Kemisha Denny: Transfer 'The Only Thing That Turned Me Off About Mason Was That It Didn't Have a Football Team'

Loving and outgoing, Kemisha Denny, a 21-year-old junior, majoring in athletic training, reflects on her first semester experiences here at Mason as a transfer student, sharing her interests, hobbies and goals.

She attended Dean College, a small college institute in Franklin, Mass., where she realized that a two-year college program was not enough, and that she needed to transfer to a four-year program of higher education.

“There weren’t a lot of schools in New York City that offered my major, and I didn’t want to be distracted,” said Denny.

“I wanted to be at a bigger school where I could be close to home.”

Denny was raised in New Rochelle, N.Y., a suburban area not too far from the city, but her family originated from Barbados, where she learned of her family’s strong beliefs in west Indian culture.

In middle school and high school, Denny ran track, which had an immediate influence on her choice of study. Her dreams involve working in a high school setting where she can teach sports medicine and gradually work her way up into the college arena of sports education and medicine.

So, I begged the question. Why Mason?

“Mason wasn’t my first choice. It was University of South Florida,” she said. Her parents just moved to the state of Virginia on business, and she said being closer to her family was far more important than her “attraction” to the South.

“I liked the warm weather and the people. But I really wanted to be close to home. Mason seemed like the best school.

And it was.”

“The only thing that turned me off about Mason was that it didn’t have a football team, and I love football,” she laughs.

Most students that transfer to Mason almost always experience dilemmas with the transferring of their credits.

“I’m never transferring again,” said Denny. “Its worst than applying as a freshman. Transferring is like starting all over.”

Denny is not only talking about academically but also socially and physically.

“I knew about Mason, but I didn’t know the people,” she explained. Apparently, she did know one person – a high school friend also transferred to Mason. And for the first time, Denny was introduced to the people of Mason.

Thanks to Denny’s high school friend, she has been open to getting involved on campus with different organizations and activities such as Love Her Fiercely literary women’s group and the Caribbean Student Association.

As we sat in a residential study room, we laughed and talked as if we were life-long girlfriends. And naturally, we got right into talking about the things that she loves to do. Listening to music was first on her list.

“Mary J. Blige, Melanie Fiona, Alicia Keys, Rihanna,” says Denny. “I love listening to music – especially Reggae music!”

Apparently, she has a long list of hobbies as well: shopping at H&M, Delias and Forever 21, Reggae dancing, working out at the gym, traveling, visiting friends and hanging out with friends.

With respect to her major and her dream to have a successful career in sports medicine, I asked, What is your world goal?

“If I could, I would push more people to go to school. Education is a big thing to me. If I could encourage people to go to school and/or better themselves, I would be happy.”