First-generation grad: ‘I want to set a positive example for my younger siblings’

Rakiyah Lenon is the first to admit that she was a quiet, introverted student when she began as a freshman at Augusta University in the fall of 2020.

Born and raised in Augusta, Lenon had been homeschooled most of her life along with her three younger siblings. She finished high school courses in the spring of 2020 from the online Georgia Cyber Academy. No one in her immediate family had ever attended a four-year college.

“I didn’t even have a high school graduation from the Georgia Cyber Academy because of the pandemic, so after I finished my high school courses, I was like, ‘Um, should I go to the next step and go to college?’ I didn’t know,” Lenon said. “But I have a very supportive family, and everyone pushed me and said, ‘Yeah, go ahead. Try it.’ And it’s been a wonderful experience.”

These days, to look at Lenon’s resume, no one would guess she was ever introverted. From the moment she stepped on campus, this communication major immediately began writing for Augusta University’s student newspaper, the Bell Ringer. And for the past four years, she has served as its editor-in-chief.

“For a first-generation student like me, it was a little scary. But I got really comfortable and close with my professors. I learned from them and wanted to be the best student I could be.”

Rakiyah Lenon, a communication graduate

During her college career at Augusta University, Lenon has interned and freelanced at several local media outlets including WJBF News Channel 6, Augusta Business Daily, The Augusta Press and Augusta Good News. She also interned for Communications and Marketing at Augusta University and wrote several articles for the university’s news website, Jagwire.

“I will say, my first time being on campus was kind of a shock,” Lenon said, laughing. “I was like, ‘Oh, OK, this is what a college campus is like.’ For a first-generation student like me, it was a little scary. But I got really comfortable and close with my professors. I learned from them and wanted to be the best student I could be.”

Building a support system

Lenon, now a senior preparing to walk across the stage in a few weeks and accept her college diploma, said her mentors in the Department of Communication gave her the support she needed to help her step outside her comfort zone and explore all avenues within the field.

“I was always able to get help wherever I needed it,” Lenon said. “It was just a supportive experience throughout my college career here. I felt like I had room to grow and really bloom here.”

“And I immediately saw that it was important to make sure that I was valuing my education and really putting the time and effort into it,” she added. “I knew it was something that could help me in the long run.”

Specifically, Lenon said the support she received from David Bulla, PhD, chair of the Department of Communication, has been invaluable.

“Dr. Bulla is big on journalism, and he pushed me to do well with the student newspaper,” said Lenon, who has won awards from the Georgia College Press Association and the Southern Regional Press Institute. “Ever since I started here, I got involved in writing for the newspaper. And then the editor before me graduated, so I was able to co-edit for a semester with another great student, Carlos Rodriguez. And then I became editor-in-chief, and I’ve been doing that for a couple of years now.”

Bulla remembers the day Lenon came into the Department of Communication’s office for the first time.

“It was an August day in 2020 just before the start of the semester,” Bulla said. “She comes and tells Amanda Main, our administrative assistant at the time, that she’s thinking about journalism. Amanda had been a journalist and been an editor of the Bell Ringer when she was an undergraduate. We immediately took her into our conference room and talked to her about the profession. Rakiyah did not run for the hills, so Amanda and I looked at each other like, ‘Here’s our next Bell Ringer editor.’”

“Rakiyah is such an exciting student to work with because she will immediately apply everything she learns, not only on the assignment, but in other contexts. It has been a true honor to watch her grow professionally as she stepped out of her comfort zone and into new fields.”

Amber Routh, a senior lecturer in the Department of Communication

Lenon said she also received a lot of support from Daniel and Amber Routh, who are both senior lecturers in the Department of Communication.

“Daniel Routh was homeschooled like me, so it was kind of nice seeing someone homeschooled being in college in that same setting,” Lenon said. “He is relatable, great to talk to and very supportive.”

“And then Amber Routh, she encouraged me to apply to all of my internships,” Lenon added. “She has been really great in pushing me to be very career focused. She has helped me recognize everything I’ve learned in the classroom can be used in the real world.”

Amber Routh said Lenon was always enthusiastic and eager to learn new skills.

