Math has always been the best subject in school for applied statistics major Jourdan Watson and mechanical engineering major Erin Searcy, both Class of 2025 at Grand Valley State University. “I've always enjoyed STEM but gravitated more towards math once I found out I could beat all of my classmates in multiplication tables,” Watson said. Searcy learned to appreciate the technical know-how from her dad. “My dad is a mechanic, but he doesn’t do anything for me without making me sit there and learn it myself,” she said. 

When it came to college, Watson and Searcy both chose to attend the math program at Fort Valley State University (FVSU) in their home state of Georgia. Searcy recalled, “Our math program at Fort Valley is really little, so Jourdan and I had every class together.” FVSU provided them with a strong foundation to take with them wherever they chose to go.  

The Next Step in Their Journey

For Watson and Searcy, their next step was at Grand Valley through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HBCU/HSI) Consortium, a strategic initiative within the Enrollment Development and Educational Outreach Division designed to connect students to GVSU and career opportunities in West Michigan.

The HBCU/HSI Consortium is a partnership between Grand Valley State University and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) designed to create articulated pathways into GVSU’s graduate programs. Through this initiative, students receive scholarship opportunities and layered support, including academic resources, career development, and professional networking, to ensure a seamless transition into graduate studies and future career success.

For Watson, the decision to attend Grand Valley was a balance between risk and reward. “I knew it was a risk just to come here, but I took that leap of faith and decided to just do it,” he said, noting that GVSU had additional resources he knew would help him in his transition into a career. 

Searcy decided to attend Grand Valley to experience everything West Michigan had to offer. “I love Michigan, and I want to stay here for a while,” she said, “so going to school here has been helping me get to know the people in the area.” 

Hands-On Learning
Despite their common roots, Watson and Searcy have had room to branch out and pursue more specialized programs at Grand Valley.  

Searcy has found purpose through the opportunities for hands-on learning that Grand Valley offers in their graduate engineering programs. “I’m taking a medical device design course and building something to help children with cerebral palsy,” she said.  

Watson’s risk has paid off big time in the applied statistics program. He has been able to work as a data analyst at Gordon Food Service and Meijer. He said, “The consortium allows me to have professional experience while also being able to hone in on my academics.” 

Looking Ahead 
In the future, Watson plans to go into tech, finance, or fintech and aerospace to be a data analyst. Searcy has plans to continue her education and earn a PhD so that she can become a professor. Thanks to Grand Valley, Watson and Searcy possess both the community roots and professional opportunities needed to achieve those goals.  

Without the support from donors, pathway programs like this one would not be available for talented students like Watson and Searcy. “Financial donations go further than just helping a student,” Watson said. “It goes to professional experiences and learning things about ourselves.” 

“A master’s degree will help us follow our passions and achieve better financial standing,” Searcy said. “This opportunity wasn’t in any of our wildest dreams.” 

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