New semester means another step closer for MCC sophomore’s goals
Meridian Community College sophomore Cha'Kiya Smith is looking forward to Spring Semester
2023 beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
The 20-year-old Waynesboro native sees the start of the new semester as another step closer to her academic goals.
"This is my last year at MCC, and I’ll be going to Ole Miss,” Smith said about her plans to become a pharmacist. Though she's excited about graduating in May and moving on to the university, Smith is making the most of her MCC experience; she lives on campus and is a work-study student in the College's Admissions Office. She's also a Dean's List scholar. Those students have a grade point average of 3.25 to 4.0 on a scale of 4.0.
Smith's decision to start her educational journey at MCC was based on the encouragement of family and friends, and she believes it was the right move for her. "I wanted to start at a community college; I knew a community college (education) would be a good thing," Smith said.
Her ambition to pursue a career in pharmacology stems from her desire to help others and her love of science. When young, Smith said she would help her ill grandmother with her medicine. "She had all these pills to take. So, I took it upon myself to make sure she was taking them, and I would read about the pills," she said.
When she is not focusing on her studies, Smith embraces her rural roots by taking part in her family farm related tasks and delving into a good mystery book.