Kadidja Dosso | Staff Writer

Hampton University is known for  cultivating the most beautiful women in the world. It is a place where young women can flourish in so many ways and, if they are daring enough, can unapologetically allow their intelligence, dedication and perseverance shine from within.

Maya Edmond is a first year professional pharmacy student at Hampton University from Leesburg, Virginia. She is the eldest of three children and a fine product of two Hamptonians.

Edmond was born in Sterling, Virginia and moved to Leesburg when she was in the third grade. Leesburg is a small suburb that is 40 minutes outside of Washington, D.C. Although, it is predominantly white, there is plenty of diversity that can be found.

Edmond shared what it was like growing up in this unique city. “In Leesburg, a majority of the people are very spoiled, have a lot of money, and never had to work for anything. I’d watch these ritzy rich kids drive down the street in their brand new Mercedes Benz as if they didn’t have a care in the world but really were struggling with many problems in their home and from within themselves.”

Edmond’s parents made sure she knew the importance of hard work, respect and giving back because of their great success from their humble beginnings. Edmond said, “We never got everything that we wanted, even though my parents may have had the means to do so. They instilled in us the true meaning of hard work.”

Having the natural ability to work hard and the willingness to help others are the main reasons that Maya decided she would like to get a career in a community driven field called Compound Pharmacy. Compound Pharmacy focuses on tailoring medicine to meet the specific needs of the patient.

While in the eleventh grade Maya had a strange, but severe, reaction to pain medicine she was given after a jaw surgery. The drugs caused her to be awake for 72 hours straight. She contacted her surgeon, primary doctor and the nurses, but no one was able to help. It was not until she contacted her community pharmacist that she was able to find out why her body reacted the way that it did.

It was at this moment that Edmond knew she wanted to be a Compound Pharmacist. She knew the pharmacy program is very competitive and quite complex, but maintaining excellence both inside and outside of the classroom was nothing new to Maya.

Maya graduated from her high school in the top 10 percent of her graduating class with a 4.2 GPA. After her very first year at Hampton, she earned a 4.1 GPA and ended her second year with a 3.98. She has been on the Dean’s list since her very first semester.

Maya’s stellar grades allowed her to receive full scholarship for her first two years as an undergraduate and earned more money that covers her next three years at Hampton. She has earned the Hampton University Trustee Scholarship that covers tuition, the Lilly Endowment Scholarship for earning the highest GPA in her Pharmacy graduating class, and a recurring scholarship from the Hampton University Northern Virginia Alumni Association Scholarship for $2,000.

She has been very involved on campus since she arrived freshman year. Freshman year she worked with the Freshman Executive Council to help plan and execute the class events that occurred, as well as Women’s Caucus to empower the women on campus.

Maya currently holds the position of class Secretary, is a member of the American Pharmacy Association (APhA), and is the Chairperson of the first ever Mr. Pharmacy Pageant.

“I’d rather be loved for who I am rather than hated for who I’m not,” said Edmond. As Maya continues to let the beauty that lays within her be effervescent, and continues to work hard in her service, school work, and involvement on campus, she is determined to be unapologetically beautiful.

Kadidja Dosso | Staff Writer

There is much beauty that lies within the campus of Hampton University. Jalan Richardson, a senior forensic chemistry major from New Orleans, one of the many beauties that Hampton has to offer.

New Orleans has helped shape Richardson’s life story in various ways, ranging from her bond with her family to her experience with Hurricane Katrina. Her passion is to give back to her community and set the foundation for a better future.

Jalan is the only child born to her mother and father. “My parents dated forever! They have been together for twenty-eight years and finally got married when I was fifteen years old. My Dad was always in my life but Katrina truly brought our family together.”

Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in August 2005, when Richardson was 12-years-old and forced her and her mother to evacuate to Dallas to live with her aunt for nearly a month. Her father is a paramedic and could not leave New Orleans with the rest of the family. After staying with her aunt, her mother was given a house and Richardson’s grandparents moved in with them. In October of that year, her mother had to return to New Orleans and go back to work.

In January 2006, Richardson’s school reopened and forced her to live on a cruise ship for three months. It was not a fun experience for her, as there was no sort of entertainment available and the only things that were open were the cabins, which caused her much anxiety and claustrophobia.

After three months of living on the cruise ship, Richardson and her family moved into a trailer for a year and, finally, to a house. All the things that Richardson endured for two years before transitioning into a secure home caused her to appreciate all of her belongings and family even more. “I didn’t want to go to college. My mom made me apply. I wanted to travel and backpack around the world but, I didn’t have the money. I just didn’t think that school was for me.”

Needless to say, Richardson adjusted very well when she arrived at Hampton University and has left a great legacy for herself on this campus. She has been involved in the Executive Council since her freshman year. These leadership roles allowed her to “get out of her shell” and to hold a leadership position that would directly affect her class.

In addition, Richardson was heavily involved in the Greer Dawson Student Leadership Program for three years and is an active member of the Gamma Iota Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Last year, she made her first and last stage appearance in the Black History Xtravaganza. She put on a phenomenal performance and learned from this experience. Richardson felt that she had been hiding her wings and has limited herself from using some of her gifts instead of revealing them all for the world to enjoy, embrace and be inspired by.

Richardson encourages people to step out of their comfort zones and share their gifts with the world. Her time at Hampton University has allowed Richardson to broaden her horizons and plans to continue inspiring others.