SENIOR PROFILE: His goal is to become HBCU president
By: KEN WHITE III
May 10, 2025
JaQuan Williams
Meet JaQuan Williams, a proud graduating senior from Ridgeville, South Carolina.
Majoring in psychology with a concentration in counseling therapy and a minor in education, JaQuan has spent the last four years growing into the man he is today — both personally and professionally — at »¨¶¼Ó°ÊÓ.
But JaQuan’s path to »¨¶¼Ó°ÊÓwasn’t exactly planned.
"»¨¶¼Ó°ÊÓwasn't my first choice," he admits with a laugh. "My senior year of high school, I was set on going to North Carolina A&T. That was the plan — no questions asked."
JaQuan had everything in place: acceptance, enrollment and a vision for his future. However, the cost of out-of-state tuition led his parents to encourage him to explore options closer to home.
Reluctantly, he began looking at in-state schools. USC Columbia caught his attention, but something didn’t sit right.
“I realized I didn’t want to go back to being a minority in the classroom. I wanted to be somewhere I felt valued, somewhere I was more than just another tuition check.”
That reflection led him back to »¨¶¼Ó°ÊÓ— a university he had applied to but never toured. It turned out to be one of the best decisions he ever made.
“»¨¶¼Ó°ÊÓgave me what I didn’t even know I needed,” JaQuan said. “It gave me a place to grow, not just academically, but as a person. I came in as a teenager at 18, and now I’m leaving at 22 as an adult who has learned to navigate life independently.”
From learning the basics of adulthood — doing laundry, managing responsibilities, making decisions without his parents’ approval — to finding his voice and purpose, JaQuan’s time at »¨¶¼Ó°ÊÓhas been transformative.
“I’ve made mistakes. I’ve learned. I’ve grown. And most importantly, I’ve built a family here — among students, faculty and staff.”
So, what’s next for JaQuan Williams?
After walking across the stage, he’ll be taking the next step in his academic journey. In August, he will begin a master’s program in higher education administration at North Carolina Central University.
His ultimate goal? To become a president of a historically Black college or university, continuing the legacy of empowerment and excellence he experienced at Claflin.