by Horace Holloman Parker Blair spent her early 20s focused on helping others through community organizing and nonprofit work.
Now 30, Blair said she has been focused in recent years on her personal growth and development as she prepares to graduate from Georgia State University in December with a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies and forges ahead with a dual bachelor's and master’s in Religious Studies in 2024.
Blair, who initially went to college at Howard University, took a break from her studies. Family members, especially her father who died a few years ago, encouraged her to return to college.
“My father always wanted this for me, to finish my schooling,” Blair said. “For a long time, he just wanted me to focus on what I could do to make myself better and he felt coming back to school was a way I could do that.”
Growing up in Washington D.C., Blair spent years involving herself in community activism and supporting nonprofit organizations while studying chemical engineering at Howard.
As a full-time student, Blair also hosted workshops on racism and activism for Social Justice Synergy, a consulting firm in D.C.
She said she ended up leaving college after three years without earning a degree because she was burned out and sick.
“I dedicated my entire life to others’ wellness and that wasn’t always in my best interest,” Blair said. “I decided to come back to school to give back to myself.”
After taking an extended break, Blair decided to attend Georgia State after hearing positive reviews from friends and family. Blair’s uncle, an official with DeKalb County government, helped her relocate to Georgia and start a new phase of her life.
Coming to the Africana Studies department gave Blair a fresh perspective on life, she said.
“I thoroughly enjoyed Georgia State and the Africana Studies department,” Blair said. “They care and want to see us succeed long after we graduate.”
Blair is participating in Georgia State’s 4+1 program, which allows qualified students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s in as little as five years by counting some coursework toward both degrees.
“Being in the 4+1 program was really beneficial because it provided me with the challenge I was looking for,” said Blair, who is pursuing a B.A. and M.A. in Religious Studies. “I needed the extra push to challenge myself as a scholar and it got me to the point that I know I’m ready for the next steps.”
After Blair earns her master’s in Religious Studies, she isn’t sure what her next step will be career-wise, but she’s not ready to give up on college. She plans to push ahead and pursue a Ph.D in the discipline.
-Photo by Raven Schley