'You Are a Product of Your Environment'

Major: Communications Studies, minor in Physics

Madison native Aavante Clay reflects on his selecting Edgewood College, making it affordable for himself, and pursuing his dreams after graduation.

“I chose Edgewood College because it was close to home and during my many visits enjoyed the atmosphere and people associated with it. My favorite high school teachers graduated from Edgewood College (2 Math teachers, 1 English teacher) and said that it would be a good fit for me.

“Financial aid has given me the opportunity to further educate myself and continue to grow as a person inside and out which will allow me to give back to my community once I graduate. My heart was set on Edgewood College since my junior year of high school and receiving the financial aid that I did, it was a no-brainer to attend my number one school of choice.

“During my time in college, something unexpected that I learned was that the people you associate yourself with are more telling of who you are as a person. The saying ‘you are a product of your environment’ speaks volumes because if you associate yourself with people who don’t have the same drive and motivation to reach their goals, then the percentage of your reaching those goals goes down significantly because you will fall into the same mindset as them. When you associate yourself with people who have the competitive drive and motivation to reach goals as you do, then the likelihood of you reaching your goals goes up significantly.

“After graduation, my plan is to work for about two years in the Madison area then move out to the western part of the country to live in a warmer place with new experiences.”

(Editor’s note: That work has already begun, as Aavante aspires to a career as a model and an actor. He’s featured in the Best of Madison 2018 edition of Madison Magazine.)
###