Communication majors Emily Morman, Jeffrey Williams, comment on next plans after graduation...

The Detroit News

2013 college graduates ready for next journey

by Shawn D. Lewis

Jeffrey Williams' life lessons in perseverance began when he was 5 months old and entered foster care. Adopted at 6, put out of the house at 17, he said he "couch-surfed" or slept on the couches of various friends while working at burger joints because he couldn't afford his own home. But Williams never relinquished his dream to attend college. "My grades were poor, but Wayne State University accepted me into their alternative college program, and I ran with it because it was my only opportunity," said Williams, 22, of Detroit. On Thursday, Williams will graduate with a bachelor's degree in media arts and studies from Wayne State, where he also is a running back on the Warriors football team. Emily Morman, 22, graduates next week from Wayne State with a degree in journalism. She said she was accepted into a summer internship program with the New York Times. "I'm hoping to learn a lot and try it out to see if living in a big city like New York is for me," said Morman. "Then I'll figure it out from there." She described her college experience as "fantastic." "One of the major advantages of attending Wayne State was the diversity," she said. "I met a number of different people and participated in numerous cultural events and made some really good friends." Morman said one of the greatest challenges of college life was learning to be independent. Wayne State will hold two commencement ceremonies Thursday at Ford Field at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nearly 3,500 graduates are expected to attend.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130504/SCHOOLS/305040338#ixzz2SVgRHbbO