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Alahaje Bah

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Get to Know Alahaje

Background

Senior year of high school, as I was looking at all the schools, I wanted to go somewhere far enough away, but not too far. If I need my parents or if they need me, they are only an hour away. My parents, like a lot of international parents, wanted their children to go into the medical field. They also instilled in me that I was going to be a doctor or nurse. I always said, “Ok, I’m going to do what my parents say.” That’s the good thing about college. Your freshman year, you’re experimenting with what you want to do—you get the independence. I thought to myself when I started those classes, it wasn’t something I enjoyed. When I talked to my friend who said his major was sport and recreation administration, I thought “Wait, we have that degree? Sports are my life and where I’m happiest.” 

Career Goals

Once I switched majors and classes, my grades improved because it was something I enjoyed. I met Coordinator of Advising, Recruitment and Retention, Bradley Jenkins, who is my favorite person on this campus; he told me if this was something I wanted to do and if it was something I wanted to do long term, why don’t I just switch. At the time, I was already working with the football team, so I was already setting myself up for a career in sports. Once I switched, I felt a new passion for school. I was paying more attention; I understood it easier.

What makes SRA at Ole Miss special?

When I joined the program, there were a core group of kids, maybe 15-20 kids, and we all have the same core classes. We see each other every day and interact with each other. After a while, I found myself relying on those people not just in the classroom but also outside the classroom; if I need something, I know who I can call, and vice versa. We built a bond. In other classes, it was larger, and we weren’t going to interact if we didn’t already know each other. But in SRA, it’s a core group.

Advice for new SRA students

Being an African American student, I was always told not to go to Ole Miss because of the connotations or history. I’ve personally never experienced that. Don’t be afraid to break the barrier. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. You never know how it will set you up for your future.