“Rakiyah is such an exciting student to work with because she will immediately apply everything she learns, not only on the assignment, but in other contexts,” Routh said. “It has been a true honor to watch her grow professionally as she stepped out of her comfort zone and into new fields. While she will certainly be missed in the department, I can’t wait to see where she will end up. She is a powerhouse with so much potential.”

Facing new challenges

When she began as a communication student at AU, Lenon said she was more comfortable working behind the scenes as a writer. But her internship at WJBF challenged her to step into the spotlight and not be afraid of the camera.

“At WJBF, I got to shadow the reporters and go with them as they reported on their stories for the day,” Lenon said. “I helped shoot B-roll some days. I helped them with their live shots and running the live shot and reporting back to the station, even calling and trying to get sources. So that was really fun.”

“I also got to spend a lot of time with the web team too and just write articles for the website, which was something I was very comfortable with considering all the writing I’ve done,” she added. “But I also had the opportunity to practice getting in front of the camera and trying to do broadcasts and speaking like a reporter.”

Broadcast journalism was a challenge that Lenon said she found enjoyable.

“During that internship, I saw that it wasn’t so bad in front of the camera,” she said. “It’s the exact same concept of writing and reporting the news except for you’re just speaking it to a camera with the microphone in front of an audience.”

Lenon has become so comfortable in front of the camera and behind a microphone that she started a podcast this semester called Chiming In.

“Chiming In is kind of a play on my column that I have in the Bell Ringer,” Lenon said. “It’s really an opportunity for me to just expand on the skills that I’ve gathered already. I’ve done well with writing. I’ve had television production classes. So, I wanted to try another area where I know a lot of people are putting their attention toward like podcasting. And the latter half of the semester, I incorporated a video component.”

Lenon also explored the public relations side of the communication program at Augusta University.

“I enjoyed planning our annual department event, CommuniCon, with the campaigns class Dr. Carrie Reif-Stice teaches in our major,” Lenon said, adding she is also receiving a certificate in public relations and media production from the Department of Communication. “It was a great learning experience to pitch, plan and present an idea and then work as a team to being the event to life. Dr. Carrie also gives great advice for students – academic and life advice. Students can learn a lot from her.”

Embracing the community

All of her internships over the past four years have not only given her the experience she needs for a future career, but Lenon feels it has brought her closer to her hometown and local community.

“I think I’ve grown a lot,” Lenon said. “Interning and being here at Augusta University, it’s given me so much experience and a better idea of the community that I’ve grown up in. Just being able to speak and meet so many incredible people through interviewing and writing, recording their stories and keeping a historical record of the university for our newspaper has been a wonderful experience.”

Her advice to incoming freshmen is simple: Get involved.

“I would tell incoming freshmen to really get in touch with your department,” she said. “If you are a student and you are just going to class and you’re not necessarily connecting with your professors or your department chairs, you never know what opportunities you might miss out on. So, it’s really important to make sure you’re connecting with your professors.”

Also, don’t be afraid to get involved with the community, she said.

“Know what’s going on, not just on campus, but in your community. Think about how it affects you,” Lenon said. “As a journalist, I’ve had to keep my eyes and ears open all the time. And so, even if you aren’t interested in journalism, it’s still important to know about the community that you’re in and just really be involved as much as you can, but still have a great work-and-school-life balance.”

“If you are a student and you are just going to class and you’re not necessarily connecting with your professors or your department chairs, you never know what opportunities you might miss out on. So, it’s really important to make sure you’re connecting with your professors.”

Rakiyah Lenon, a communication graduate

Looking back over the past four years, Lenon said she can’t believe how far she has come in a short amount of time.

“Time has really flown by,” Lenon said, laughing. “Getting an education is something that can’t be understated.”

With all of her successes during her college career, Lenon said she couldn’t have achieved any of it without the love and support of her family.

“I’m very thankful to my family who have been so supportive of me. My parents, they’ve worked so hard,” Lenon said, as tears began to swell in her eyes. “I’m getting choked up. But they worked so hard to make sure that I had the opportunity that I’ve had. I want to set a positive example for my younger siblings to let them know that getting an education is important and you can make a difference in your community. And once you have education, that’s something no one can take away from you.”