Kiaun Moore will graduate from college soon, and he expressed, in a letter below, the pride he has upon earning his degree.

My name is Kiaun Moore, and I’m proud to say that I’m the first person in my family to graduate from an HBCU. I was born and raised in West Columbia, and just recently earned my degree in Business Administration from Morris College in Sumter.

Graduating from college has always been a goal of mine, but attending and finishing at a Historically Black College and University made the journey even more special. Being the first in my family to reach this milestone means everything to me. I did this not just for myself, but for every family member who dreamed of it and didn’t get the chance. I’m standing on their shoulders.

During my time at Morris, I served as the Senior Class Senator for the Student Government Association. That role taught me a lot about leadership, service, and how to use my voice to make a difference. I wanted to leave my mark, not just in the classroom, but on the entire campus. Morris College helped me grow into a better version of myself — confident, determined, and prepared to face the future.

I’m now planning to attend graduate school to earn my MBA. My dream is to become a licensed funeral director, and one day own my own funeral home in West Columbia. I want to be a source of comfort for families during the hardest moments of their lives, especially in the Black community, where representation and care truly matter.

This journey wasn’t always easy, but it was worth it. And now, I’m focused on building a legacy — not just for myself, but for those coming after me.

Getting a degree was important to me because I wanted to create a better future for myself and my family. I come from a background where college wasn’t always seen as an option, so for me, earning this degree was about breaking barriers and changing the narrative. I wanted to be living proof that success is possible through hard work, faith, and perseverance.

It wasn’t just about the piece of paper — it was about growth. My degree represents every late night, every sacrifice, every moment I felt like giving up but chose to keep going. It’s a symbol of everything my family poured into me, and I felt a responsibility to make their sacrifices mean something.