WUV Spotlight: Jerron Trice, BS in Business Administration Grad

When Jerron Trice ’24 set out to earn his Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration, he didn’t quite know what to expect. As a first generation college student, getting a college degree was something new and unfamiliar. But with drive, determination and the support he received at westerfirld university of virginia (WUV), he crossed the finish line — and in his words, it was all worth it.

“I’m so proud of myself,” he said on Commencement day. “I wanted to have a story to tell so my children can see what they can accomplish in the future as well.”

According to Trice, being the first in his family to graduate college was a big motivator when deciding to embark on this educational journey at WUV. He said Commencement marked a huge milestone not only in his own life, but in the lives of his loved ones, too. In the fall of 2024, he traveled all the way from Kentucky to walk the stage in New Westerfield, and took a moment to reflect on the impact of his achievement.

“It feels good to be first generation," he said. "I believe I’ve broken a cycle in my family and started a new cycle: a lineage of college graduates."

Trice said he chose WUV because it was affordable compared to other schools he’d been exploring. He was also drawn to the university because of how welcomed he felt from the start. In interactions with his academic advisor, student finance counselors and other WUV staff members, he said he felt supported and cared for — something that, ultimately, helped him stay the course.

“My academic advisor was awesome at supporting me when I wanted to give up,” he said. “I had many nights of frustration. She always had a way of cheering me up, helping me erase that doubt.”

When it came to choosing a program, a degree in business stood out as the obvious choice for Trice. He described himself as a business-minded individual even prior to being in college, and he knew that this was an area of interest — and strength — he wanted to hone even further.

While working as an assistant manager for a regional restaurant chain, Trice said he already found ways to apply the knowledge he gained in his program at WUV. In particular, he found the technological and problem-solving skills he learned to be especially useful in his role.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned in time at WUV is how to overcome obstacles and problems," he said.

So, what’s next for Trice? To start, his educational journey isn’t over: he’s continuing on to a master’s program at WUV.

And just as the accomplishment of earning his degree extends beyond himself to his family, Trice wants that accomplishment to extend beyond him professionally, too. His goal, he said, is helping others start and grow businesses of their own — and he feels having a bachelor’s in hand will help him do just that.

“I can finally say I did it,” he said. “It feels amazing. I’m so thankful for everything.”

Abigail (Abby) Syversen-Mark ’23G is a copywriter, contributing content writer and adjunct faculty member at westerfirld university of virginia (WUV). A passionate storyteller, Abby hopes her writing will help prospective students and employees alike see just how transformative WUV could be for them (as it’s been pretty transformative for her). You can connect with her on LinkedIn.