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[hr]On Friday, Dailyn Hereford will receive her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Jackson State University. She has accepted a full-time job offer and is currently working as a digital marketing specialist at Oracle.
As a two-time summer intern for the Fortune 500 company, Hereford says, “As graduation approaches, I feel extremely relieved to have full-time employment at Oracle. Each day, I have an opportunity to do the work I’m passionate about.”
Like so many college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, the last two years at Jackson State were very unconventional for Hereford.
Still, she was able to represent JSU as an honors student at events hosted by the Harvard Business School, Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the United Negro College Fund. Hereford was also an ambassador for the Executive Leadership Council.
As a result of these opportunities, the Huntsville, Alabama, native was awarded nearly $30,000 in scholarships during the 2020-21 academic year. She will graduate debt-free.
“Excellence is our standard at JSU,” Hereford said. “This university shifted my mindset, and I became a better leader, communicator, and multifaceted business woman.”
At JSU, she actively served as the vice president for the Society and Advancement of Management, business manager of Girls Coalition, and social media manager and the membership intake chairman for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
“I’m so grateful for my student experiences at JSU,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be in an environment with like-minded scholars/individuals. Attending an HBCU is one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
She accredits her peers and JSU alums for helping her to step outside of comfort zones, network and ultimately make smart career choices.
“The people at Jackson State helped me to thrive and excel as a driven young professional,” she said.
Over the next two years, Hereford plans to take the necessary steps to become a brand marketing manager and earn her MBA degree.
“Because of what JSU has done for me, my future plan is to give my time and treasures to my alma mater. I want to mentor other students the same way I have been guided throughout my journey at JSU,” Hereford said.
I am forever grateful for the amazing opportunities this institution has brought me, and I owe it all to THEE.” Hereford said.
Additionally, she acknowledged her family, mentors, and professors. “They’ve shaped me into the individual and professional that I am today,” she said. “I would not have been able to excel without their support.”
Media Contact: LaToya Hentz-Moore, latoya.c.hentz@jsums.edu