My Winter Break

Wrapping up the Fall semester after a long week of finals, students are rewarded with winter break. This winter break I look forward to spending time with family and old friends. Christmas morning we have breakfast with close and distant relatives at my grandmother's home, then we proceed to exchange gifts. Shortly after, we are traveling to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. In Gatlinburg, we will celebrate bringing in the New Year and visit the ski resort for entertainment.

My Life As An Engineering Major

5 Things About Engineering

• The University of South Alabama has Undergraduate Programs in Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering. South also offer M.S. in Chemical, Civil, and Mechanical Engineering.
•  Shelby Hall is a 155,000 SF Facility with 17 classrooms and 63 labs.
• There are 20+ Student Organizations. Those organizations are discipline specific, special interest orientated, and honor societies.
• Each department offers research with Professors and graduate students.
• The Mechanical Engineering Mission Statement is as follows: "The mission of the the Mechanical Engineering Department is to provide quality education at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and to create and disseminate knowledge and technology in the field of mechanical engineering."

A Week in my USA Life!

A typical Jag week for me starts around 7 a.m. on week days. The benefit of having morning classes allows you to get the most out of your day. In between classes or after class, I go to the library to study and stay on top of upcoming work. In classes or the library, studying with friends helps understanding the material covered. When finishing classes shortly after noon, it allows free time to choose how you wish to spend the rest of your day. I typically spend my free time in the Rec Center. Whether it's playing basketball or ping pong, the rec center is my way of "relaxing" after an long day.

5 Fun Facts About Me

Name: Jadontae Gray

5 Fun Facts 

• I am from Montgomery, AL and the youngest of four brothers!
• I enjoy playing basketball, baseball, and football in my spare time!
• I learned about South from my best friend of 8 years (we both attend South now)!
• For USA's Homecoming week, I attend the parade on campus followed by the Pep Rally!
• Majoring in mechanical engineering

First visit to South!

As a high school senior, I scheduled a campus tour with my parents to get a closer look at South. After arriving on campus, we have a designated parking spot with my name on it! After taking a short walk, we arrived at Meisler Hall where we were greeted by the SouthGuides. Before we were shown the campus, recruitment officers gave us some information about South and asked if we had any questions. The SouthGuides then took us on the tour, stopping by the different educational building, housing, dining, and recreation center. As an engineering major, we able to enter Shelby Hall and learn more about the classes that are offered. We then stopped at the housing community and were able to see the freshman only resident halls. None of the residence halls on campus have community showers and they are co-ed. The halls are also secured with an automatic locking system that only open when a student living in the hall swipes their JagCard to enter! The campus rec center was arguably one of my favorite location on the first visit! Inside the rec center there are multiple basketball and volleyball courts! They also have indoor soccer, racket ball, weight lighting, and different workout classes! At the end of my first visit, my college decision was finalized.

Preparation is Key!

As a high school senior, there are many steps and actions that should be taken to prepare for college. Areas to work on while still you're still in high school include academics, finances, and social life. Having good balance between the these will make your transition into college and adulthood a lot smoother.
Some would say the most important aspect of college is academics; getting a nice, solid education. While in high school you can prepare by forming good study habits. Working hard to increase your GPA to its maximum or getting the highest possible ACT scores are things that will translate into college necessities. Others believe that college is a place to network and be socially active with other. Both are extremely important and force you to work on time management skills, which will carry over into everyday life. Another import aspect of college is making financially sound decisions. Just by creating a weekly budget and schedule, you are setting yourself up for success in the future.

Becoming a Jag!

Most students have a list of colleges they wish to attend before entering their senior year of high school, and like most student so did I. After narrowing down my list to two prospective schools I thought my final decision was near. A couple of weeks later a friend informed me of the University of South Alabama and expressed how much they loved it and wished to attend. Shortly after, I schedule a campus tour with my parents. The moment we entered campus on Stadium Drive from Old Shell we all instantly loved it. Immediately after returning home from the visit, I completed my online application and had my guidance counselor send my transcript. A couple of weeks later I received my acceptance letter along with scholarship offers in the mail. After sharing the news with my family, everyone proceeded to purchase me "Jag Swag". After applying and coming for the campus tour, my family knew my college decision was finalized and that's why you too should apply and come visit our campus.

My name is ....

Hi, my name is Jadontae Gray and I'm from Montgomery, Alabama. I'm a junior at the University of South Alabama majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I'm a HUGE sports fan, and these are some things you should know!

South Alabama competes at the NCAA Division I level, member of the SunBelt Conference, and is composed of eight men sports and nine women sports. South Alabama has on campus venues for the men's and women's basketball,  baseball, softball, volleyball, and women's soccer! Also an on campus football stadium is in the making! For all home games students have free admission, so come out and support our Jags!!

Why is college for you?

Before deciding on what college you wish to attend, you must first determine if attending college is the right decision for you. After graduating high school, the goal is to become independent. Statistics show that males from the age range 20-24 that hold a bachelor's degree or higher have a 90 percent employment rate. Females have a 83 percent employment rate when having the same education. This data from the National Center for Education Statistics prove that your chances for employment and independence are favored greatly with a higher education. College is also a great place to network and meet new people. Universities are melting pots of different cultures and ideas, allowing student to explore their different interest and beliefs. College also brings you hands on experiences with the real world and better prepares you for the future.

Why South?

Nation College Decision Day is May 1st and its a time where most students submit their acceptance to mark the decision on what university they plan to attend. In high school for national college day, all seniors were asked to wear a shirt representing the university they plan to attend. That morning, waking up and deciding to wear my red University of South Alabama shirt is a day that I'll never regret. I've always considered South to be one of my top choices, but when national college decision day came around, my heart lead me to South. I remembered the friendly students and staff, smiling faces, and beautiful campus, which all made the decision that much more clear and easy.

Choosing Engineering

Throughout high school I was sure that I would attend college, but the major and career path to follow left me with uncertainties. My interest in problem solving led to engineering. After deciding engineering would be the path to take, the next step was to determine which branch. Working numerous jobs, it became clear to me that the mechanical aspect of engineering sparked my interest most. With engineering I feel that it is most important to be safe and efficient and various jobs have those requirements, and they need to be met.