Founded in 1867, Morehouse College is known for producing black men of excellence out of Atlanta, Ga. We often hear graduates differentiate between the terms “Man of Morehouse” versus a “Morehouse Man” so we wanted to speak directly with graduates and get their take on what the Morehouse effect is all about.
Major– Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing
Graduating year– 2021
What was your life like before attending Morehouse College?
Life before Morehouse? I was at a predominately white high school in Redondo Beach, CA really just bored of the uppity and shallow lifestyle with all the kids up in that area. I was also running track before Morehouse being top 10 in the state in the 2016-2017 school year.
What inspired your decision to attend Morehouse ?
My main inspiration has to be given to my sister Nicole Ford, who took me on my first HBCU college tour throughout the south and our first stop was in the AUC. As soon as I stepped onto Morehouse’s campus, the Morehouse mystique had already sold me and I’ve been Morehouse down ever since.
Are there other HBCU graduates in your family or are you first generation?
No my entire family has gone to HBCUs. My Mom and Step Dad graduated from Norfolk State University, my sisters on my father’s side graduated from Tuskegee University, Bethune-Cookman, and Norfolk State University while all pledging AKA at their perspective colleges, and my sister on my mothers side got her MBA from Howard University.
How did attending Morehouse College transform you into the man you are today ?
Morehouse brings a plethora of experiences and challenges that you either have to overcome, or it sent you back home to the city you came from. Being at Morehouse, it pushes you in the direction of manhood and brotherhood ensuring that, in whatever you do you’re always picking yourself and your brothers up around you and you carry each other to success.
What were some of the most memorable moments of your HBCU experience?
Definitely strolling with Dubois (and winning 😉) freshman year homecoming, really all the homecomings I was able to experience pre- Covid. I was also in several fashion shows at Morehouse, which was definitely time well spent. But creating a family away from my family has probably been the best experience, and meeting my best friend Curtis because that’s my twin right there.
Leave us with some words of advice for future Morehouse Men
Always stay true to yourself. Never feed into the fads you may see at Morehouse and always choose happiness first. Find friends that always keep it straight for you and never purposely bring you into drama.
Follow Devon on Instagram @Devv_sd and LinkedIn @Devon Scott Ford
