For 19-year-old Ja’Mya Garland, selecting Allen Community College was a natural choice.
“It reminded me of home,” she said.
Garland, a freshman majoring in pre-veterinary medicine, grew up in the small southern Arkansas town of Gurdon, with a population of 1,836.
Garland was one of dozens of ACC students honored at Friday’s annual Scholarship Luncheon at the college.
“The people here are delightful and the community is very family oriented,” she noted of Iola. “I wanted to be around people who would take me in and treat me as their own, so I chose to come here.”
Garland’s goal of becoming a veterinarian stems from growing up on a farm.
“I’m a country girl,” she said, adding she used to raise cows and chickens. “Right now, I just have a dog and a cat.”
HER ASPIRATIONS stretch far beyond Allen’s campus. After earning her associate degree, Garland plans to continue her education — and her athletic career — by completing her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees.
“I would love to attend Louisiana State University,” she noted. “I am a Bayou girl, through and through. I love Louisiana… everything about it.”
On the side, Garland aspires to sell real estate.
“I have really big dreams,” she said.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Garland plays center on the Allen women’s basketball team. Standing 6’2”, her height and friendly nature make her a standout presence both on and off the court.
“I love my teammates,” she said. “We do a lot of team bonding, which makes it a home away from home for all of us.”
Garland credits her coaches, Leslie Crane and Jim Papen, for encouraging her to stay strong during challenging times.
“I’ve had some setbacks and when I was falling, they would pick me up,” she said.
At Friday’s luncheon, Garland was honored with the Caryn Beth George Memorial Scholarship in recognition of her success in the classroom and on the basketball team. “My experience at Allen has been a blast,” said Garland. “I get to meet so many new people and I have to break so many different language barriers.”
Building friendships with international students has been one of the highlights of her college experience. In her dorm, which includes a kitchen, Garland often hosts dinners and gatherings for friends and teammates. “Some of my international friends are a long way from home, so it’s nice to have this closeness and the ability to come together for one another,” she said. “We also have game nights. It’s been amazing.”
Looking ahead to summer break, Garland is excited to head home to Arkansas.
