LaMar-Octavious L. Scott is currently serving as the Director of Admissions at Tennessee State University which he began on May 1st, 2023. He is a native of Gluckstadt, Mississippi by way of Gary, Indiana. While at Alcorn State University, he served in multiple capacities as a student leader being the National Panhellenic Council Representative as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Mighty Eta Chapter which he was initiated into on March 23, 2016, a member of Alcorn’s Track and Field and Cross Country teams, served as First Vice President of the Student Government Association (SGA) as a Graduating Senior in the 2017-2018 academic school year and served as a Campus Minister from 2016 until 2018 upon his graduation.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ALCORN?
Originally, I signed up to play football on National Signing Day in February of 2014. This is what brought me to the campus, yet after Spring 2015, I no longer was a member of the team. What really drove me to stay and continue as a student was the family environment from the faculty and staff along with administrators.
WHAT ORGANIZATIONS WERE YOU A PART OF?
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Mighty Eta Chapter, Spring 2016
Student Government Association, First Vice President 2017-2018
Junior Class First Vice President 2016-2017
Brave for Christ Ministries
NAACP
First Year Student Experience
Campus Activities Board
Student Support Services
Student Senate
HOW HAS ALCORN HELPED PREPARE YOU FOR YOUR CAREER?
Alcorn taught me a deeper understanding of discipline and direction for navigating my life’s journey. The University also was my first initial job once graduating in May of 2018. I was provided the opportunity to return in August of 2018 to serve as an Admissions Recruiter/Advisor. From being a student to working at Alcorn, I learned that passion and purpose mixed together gives you the most potent ingredients to be truly successful when aligning the two with prayer.
WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU ENJOYED MOST ABOUT ALCORN?
The advocacy for students and helping to enhance the campus through activities, community outreach, and ministry. From being able to help increase the student campus ministries to helping other students get registered to vote, performing and winning a step show, and even work orientations for enrolling students are some of the multiple things that I enjoyed about the University.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR CURRENT OR FUTURE STUDENTS ON ‘THE YARD’?
To the current students, I would like to say that your future may not always be clear but keeping God close will also provide clarity even in the darkness. Regardless of what your collegiate experience has been whether you are seeing many semesters of fruitfulness or even semesters of burdens, just know they are all prerequisites for your ‘GOOD’.
To the future/prospective students, Alcorn State University is a unique oasis, and it will always be a place of refuge and strength. Yet, when choosing a home such as Alcorn, just make sure it’s the right fit. You will meet the very people that will help evaluate your life for the betterment of it. You will meet professors and administrators that will become aunts and uncles, and maybe in your case, father or mother figures. Finally, just know that Alcorn is simply the start of a lifelong journey of learning, growing, and soaring, so take advantage of what Alcorn provides.