A double dose of Black excellence!
A pair of 20-year-old twin sisters just graduated early from Xavier University with their bachelor’s degrees, Black Enterprise reports.
Jordyn and Morgan Jackson have always been joined at the hip and committed to their education. The twin sisters graduated from North Houston Early College with their high school diplomas and associate degrees in 2018 at the age of 17. They both attended Xavier University in Louisiana, Jordan choosing to pursue a degree in accounting while Morgan focused on mass communications.
Now, the pair are graduating from Xavier at the age of 20. Jordyn earned her Bachelor of Science degree, and Morgan is receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree, and they’re preparing to take the world by storm. The two reflected on their time in college and what they felt contributed to their success.
“It’s never too early to start working on your craft, and you’re never too young to make an impact. One of the things my sister and I took advantage of when we got to Xavier was the Office of Career Services. That office is vital to your college career. I was able to have three internships with PwC [PricewaterhouseCoopers] just by always being in the Office of Career Services, working on my craft, and working on my interview,” Jordyn said.
Jordyn initially wanted to be a lawyer, switching gears after being introduced to a potential career in accounting by her school’s division head. She began attending conferences for Black accountants and became a student member of the AICPA. She also spent time working as a resident assistant and an INROADS and Executive Leadership Council scholar. Her opportunity to intern three times with PwC, a Big Four accounting firm, really helped to seal the deal for her.
“College is the time when you learn and challenge yourself. I took my first accounting class, enjoyed it, and stuck with it. I want to increase the pipeline of Black CPAs because it’s less than 3%. That’s my why and my drive for doing what I do. I want to show young Black girls and boys that there are other career options out there. Accounting is a great profession,” Jordyn said.
Her sister Morgan received inspiration from their mother’s experience as a mass communications major at Grambling State University. She is also a member of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), the National Millennial & Generation Z Community, and a published writer. Morgan has already worked in her field, serving as a Marketing & Communications Specialist for the Center for Minority Health & Health Disparities Research & Research at Xavier’s College of Pharmacy.
“I love speaking. I did poetry a lot in high school, so I wanted to learn more. When I got on campus, I fell in love with mass communications. We are the only department on Xavier’s campus that was all Black. That was amazing to me. Being mentored by Black women and men who were in the industry opened my horizons to what a career in mass communications [could look like]…I chose the strategic communication route. In the future, I want to work with companies and brands to help them design and execute community engagement strategies that really enhance their brand appeal and make them resonate with marginalized audiences,” said Morgan.
Both girls are members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and have received Dean’s list and honor society recognition. As Morgan prepares to pursue her master’s degree in journalism at The University of Missouri-Columbia and Jordyn gears up for her master’s accounting program in the fall, they advise everyone to take advantage of all opportunities you have available to you.
“Seize every opportunity and always present your best self. I can remember times when there was a small event on campus or someone was coming to speak. I made sure I was presenting my best self. You never know who you are going to meet or see. When you walk around, you are your own brand,” Morgan said.
Congratulations Jordyn and Morgan!! The sky’s the limit!
Photo Courtesy of LinkedIn/Jordyn Jackson