Ross Kirby
Regional development senior

What song has changed your life?
A song that has changed my life is “”Everyday I’m Hustlin'”” by Rick Ross. It inspired me because it makes me get motivated and do things in my life and just keep moving.

You mentioned that the song “”Hustlin’ “” has motivated you. What would you then consider your biggest accomplishment?
My biggest accomplishment is that I am going to be a college graduate. It helps me to achieve my goals in my life. Being able to graduate from college has put a different outlook in my life, because a lot of people don’t get to go to college or even graduate from college. Me being one of the select few, especially being African-American, where not many are going or graduating from college, makes me realize my accomplishments.

If you wrote a song, what advice would you give to your listeners?
I would tell them to just wait. Patience is a virtue and good things come in time, because they do. I try to let things just happen instead of trying to force stuff.

With the challenges you face as an African-American in college, what has been the most humbling experience you have had?
An experience that has humbled me is probably the loss of my dad and my grandma. My dad died when I was young and I didn’t get to know him, so that had me look at life differently, because you never know when someone can leave. My grandmother passed away when I was older, so again, time is short and I try to make the best of it.

With everything that you have experienced, what is the most important thing in the world?
My mom is the most important thing in the world. When my dad died, my mom was always the person there.

Family is obviously something you value. What else are you thankful for?
I am thankful for the ability to be in college, to be able to wake up in a bed, and to drive a car. Just stuff that other people don’t have, like family. I’m just thankful to be living.