest “projects” are assignments for my classes, so I’m working on scripts for a movie and a half-hour comedy. I’m still figuring out the movie script, and I don’t want to reveal too much about my comedy pilot; what I will say is that it has the same tone as Insecure and Atlanta in its storytelling. Hopefully you guys can see it on the screen one day!
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about the impact of the UNCF scholarship?
A: I would just like to thank Dr. Quincy Moore, [director of the Honors Program at PVAMU], for recommending me for the award and for all of the help and support that he has given me over the years. He’s been the one to believe in me when I didn’t believe in myself, and for that, I’m forever grateful. I know that I can always come to him for support, guidance, or just to talk.
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For more information on this and other available awards, visit the UNCF scholarships page. The PVAMU scholarships page also offers information on available financial aid opportunities, which includes scholarships, grants, and more.
By Kerry Laird
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