Thank You Letter

Hello everyone,

I am writing to express my sincerest thanks for the well wishes I received upon graduation. It was not easy to come down here and start a fresh life for myself. In the beginning I missed home and went to New York almost every weekend!! However, when I became the President of Hampton University's Caribbean Student Pre-Alumni council, things began to move in a different direction. I realized the West Indian community in Hampton Roads is small but close. Coming from a community with a strong Caribbean population, and being so close to an organization like Sesame Flyers Int'l Inc., when I discovered VCACA, I thought, 'maybe Hampton won't be so bad'. The people I have met on my journey through my undergraduate experience have led my decision to reside in Hampton. I admire the desire with which VCACA and other organizations bring cultural awareness to an area that, despite its growing Caribbean population, still remains uninformed.

After finishing HU there are several things that I am interested in pursuing. I am a "renaissance woman". I have many talents and interests and I would not be complete or true to myself if I did not pursue them all. My interest in science and community service has led me to a free medical school program in Havana, Cuba. This program is through an organization based in New York called IFCO. They send 100 U.S. students to Cuba every year to go to medical school at no cost. They are then placed in areas of the world (mostly Central and South America and the W.I.) that are in need of doctors. I would also like to get a B.F.A. using the strong background I have in art and design. There is an accelerated program in London through American Intercontinental University that will help me achieve this in a short period of time. They sound like two totally different paths but, someday I wish to mesh the two along with my Psychology degree to do something related to art therapy.

I am currently working and looking for a place to live in the Hampton/Norfolk area because I have lived on campus for four years. I also plan to register for Science and Art classes I need to take as prerequisites for the schools I want to attend. I will complete the application processes between January-March. I look forward to my future because it is bright and I can feel God working in my life. I don't listen when people say you can't do so many things, or you should try to focus on one thing, because, God gave me gifts for a reason. These are things I love and I am determined to perform to my fullest potential in life. Now that school has come to a close, I would like to build a closer relationship with my VCACA family and continue to encourage more students and many others of West Indian decent in bringing cultural awareness to a city that is become more diverse everyday.

Thank you all very much for your continued support and guidance!!
Love,
Mahlanie Durant