CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's Fall 2023 School of Arts, Media, & Communication "Outstanding Islander Graduate award is going to a woman who’s beaten incredible odds.
Ila Pridgeon showed her resilient character was bigger than the isolation, family loss, and other obstacles she faced when she began her college career in the fall of 2020.
"I came to TAMU-CC during a global pandemic and it was still online so I felt very isolated. I was also very nervous because I felt this pressure to succeed to make sure that the kids behind me in my family can see the example that I’m setting," Pridgeon said.
But that pressure turned into a first-generation college graduate.
"So being a first-generation college student, I felt really proud because I am the first one to graduate in my grandmother's bunch," she said.
Pridgeon was able to combat the feelings of isolation and pressure by giving back to her community by helping others.
"So I am a career peer mentor at the Career and Professional Development Center. I [also] signed up to be a sexual assault advocate with the Purple Door. And it was a wonderful experience. I love all the information I was able to learn. And I love the people that I was able to connect with and have these really important conversations," she said.
Prigeon said she is now applying to several graduate schools for a master's degree in international relations.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
