Aaliyah Gray

Traveling from the beautiful islands and cays of The Bahamas to the United States to pursue a degree was a reality that wasn’t a reality until I stepped foot on MTSU’s campus during a college road trip when I was in high school. I was fearful but excited for this next step in my life, and this start to my journey of pursuing a career in dentistry. Being away from home I feared feeling homesick and wanting to go back home, but the more and more I got involved on campus, MTSU became my second home.

Being the introvert that I am, I initially struggled to adapt to the social atmosphere of MTSU, but it was only a matter of time before I met so many different people to help me not feel alone. I love MTSU’s plethora of organizations because they enabled me to be active and to break out of my shell and grow.

One of the best decisions I made was to join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Becoming a part of that organization brought sisterhood immediately into my life, I have sisters that are my neighbors, sisters that support me in everything that I do, and even mentors/advisors that have helped me in my journey of applying to dental school. I wouldn’t trade my sisters for the world, nor my Advisors who I see as a mother away from home.

Not only did I involve myself in sorority life, but MTSU has many resources tailored for your career goals. For me, as a Pre-Dental student, I have gained interest in Pre-scripts, Delta Delta Sigma Pre-Dental Club, Biology Club, Black Students in Medicine, and many other groups to steer me in the right steps with my career path.

MTSU is a second home for me and it is bittersweet being a Senior, but I enjoyed my experience, and I am grateful to have transitioned from being in a different country with a different culture to be able to be respected and loved by all students that I’ve interacted with.