By Caroline Barnhill
Jaquan Scott was born and raised in Prince Edward County, Va. – and from his roots stemmed his passion for equity in education. His high school, Prince Edward County High School, was one of the schools across the country that temporarily shut down in the late 1950s because of the county’s fight against integration after Brown vs. the Board of Education.
“My grandfather couldn’t receive his high school diploma,” Scott shares. “That piece of history is a key part of my story and why I have a passion for education and college access.”
Scott, who currently serves as the associate director of admissions for Poole College’s office of undergraduate programs, received his undergraduate degree in public relations from Virginia Tech. After graduation, he took a full-time position in undergraduate admissions. “My official title was admissions advisor but my unofficial title was the roadrunner because my job entailed traveling each fall and spring recruiting potential students.” Scott later earned a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from Virginia Tech. As part of his graduate assistantship, Scott worked in the college’s Student Success Center where he helped students who were at risk of dropping out.
His time at Virginia Tech gave him a passion for working with students who are navigating the process of undergraduate admissions. After graduating with his master’s degree in 2019, he saw an opening for a recruitment position at NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles and took it. Then in September 2022, he made the move to Poole College.
“I wanted to try something a little different. I liked the idea of moving to a larger college and the stars aligned, so I started working at Poole in September 2022.”
Q&A with Jaquan Scott
What project in your current role are you particularly proud of?
My current position allows me to really combine my passion for college recruitment and DEI efforts. We’re furthering the diversity vision of the college to create a welcoming and inclusive space – making sure our college has a diverse student body. I enjoy working on projects, programs and events that aid in that.
What’s the most memorable Poole College event you have attended?
Two weeks after I started, Poole College had our open house. I presented to hundreds of students and families about all the things going on at Poole and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Students and their families enjoyed the energy we have here at the college and I enjoyed being able to speak with students and interact with our faculty and staff. The way we put our open house together allowed students to explore Poole in a really efficient way.
Why do you love being a part of Poole?
In the short time that I’ve been here, everyone I’ve come in contact with has been so welcoming, kind and genuinely concerned and interested in me not just as a colleague, but as a person. I feel my colleagues are walking the talk of DEI… they are warm, empathetic people to not just our students but also to their fellow colleagues.
Tell us more about your life outside of Poole College.
I have a huge passion for basketball and I’m a big Lebron James fan. I can criticize Lebron but no one else can. I’m also a sneakerhead… but I consider myself a sneakerhead-light, meaning I don’t buy all the shoes I want. However, most Fridays you’ll likely catch me wearing a pair of Jordans. (Just for you to know, I make sneaker contact before eye contact.) I also love cooking for people. During the interview process, I promised to bring my griddle to work and make pancakes for breakfast – and I’m going to make good on that promise. Also, my faith and family are both very important to me.
My Poole colleagues might not know…
I played soccer in high school and actually broke someone’s leg during a game. I felt terrible. I was a right-wing midfielder and I was going up the field with the ball. An opponent came in to attack so I went to pass while he started to kick. We collided shins and fell down. I got up… he didn’t!
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