J. Adriana Rogers

“Fall seven times and stand up eight.”

This serves as a testimony to Ms. Rogers as she looks back over the last 7 years. Graduating from High School with Honors and being accepted by both Howard University and the University of North Carolina in Wilmington, some would say that success was already destined to follow. She believed the same as she began her freshman year at UNC-W living life at full speed. Becoming the only newcomer of the year to join the school's most popular dance group and starting part-time work at a nearby store, J. Adriana was elated to be so 'involved'. Yet, as time went on she would begin to slowly lose interest not understanding the emptiness she felt inside or the constant need to be busy. Wanting to desperately pursue a degree in Criminology, she was not aware until recently that many of the challenges she was unfortunate in facing both at school and personally arose from the decisions she made as a result of something so simple and complex in many forms-Depression. After a downward spiral in 2010, Ms. Rogers was forced to move back home to Raleigh, NC without a degree from the University.

Yet, not even two weeks after delivering a healthy baby boy, in July 2011, Ms. Rogers would be back in school full-time at the Community College of Wake Tech. Having always wanted to be in Law Enforcement and now being a mom- feeling strongly about her experiences as a late teen, Ms. Rogers knew she needed to use her career to help counsel and reform (if possible) the youth. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

Being a stay at home mom and a full time student, one would question just how different her success could be from before. But it could be very different. It was after the very first semester that Jenita Adriana would be inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Theta Kappa for achieving over a 3.75 grade point average and it didn’t stop there. Graduating from the college in May 2014, Ms. Rogers’ transcript shows no grade lower than an “A” in any Core Criminal Justice Class nor a “B” in any other. She received her Associates Degree in Applied Science in Criminal Justice Technology and was proud to wave to her son from the stage. Now, in 2015, she attends North Carolina Central University as a senior holding a 3.6 grade point average and preparing for her practicum which she hopes to secure at the U.S Attorney's Office. She is also preparing her son for Pre-K. Both begin in August.