First-year Sociologist/Jazz Scholarship Recipient Contemplates Her Future at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ
By her own admission, Jai’Auna Jefferson is an “over-thinker.”
“If one of my friends says they are planning a birthday party, I’ll start asking, ‘do you have all the food yet,’” Jefferson said.
So, when it came time to consider her plans for college, Jefferson gave it plenty of thought.
Originally from California, Jefferson was in third grade when she and three of her brothers moved back to their mom’s hometown of Ogden. Jefferson recalls in elementary school being asked, “What do you want to do when you grow up?”
The youngest of 14 siblings, Jefferson knew early on she would need a college degree, whether she became a veterinarian or worked in psychology.
“My dad’s friends would say, ‘I wish I had done good in school. I wish I had gone to college,’” she recalled.
But the journey to discover what she wanted to major in has taken years.
An avid animal lover, Jefferson abandoned thoughts of becoming a veterinarian when she realized she wouldn’t be able to put animals down. Likewise, a class in psychology was interesting, but helped steer her in a different direction.
At Ben Lomond High School, she became involved with TRiO, which offers support to low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities. Her advisor, Eduardo Franco, played a key role in helping her think about what she wanted to study.
“In my senior year, he asked me what subjects I liked, what topics interested me,” said Jefferson, who realized she enjoyed the social aspects of history.
By the time she graduated, she was halfway to earning her associate’s degree, thanks to the Advanced Placement and Concurrent Enrollment classes she took.
She looked at other colleges, including those in southern Utah, but her over-thinker tendencies asked, “What if my car breaks down? What if this happens?”
At Weber State, Jefferson plans to explore her interest in social relationships and institutions as a sociology major, and eventually become a professor. Based on her love of animals, she’s also interested in becoming a dog breeder. Her two favorite breeds are poodles and havaneses.
Her ability to pursue her educational goals has been made much easier thanks to being named an inaugural
She initially learned of the scholarship from an email, before it became a topic of discussion with those in her community. Her advisor mentioned it to her, and she discussed it with a friend whom she encouraged to apply for it. “We attended the conference for African American students, and my principal approached me and asked if I had heard about the Utah Jazz Scholarship,” Jefferson said. “He encouraged me to apply.”
In her application video, she introduced herself, her interest in pursuing sociology and her plans for the future, which include helping others. She didn’t expect it to amount to anything.
Jefferson has never been a Jazz fan. By her own admission, she’s more of a “football girl.” Since eighth grade, she has served as the team manager for Ben Lomond’s football team. When she was contacted by the Jazz in late April, she learned she was a recipient, but had to keep the news under wraps and not post on social media.
“Less than a week before I heard, my mom had complained that I hadn’t applied for enough scholarships,” Jefferson said. “So when I got the news, I said, ‘remember how you said that?’”
Jefferson’s mom was really excited. She started making a list of everyone Jefferson needed to tell.
“This was so great,” Jefferson said. “Based on FAFSA, I knew I’d receive help with the cost of education, but this scholarship covers everything until I earn my bachelor’s degree.”
Having funds for room and board has inspired Jefferson to live on campus this fall.
A first-generation college student, Jefferson is pleased to have everything set for this next step in her education, but she does find it frustrating not having friends or family who she can consult regarding decisions related to college. When it came time to pick a roommate, she decided to let the system make the decision rather than choose.
And in classic over-thinker mode, she still has time to reflect and wonder.
“It’s a new chapter. I’m moving on from high school,” Jefferson said, listing some of her current worries. “Is Weber State the right school for me? What if you spend your whole high school career succeeding, and suddenly you suck now?”
Given her educational track record, those natural self doubts will probably prove to be unfounded.
Ultimately, Jefferson hopes her education will allow her to help people.
“The idea of helping others makes me happy,” she said. “Plus, if there’s dogs along the way, that never hurts.”
Read about all four 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Utah Jazz Scholarship recipients.