Khajayah Little A Life-Changing Education

Khajayah Little ‘22, was among the first in her family to graduate from high school so her decision to attend college was highly unexpected.

“A lot of my dad’s family didn’t make it to their high school graduation so attending mine was a huge step for our family,” explains Khajayah. “It was an even bigger shock when I told them I was going to college but I just knew I wasn’t finished yet.”

Inspired by time she spent with her cousins who have Down syndrome and autism, Khajayah decided to pursue a degree in Health Science with the intention of continuing at SEU to earn her master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis.

“Society overlooks children with disabilities but they are just like us,” says Khajayah, who plans on dedicating her life to helping children thrive. “They may function differently than we do but they are no different than us. We are all one.”

While Khajayah is set on using her education to improve the world, she almost didn’t earn her degree. Originally a student at a larger New Jersey institution, Khajayah struggled immensely during her freshman and sophomore years. As a first-generation college student, Khajayah could not figure out what was expected of her.

“I wasn’t doing well and I was falling behind on the standards I set for myself,” recalls Khajayah. “There was no guidance at my first college, I was completely on my own and I started to think that maybe college wasn’t meant for me after all.”

Luckily, Khajayah realized that this thinking was limiting her potential to help children with intellectual disabilities and decided to apply to other schools. When she came across Saint Elizabeth University, she knew it was the perfect fit for her.

“The faculty and staff at SEU is just so hands-on,” says Khajayah. “If I need anything, they are there and that kind of support just inspired me to work even harder.”

Through these efforts, Khajayah was able to substantially improve her academics during her first semester at the University and by her second she was on the Dean’s List. By the time she graduated, she served as the president of the Black Student Union and founder/president of SEU’s Cheer and Spirit Club.

As a former all star cheerleader, Khajayah was well equipped to lead the Cheer and Spirit Club. The club attends games on campus to motivate their fellow student-athletes to succeed. “Seeing fans in the bleachers cheering you on uplifts our players,” says Khajayah. “Even if they don’t have any family members attending the games, we are there. We are their hype and we try to get as many people out to support them as possible.”

Khajayah’s academic prowess and recreational involvement proves that she excels both in and out of the classroom.