Jovan Mills had only shared the story of his life with a handful of people. Then he went onstage and shared it with an audience of 500.
Mills, a student at 海角社区, recently competed against others from across Georgia to give the keynote address at the University System of Georgia鈥檚 annual Regents Scholarship Gala. He won with an address that focused on his experience growing up in Jacksonville and the life events that brought him to being a psychology major today at CCGA.
鈥淚 had a whole lot of hardship growing up,鈥� Mills told The News. 鈥淢y mother was struggling and she couldn鈥檛 afford to necessarily provide. She did what was needed, but it was kind of hard 鈥� My father wasn鈥檛 present, and it was a void that I needed to fill.鈥�
Mills recalled seeking attention through comedy in the classroom and later having angry outbursts, lashing out at others and getting into fights due to the challenges he faced at home.
He was 16 when a gang approached him about joining, but he refused. A couple of weeks later, he was shot and had to spend time in the hospital.
鈥淚 could have died,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 came this close to dying. I ended up persevering through that.鈥�
It was an assistant principal at his high school who helped Mills see the potential in enrolling in college and pursuing his degree. He connected him with CCGA, where Mills decided to enroll. He moved to Brunswick in 2020.
鈥淐oming here and seeing the type of environment I could be in, and also being able to get out of the house, I took school a little more seriously and it landed me here,鈥� he said.
It wasn鈥檛 easy going at first, though. Mills said it took him some time to find a community of friends and feel at home on campus. Again, he persevered.
鈥淥nce I realized the severity of knowing that I could go back to that lifestyle I was living, I got back on track, got everything in order and I鈥檝e just been going up from there academically,鈥� he said.
At CCGA, he spoke with only a few about some of the challenges he faced in Jacksonville. He shared his story with Quinton Staples, director of diversity initiatives at the college, and with CCGA President Michelle Johnston.
This year, he was presented with the opportunity to tell his story to a much larger number of people at the gala. The event also raises funds to need-based scholarships for USG students.
Mills competed against students from public colleges and universities across the state to be the event鈥檚 keynote speaker. He came out on top, and following the ceremony he received a $5,000 scholarship.
When he concluded his keynote speech at the gala, he received a standing ovation.
There鈥檚 a power in knowing someone鈥檚 story, Mills said, as it鈥檚 impossible to look at anyone and know their full lived experience.
鈥淵ou never know what somebody鈥檚 going through,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 lot of people came up to me and told me how inspiring my story was and how inspired they were by me. For me personally, it鈥檚 my story, but I didn鈥檛 look at it as if it was going to inspire people or bring people to tears. It was just, this is what I鈥檝e been through.鈥�
He had to be willing to be vulnerable, he said, to talk about some of his experiences.
鈥淓specially as a dude, you鈥檙e taught to hold everything in,鈥� Mills said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a societal weakness.鈥�
There鈥檚 strength in connection, he鈥檚 learned. There鈥檚 also value in accepting help from others.
鈥淐oming from the background I came from, you had to get everything on your own by any means,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a pride thing. 鈥榊ou aren鈥檛 going to throw back in my face what you did for me.鈥欌��
He鈥檚 learned he can achieve his goals more quickly by saying yes when others offer their assistance.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to have a team,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really have family or a support system when I was home. But when I came here, everything I cried or prayed for I got. I got a family, I got a support system, people that want to help me and see me be successful. I鈥檝e got all that.鈥�
He said he hopes others will take something positive away from learning about his personal journey. For instance, he hopes they鈥檒l see the importance of perseverance.
鈥淚t may seem like everything鈥檚 falling apart and you want to give up, but it鈥檚 only a season when you鈥檙e going through that and it鈥檚 a lesson to be learned,鈥� Mills said.
And don鈥檛 forget those who offered to help, he said.
鈥淲hen you get up and you get to where you need to be, don鈥檛 forget about others because a lot of times we get through whatever we鈥檙e going through and we go back to living our lives and we forget all the people who helped us out or we forget about the struggles and get arrogant,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 also about remaining humble and remembering that anything can go wrong at any time. Just love your neighbor, help your neighbor out.鈥�
Republished with the permission of .