I grew up in a city where outsiders seemed to know more about my city than I did. I grew up hearing things like “He’s going to drop out of school”, “Oh you’re from Camden?”, or even “He’s not going to college.” They said this city, full of African Americans, Hispanics, and Latinos don’t have what it takes to be successful in life. These are the stories I have been told. However, I believe that we are in control of our own destinies, not just the products of our environments. I am proud to say that I have proved those people wrong. Not only did I graduate high school, but I got accepted to 6 different colleges before graduating high school.
Hi, my name is Tyrone King Jr. and I am from the city of Camden. I am currently a Junior here at Rutgers–Camden. I study music with a concentration in music education and a minor in Spanish. So why Rutgers–Camden? Funny enough actually, Rutgers–Camden was the last school that I wanted to apply for. Not because it was a bad school, but because it was too close to home. I wanted to go to places like Temple or UCLA, but the tuition cost was too much. After discussing it a little more with my guidance counselor, she told me that I should apply to Rutgers–Camden because it was close to home. She mentioned how much money I would save while commuting to campus in addition to financial aid. I applied, and to my shock, I was accepted! Before I officially accepted my enrollment at Rutgers–Camden, I wanted to see what other schools had to offer me. Rowan University and Temple University were other schools I was interested in, but when it came to financial aid, there wasn’t enough money to even cover tuition. I finally got my financial aid package from Rutgers and it covered my entire tuition. I even had some money to put towards books! With that, I officially decided that I was going to Rutgers–Camden.
Ever since Kindergarten, my favorite class was music. I was fascinated by the way instruments can make so many interesting sounds and learning how they worked. In high school, I joined the band and started on the clarinet. Eventually, I switched from clarinet to flute, and because I had a little background in piano, I tried out mallet percussion. I bounced from instrument to instrument which eventually led to me learning how to play about seven instruments. I chose to major in music because I enjoyed teaching my friends what I knew about the instruments that I played. I started off teaching my friend just because of the funny faces she made when trying to figure out how to properly hold a flute. I was proud to see how much better she became after a few “lessons” with me. I did this with some of my other friends too and saw the same results. My band director told me, “I can see you being a music teacher. I see the way you interact with some of the younger band members, and Tyrone, if you’re serious about this, I think you’ll go far.” With the confidence of my director, it became clear to me the career path I wanted to take. That is why I chose to major in music with a concentration in music education. One of my favorite activities to do here on campus is to play the piano in the VMPA (Visual Media and Performing Arts) practice room. It’s where I go to practice my music lessons or when I just need to relieve stress.
Rutgers–Camden is a small school. The best thing about small schools is that you have the opportunity to make an impact. You aren’t just a number here. I had a professor from my freshman year remember me by name years later simply because I was one of the students who raised my hand in class. My favorite class so far has been Musicianship, mostly because Professor Stefan is extremely funny and fun to be around. He makes us feel comfortable and encourages us to participate and share. He even remembers and makes jokes about the stories we tell him. Another thing I like about Rutgers–Camden is all the support services that are offered. I’m a member of TRIO, an organization that helps 1st generation college students navigate college. I also frequently use our Learning Center. I typically go there to speak to one of my TRIO counselors, but it’s also really good if you need tutoring or even just want to stop by and say hi. I chose Rutgers–Camden because they really do care about you. All of the support that Rutgers provides really does make you feel like you are part of a family, and that’s why I am proud to be a Scarlet Raptor.