A native of the Big Apple, Destaysia Davis had considered staying home for college, but her parents encouraged her to look further afield.
A college coach told her about the opportunities at SUNY Broome and Destaysia, still in high school, decided to pay a visit. The school impressed her – including the Student Village residence hall, which features kitchens and bathrooms in each suite.
Learn more about the Student Village.
Destaysia had an individualized educational plan in high school, so small classes and academic support were a must. She found both at SUNY Broome, and made frequent use of the Writing Center and Math Lab, as well as free tutoring for her Western Civilization class.
Learn about SUNY Broome’s Learning Assistance Department.
The Business Administration major will graduate this May and transfer to either Stony Brook University or Rutgers University at Camden to major in business.
“I want to do HR or start my own business in the future,” she said.
Learn about Business Administration at SUNY Broome.
In fact, she has a head start as an entrepreneur; she started a small eyelash business, Divine Lashes. She didn’t always imagine herself as a business owner, however.
“At first, I thought I was going to become a dental hygienist, but plans changed. I didn’t want to work for anyone else,” she explained.
Her favorite professors aren’t just limited to her chosen major. On the business front, Dr. Diana Heron has been a significant influence. “I took her for core courses; she’s a great teacher,” Destaysia said.
She also enjoyed Professor Victor Lamoureux’s biology class and Professor Adrienne Mauriello in math.
Outside of class, she became a leader in the residence hall that so impressed her during her campus visit.
“I like to be someone people can depend on,” she said of her decision to become a resident assistant (RA). “I wanted to get people out of their group and break down barriers.”
Student Village RAs are responsible for many aspects of residence hall life, including the educational and just plain fun programs offered to students there. Destaysia has facilitated programs on wellness, safe sex and marijuana use, as well as soap-making and yoga.
She and a group of fellow RAs went to a conference Stony Brook last fall, where they did a presentation on the different types of residential students and how to address their needs. She is also a part of a pep squad, under the leadership of Vice President for Student Development and Chief Diversity Officer Carol Ross, which aims to empower young black women in high school.
All in all, Destaysia Davis is glad she chose to embrace the unknown and head upstate for her first college degree.
“My experience here was great. This allowed me to become independent, to know what it is to be an adult and become a successful person,” she said.
Tags: Business and Professional Studies Division, Business: Business Administration AS, Profile
