Support John's Journey to Morehouse College

My Journey to Morehouse College

If you were to ask me about my road to Morehouse, I could say there were many starting points in my life. Like when I was a young Afro-Latino who had to attend all-white schools in the suburbs because Hartford's schools were failing significantly at providing me and other children the highest quality of education. It could be when I was an adult working with youth involved in gang violence, knowing they could die any day. Or when my nephew entered the foster care system, and I would do anything to get him out. Wherever this road began is irrelevant because, for me, this road only has two more stops and one destination. In the Spring, Morehouse College informed me that I was one of six students from Capital Community College accepted to transfer students in the Fall of 2024. My dream is honestly now within my reach! Two more stops, and finally, I will arrive as the BLACK PSYCHIATRIST!

As the fall semester approaches, the reality sets in about the cost of my future. In the literal sense, my future comes down to a bill. Morehouse College, a top five HBCU and a top 100 liberal arts college in America costs a pretty penny. Although I have been awarded scholarships, grants, and federal funding, I still have a significant amount of tuition due and must be paid before I begin my journey at Morehouse. I have tried to apply for private loans, and unfortunately, the you you're growing to be still must pay for the mistakes of the you you used to be. I am more than willing to take on the debt of attending a prestigious university. Still, unfortunately, I do not qualify, and although my family supports me, they, too, do not qualify.

I write this letter to call all the impactful influencers of my life and ask them to stand on the words of belief they preached to me. I am lucky enough to have a community build me up to get into Morehouse, but it would be a blessing if that community showed up and made sure I got to Morehouse. I know there are no free rides in life, but I swear I will do more than pay it forward!

At the age of 28, I understood that after a decade of working in local nonprofits, there was a glass ceiling that a young Black man could achieve in this arena without a degree. Also, after a decade of serving my community, I lost faith in nonprofits. If I were to work and serve my community, it would be for a higher purpose. With counsel from mentors, I decided to radically change my life and enroll as a full-time student to become a psychiatrist. I enrolled as a full-time adult student at Capital Community College (now CT State Community College - Capital Campus).

Ironically, that same year, Capital Community College announced a partnership with Morehouse College, creating the Bridge to Morehouse program that would make a pipeline from Hartford, Connecticut, to the legendary HBCU in Atlanta, Georgia. I always wanted to be a doctor, but I never knew I could until I saw my healing effect on my community. Once Capital opened the door for me, I was ready to accept my journey.

It had been over a decade since I received formal education. The journey was arduous and frightening, but I saw no other future for myself. As an adult with bills who fully supports themselves, I found the work/life balance challenging, but I still rose to the occasion. After my first semester, I was on the dean's list, and Phi Beta Kappa invited me to join them. Even after being laid off for six months and under-employed for another four, that did not deter my education journey. With the support of the faculty at Capital, I got a fantastic job as a program manager for the Chrysalis Center, Inc. I ran a food pantry that serves over fifty households a week here in Hartford -- the city I grew up in. On top of the recognition I was getting from work, Trinity College accepted me into their Liberal Arts Action Lab, and I was able to conduct impactful research that affects my community. I was honored to speak at my school's annual gala and introduce Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. At the annual Pennington Lectures. My greatest accomplishment was on March 31, 2024, when I read my acceptance letter from Morehouse College. I've done more with my life in just two years than in the past decade.

However, some past errors cannot be erased so quickly. My inability to secure a student loan will prevent me from attending Morehouse. Morehouse College's motto is "Et Facta Est Lux", which is Latin for "And there was light." I pray that my village shows up in numbers and with funds. Please consider contributing to my GoFundMe. This way, I will not only be accepted but also enrolled in the dream!

Sincerely,

John Jaylen Gwynn

Articulation agreement with Morehouse CollegeCT New Six Men of Morehouse