Commencement Spotlight: Alexzandria Mickle 

Commencement Spotlight: Alexzandria Mickle  

Future Plans: Business Administration Graduate Student, South Carolina State University  

Alexzandria Mickle, a Charleston, South Carolina native, will graduate Magna Cum Laude on December 9 from Albany State University (ASU) with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. She is a Criminal Justice Club member and served as Miss Criminal Justice for two consecutive years. She is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, Velma Fudge Grant Honors Program, Divas Mentoring, Pre-law Club, Active Minds, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. A student leader on campus, Alexzandria served as a student orientation leader, English and writing peer tutor, and a work-study student in Institutional Effectiveness. With a passion for service, she has volunteered 330 hours with City Life Sports, the Raphael Warnock Campaign, RAM Success Week, and the ASU student pantry.  

A scholar committed to academic excellence, she has made the Dean’s List four times, was the highest-ranking freshman and sophomore of her class, is a merit scholar, and is a Georgia Bar Association Scholarship Recipient. While enrolled, she interned with the D. Nicole Williams Law Firm and the Green Law Office. Her student research on “Creating a better understanding for civilians who have never experienced the backlash of incarceration” was presented at the Education-Culture Conference in Jackson, Mississippi. She is passionate about breaking generational curses, beating the statistics, and establishing generational wealth. She is also excited to be the first of her siblings to graduate from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).   

Alexzandria has been accepted into the Business Administration graduate program at South Carolina State University and offered a full scholarship. She hopes to one day attend law school and become a corporate attorney.  

 

Why did you choose ASU?   
Coming to a school that was six hours away from my home out of state was a big leap for me. I was very shy, but I was excited to see what ASU had to offer. I wanted to be around those who were not from my hometown so that I could establish my own identity. I chose ASU because I wanted the HBCU experience to succeed amongst other young like-minded individuals as myself. I also wanted to attend an affordable out-of-state institution with a great criminal justice program. My time at ASU has come to an end, but the memories, as well as the people I have had the privilege of coming into contact with, I will always cherish.  

 

What motivated you to learn more about your field?  
For as long as I can remember, law and crime shows have always interested me. My favorite shows growing up were Law and Order and Criminal Minds. I admired the way the characters sought justice for the victims. I chose being an attorney as my career choice because I wanted to make a difference in the world and inspire the younger generation that looks like me.  

 

What do you love most about your chosen profession?   
The criminal justice field is filled with a wide variety of job opportunities that cater to the needs of the people. I chose this profession because no matter what direction I take in the criminal justice field, I know my day-to-day will be unlike the one before, and I will be able to leave my mark.  

 

Who has made the most significant impact on you, and who do you consider to be a role model at ASU?   
If I had to limit one individual who had the biggest impact on me during my undergraduate years at ASU, I would say Dr. James Pratt has had by far the biggest impact on me. Dr. Pratt was a professor that I sought to have on my class schedule each semester. He saw potential in me; he helped me build my confidence in presenting in front of others and forced me to go outside of my comfort zone to reach my potential.  

I participated in research with him alongside students at Fisk University in my junior to senior year. Throughout the process, he stayed in contact with me, ensuring I had all the information I needed, provided me with resources in Albany to earn an internship with a local law firm, and provided me with different skills when discussing heavy topics with others. I am grateful that I had the chance to meet and work alongside Dr. Pratt while he instructed at ASU. He showed other students and me that class should never be “boring.” It should be exciting, and I should be able to walk out of his class every day with something new I learned and a new skill.   

 

What advice would you give to other ASU students?   
The best advice I can provide to ASU students is to remain true to yourself and to know it is okay not to know what you want to do after graduation, but it is not okay to slack off on your coursework. Join different clubs on campus, network as much as possible, and begin building your resume starting your first year because senior year will be here sooner than you expect.  

 

What would you tell a high school student about choosing ASU to further their education?   
If I had the chance to speak to a high school student thinking about choosing ASU to further their education, I would tell them ASU is a university that is filled with an abundance of opportunities. There is a club for everyone at ASU. The professors have office hours that are available for students to go to in case they may not understand the materials being taught. Use your campus resources because they helped me when it was time to apply for graduate schools and jobs. ASU may be smaller than other institutions, but the experience you will have here is unlike that of others.