Cadese Higgins, a 21-year-old native of Jamaica and member of Meridian Community College’s track-and-field team, discovers a second home at MCC.

It’s nearly 2,000 miles from Meridian to her home in Claredon Parish, Jamaica, but Cadese Higgins, a 21-year-old native of the Caribbean island, has discovered a second home at Meridian Community College.

Higgins came to MCC in August 2022 for her first year of college to join the Lady Eagles track team, competing in the 400-meter events. Since then, MCC has been the springboard for Higgins’ educational and athletics pursuits in the United States.

“I have a passion for sports; that’s what my mom always wanted me to do,” said Higgins, whose mother died shortly before Higgins returned for her sophomore year at MCC. “It was extremely hard to come back to school. It was hard, but I did it for her; I really do miss her terribly.”

Despite her loss, Higgins, who wears a heart-shaped necklace with her mother’s photo encircled in the design, persevered and came back to MCC. She graduated with her associate degree in the university transfer program last Friday, receiving three A’s and one B this semester.

Her typical daily routine combined back-to-back morning classes, mandatory study halls, and afternoon track practices; on the weekends, there were track meets in Mississippi and beyond.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Higgins has received scholarship offers from Albany State in Georgia, Tusculum University in Tennessee and the University of West Alabama, so she can continue pursuing her college education in the States. She hopes to continue her studies in business management and aspires to become an entrepreneur.

“I want to work for myself,” she said.

Reflecting on her MCC experience, Higgins said she found a home with her teammates, friends and college staffers.

“I’ve been to other states, and the people are tense or rough. Here in Meridian, I feel like it’s home. I don’t get the negative from this environment. That’s an advantage. I love it here,” she said.

Graduations bring family and friends to join the celebration, which holds true for Higgins.

“My little brother, my older sister and one of my cousins are at graduation to support me,” Higgins said about MCC’s commencement. “This was my cousin and brother’s first time coming to America.”

With travel comes paperwork, and that’s where MCC’s registrar’s office came in to help.

Higgins’ family needed official documents to enter the States to attend Higgins’ graduation, so Higgins reached out to Deborah Oldham, director of admissions and registrar, and Janet Parrett, assistant to the registrar, who wrote a letter to the embassy in Jamaica for Higgins’ family members asking for permission for them to attend the ceremony.

“We’re glad the letter helped,” Oldham said, noting the department had written a handful of similar letters.

Despite last week’s graduation, Higgins will join her Eagle teammates this week in a national championship event in Monroe, Louisiana, where she’ll be competing in the 400 and the 4×400 relay.

“I’ll be the start leg,” said Higgins, who is hopeful there will be another scholarship opportunity after this competition.

Higgins plans a surprise summer visit to Jamaica before returning to the United States for the next chapter in her life.