SENIOR PROFILE: Evan Jenkins pursues his own path

Evan Jenkins

From the Friday night lights on the football field to the rigor of academia, Evan Jenkins always knew he wanted to craft his own path outside of the one made for him.

For Jenkins, pursuing higher education was an early decision. He began taking college courses at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College during his sophomore year of high school, a choice he calls a “blessing in disguise.”

The difficulty of the college classes forced Jenkins out of his comfort zone, yet the classes inspired him to be an influence for those who felt that sports were their only way out.

“I wanted people behind me to see, yes, you can be a star high school football player, but you can also have brains outside of that and achieve something greater,” Jenkins said.

Earning his associate degree in his senior year of high school, Jenkins was set to further his education at Claflin.

Even though he was bold in his studies, Jenkins started his Claflin career timidly.

“When I first got to Claflin, I was a very shy kid who was trying to find myself and my identity,” Jenkins said.

Yet, the atmosphere of Claflin University helped Evan find himself on campus.

“I can truly say, being that Claflin is a family-oriented school and everybody speaks to everybody, it really helped me find people I was comfortable with as well as not feeling out of place. Claflin today has shaped me into a person who’s not afraid to speak up. I look at myself as a greater version of myself now that I am graduating from Claflin,” Jenkins said.

Declaring his major as mass communications stemmed from his attendance at Claflin’s CALA-Bash. When he approached the table for mass communications, he was greeted with a warm welcome.

“I came to Claflin to tour, not knowing they had CALA-Bash going on. I visited the mass communications department table, where I was met with positive professors. This led me to dive deeper into the mass communications world, ultimately choosing to major in it,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins was involved with many productions in mass communications, including writing articles for The Panther, videography and photography. Throughout his time in mass communications, Jenkins’ biggest inspiration was Dr. Luis Almeida, former department head.

“One man who has been a major influence on my journey here was Dr. Almeida. He is no longer a professor here, but he helped me gain opportunities that I didn’t know were possible. Dr. A poured into me with positive energy some days when I didn’t know if I was coming or going and that really helped me along the way,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins’ journey was not easy through college as he struggled with time management, understanding how to balance different assignments and their due dates. However, what motivated him through the struggles was his support system and the Bible verse Proverbs 13:4.

“I have a family rooting for me back home, knowing I have a support system that won’t allow me to fail. Also, what motivates me is the scripture Proverbs 13:4, the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the soul of the diligent remains fat,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins hopes that his experiences throughout high school and college can inspire those after him. His senior project was a documentary that focused on his journey as an early college graduate.

“My senior project was very meaningful to me; I created a documentary on early college and why high school kids should take advantage of it,” Jenkins said.

This documentary showed Jenkins how much of a role model he is to others, the same way his grandfather was a role model to him.

“Also during this time, I think about my late grandfather and all that he poured into me … long live my grandfather,” Jenkins said.

On May 9, 2026, Evan Jenkins took his final walk through a chapter of his life he has written. He hopes that people remember him as a determined person, never backing down from anything.

“I hope that people remember that I was a go-getter. I never let anything knock me down from achieving my goals. I thought it, I said it, I did it, I achieved it,” Jenkins said.