Thursday, April 8, 2021
Morgan Coleman is an alumna from Rufus King International High School, Class of 2018. Morgan attends Drake University and is currently majoring in International Relations, with minors in both Spanish and Arabic.
Morgan was a debater throughout her high school career and was quickly immersed into the discussion of foreign and domestic issues that plague our society. Instead of just debating these issues, she decided to promote solutions to remedy them as her high school environment created a platform for her to get started. Throughout her time at King, she had a ton of opportunities to display her commitment to this advocacy, and that inevitably led her to pursue a B.A. in International Relations at Drake University. In addition to that preparation, the intense academic rigor at King made her transition to the honors program in college, relatively smooth!
“Life after high school is not easy! It is essential to build a strong support system wherever you go. Stay connected with mentors and like-minded individuals from high school who can provide advice and be a sounding board for your future. I have seen so many Black students from MPS over the years who are truly change-makers, and who I know will reach back into the community to ‘lift up’ others.”
Creating networks and reaching out to people was essential during her first year at Drake, and every year after! Having a wide range of people from different career backgrounds has helped her to better understand her passion, and how to channel that into a tangible experience! Morgan used those experiences to focus on developing diversity, equity, and inclusion on her campus as the current Equity and Inclusion Senator Elect. She recently was selected as a national Newman Civic Fellow through Campus Compact - a fellowship that recognizes and supports community-committed students who are change-makers and provides them with a national network to continue their efforts.
“I always knew that I wanted to attend college, and that I would likely pursue more than just a bachelor’s degree. Academia has always been of interest to me in terms of understanding how knowledge is constructed, and who has access to spaces that allows them to be considered experts in certain fields. I wanted to be an expert in whatever area of concentration that I focused on, and hopefully work to inspire others in the same field. I wanted the college experience! Living in a dorm, networking with people from across campus, and joining a ton of student organizations has provided me with a rich college experience.”
The more Morgan learned about Drake University, the more it became clear as her first choice, specifically for the ultimately International Relations program. The program combines politics, advocacy and knowledge of social structures needed to understand how entities within our world interact.
Morgan Coleman
Rufus King International High School
Proud Class of 2018