Derrick Rose: Activist, Researcher, Stellar Student, and 2017 President’s Awardee
Publish Date: May 30, 2017
The Derrick Rose that is graduating from Crafton Hills College this semester is a very different person than the Derrick Rose who first walked onto campus two years ago.
"It was the summer after I graduated from high school, and I was kind of unsure of what I was doing," Rose, a Yucaipa resident, said. "My grades weren't very good in high school, and before I came onto campus, I was trying to hype myself up. I was so intimidated by how everyone looked like they were a sophisticated college student."
Rose started out taking the maximum number of credits, and he was encouraged when he realized that "maybe this school thing wasn't that bad." Soon, Rose noticed a change in how he tackled classes and homework. "My friends would want to go out, and I would stay home and study," he said. "You could say that I turned into a nerd. I had to start carving out the time to spend with my girlfriend. Once you can get your priorities straight, the school thing really isn't that hard."
One thing that Rose credits with his success was being part of the Left Lane program, which helped incoming freshman learn study skills; in exchange for attending tutoring sessions and rigorous meetings, students receive priority registration for classes. He also became president of the Black Student Union and joined student life, serving as treasurer for the Student Senate. Rose made new friends and enjoyed the experiences, but when his grades began to slip, he stepped back from extracurriculars, a move that boosted his GPA.
"I've gotten nothing but As since this year started," he said.
Rose also discovered that he enjoys talking to people about their beliefs, and would go around campus asking his fellow students questions from a survey he came up with.
"I'd ask them politically controversial questions, and I would enter their answers into my computer," he said. "The issues ranged from abortion to gun control to their position on assisted suicide, just to see what students thought."
After meeting Dr. T.L. Brink through the Honors Institute, the psychology instructor helped Rose turn his survey into a real study, and he was able to get every political science student on campus to participate. He created a presentation of his findings, and was selected to share it at the Honors Transfer Council of California Student Research Conference last month at UC Irvine, where he received the Exemplary Achievement Award.
"That was pretty cool," he said.
The accolades didn't stop there. This month, Rose, who was on the dean's list, was honored with the Crafton Hills College President's Award, after being one of six students to receive a Medal of Distinction.
"When I found out I won, it felt surreal," he said. "When I first came to Crafton, I was very overwhelmed, and honestly scared. I was wondering, do I even belong here? The president of the Black Student Union this year shared a quote, 'Never feel that you don't belong, because if you didn't belong, you wouldn't be here.' That perfectly sums up how I felt. I was shocked and my parents were really excited to hear about it."
Rose's experience at Crafton was "awesome," and in the fall, he will make new memories at UCLA, where he will study acting. Rose is leaving Crafton with associate's degrees in communications and social science, and in 10 years, would like to be acting in movies.
As someone who was "never acknowledged for academics," Rose is "extremely grateful" for the opportunities and awards he has received over the past two years. He also believes he would never had made it this far without his mom, dad, and God.
"It's crazy how lucky I am," he said. "I have the parents that I have, that are not only willing to help me, but have the means by which to help me through school. I am the descendent of a slave, and my grandma didn't come from much, but worked hard and ended up being a nurse. My dad got his master's in nursing and now does anesthesia, as does my mom. I would be doing my entire family a disservice if I didn't make something of myself. This would not have been possible without my parents guiding and helping me, and they are just as responsible for my success."
