Seka Watson
MOUNT OLIVE – Thirty year old Seka Watson of Dudley is the youngest of five children. At 19, she knew she needed to travel far away from the nest in order to mature. “Being the baby of five, of course my siblings did not want me to move out. However, I expressed to them that it was time for me to spread my wings.” On May 4th, she’ll be the first among her siblings to earn a bachelor of science degree, and one step closer to growing into the woman she always wanted to be. “When I came to MOC, all of my family was back in Vance County. It took a great deal of adjusting, but my motivation was the end result. I am now able to further my career because of the education MOC has provided for me.”
Watson majored in criminal justice and minored in religion at University of Mount Olive. “Both criminal justice and religion classes prepared me for my career as well as spiritual growth.” She chose the College because of the praise it received from its graduates. “MOC came highly recommended from two of my professors at Vance-Granville Community College who had attended the College.”
The beautiful, personable campus made her feel right at home. “I loved the small community and being able to have that one-on-one relationship with my professors when needed.” Those relationships helped Watson get to the finishing line. “I am truly grateful to the Lord for sending me more than one MOC staff member to be of encouragement during my transition: Dr. Ellen Jordan, Ms. Callie Ayers, Dr. Wesley Fox, Ms. Joyce Devonshire, Professor Aaron Carver, and Ms. Katrina Lee. I cannot just thank one member.”
The memories Watson has made since she began attending MOC have been numerous, but there is one she’ll always remember. “My fondest memory at MOC was attending the North Carolina Criminal Justice Regional Association Conference in Raleigh, NC. This conference was indeed an honor, as well as privilege for me as a student. I met a lot of key people in high places such as law enforcement officers, lawyers and governor officials. I left the conference feeling very optimistic about my future in the criminal justice field.”
Now, Watson plans on going further in the field. “My long-term goal is to attend law school to become a corporate attorney. I would love to attend Fayetteville State University to continue my education.” She feels that she has finally matured into the woman she wanted to be years ago when she left home at 19. “I have grown even more since I have attended MOC. Change is not always easy, but it is necessary for one’s growth, even through the good and the bad. The path hasn’t been easy. However, I have a strong faith system and I know that God is seeing me through it all.”
Watson will celebrate commencement on May 4th by spending it with her family. Her biggest obstacle now is deciding how many tickets she’ll be able to get for the ceremony. She may be 30 years old, but she’s still the baby of five. “My family is extremely proud of me and they always offer words of encouragement. In their eyes, I will always be ‘the baby’ no matter how old I get!”
University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The College, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has locations in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Goldsboro, Research Triangle Park, Washington and Jacksonville. For more information, visit www.moc.edu.