A first-generation college student attending the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Leadership Institute moved cross country to attend North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) and blaze a trail for her younger siblings.
Samiyah Hopkins, a junior studying computer engineering, moved from California to North Carolina to attend NC A&T, which is the leading producer of Black engineers in the United States.
“My journey to college has not always been easy,” Hopkins said. “Growing up as the oldest of six children, I experienced challenges within my family and often struggled with self-doubt and finding my sense of purpose.”
She said for a long time she questioned whether she was capable of achieving the goals she had for herself. But, as she grew older, her perspective changed.
“Being the oldest sibling made me realize that my actions would influence the five younger brothers and younger sister who look up to me,” Hopkins said. “I began to understand that my purpose was not simply to succeed for myself, but to become someone who could create opportunities and inspire others to believe in themselves.”
Moving across the country was one of the first major steps she took toward becoming that person. She has also challenged herself academically, pursued engineering, stepped into leadership, participated in hackathons and intentionally placed herself in spaces that push her outside of her comfort zone.
“North Carolina A&T has prepared me for more than just a career, it has challenged me to understand the responsibility that comes with being a Black engineer and future leader,” she said. “Being surrounded by talented Black students has pushed me to raise my standards for myself and recognize that I belong in spaces where innovation and leadership are happening.”
Most importantly, she said, NC A&T taught her about the value of community. She has learned that success is not just about how far she can go individually, but about how she can use what she learns to help the people coming behind her.
Hopkins said she was inspired to attend Leadership Institute because she wanted to be surrounded by other young leaders who are just as driven to make an impact and learn from their experiences.
“I am most looking forward to being in a room filled with young people who are passionate about creating change,” she said. “I want to learn how different leaders have overcome challenges, found their voices and used their experiences to create opportunities for others.”
She hopes to connect with companies across the engineering, technology, manufacturing and intellectual property sectors.
After graduation, Hopkins plans to attend a top law school and specialize in intellectual property law.
“I want to combine my background in engineering with my future legal education to help bridge the gap between innovation and intellectual property,” she said. “My goal is to help young innovators understand how to properly protect their ideas, inventions and creative work while encouraging them to continue pursuing those ideas.”
While she is blazing an incredible trail for her siblings, Hopkins said her journey is still being written.
“I do not have everything figured out, and I am still learning how to become the leader I want to be,” she said. “I want my siblings to see that it is possible to come from an imperfect situation, step outside of your comfort zone and build a future that looks completely different from where you started.”
