Historically black colleges and universities have long played a vital role in facilitating higher education for black students in the United States. Unfortunately, those students' success stories don't always receive the attention they deserve. That may soon change, thanks to an online project called My HBCU Interview. The site interviews students from HBCUs and shares those stories to provide encouragement to other young people who can benefit from the college experience. One of those interviews, with Paine College alumnus Deonte Moses, was so popular that it ended up making the site's Instagram Top Nine.

Why My HBCU Interview Matters

My HBCU Interview was created by two HBCU alumni from North Carolina who recognized that success stories from historically black colleges and universities received little attention, mainly because there were no designated outlets for students and alumni to share those experiences. To remedy that situation, the two started the site with a simple mission: to help "maintain the legacy of greatness found at HBCUs by sharing the wealth of knowledge and truth found in the words of alumni and students."

The site's interview with our own Deonte Moses is a clear example of how My HBCU Interview lives up to the promise inherent in that stated mission. In the interview, Deonte shared his personal journey to success, from a self-described "struggling star basketball player in High School" who graduated with the lowest GPA in his district to a successful student at Paine College, a captain of the basketball team, and the first player to lead the Student Government.

Deonte's story clearly made an impression, receiving tremendous attention on the My HBCU Instagram page – so much attention that his interview made the site's Instagram Top Nine list!

Deonte Moses: A Paine College Success Story

In his interview, Deonte described how a call from a United Methodist Pastor set him on the path to his Paine College experience, at a time when other colleges showed no interest in him. Of course, like all true success stories, Deonte's path included many obstacles – even after he was accepted by the college. Despite his high GPA after a few semesters at the school, he was frustrated by his inability to land a spot on the basketball team. That frustration led him to transfer to Geneva College for one semester, but he soon returned to Paine – which he now describes as "the school that saved my life."

Upon his return, Deonte was a walk-on for the team. He eventually was named a team captain, and then led the Student Government. From there, success followed success, as he founded the Devoted Disciples organization that shared the Gospel and created community programs for middle schools and youth clubs. He was also a student leader in the fight for Paine College's accreditation. According to Deonte:

"None of this would have been possible for Deontè Moses anywhere else. God placed me at Paine to find purpose and to be a light to those who might come from the same humble beginnings that I came from."

We congratulate Deonte Moses for his perseverance and determination to succeed. All of us at Paine College are proud to have had the opportunity to be a part of your journey to success, and excited to see your continuing efforts to inspire other young people. Well done!

Read Deonte's profile on the My HBCU Interview website here.