Who’s Going to ETSU?

MEET AMYRE CAIN

The decision to pursue a college degree is often a personal one, especially for first-generation students. It begins as a journey of courage and hope. It then transforms into a new world filled with opportunities that open doors to personal, academic, and career development. A constant source of encouragement for Amyre Cain’s college journey is her grandmother, who passed away in 2019 following a stage-four breast cancer diagnosis.

In 2018, Cain decided to become the first person in her father’s family to attend college. She is now a senior at East Tennessee State University.

Cain is from Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The miles from Michigan to East Tennessee did not hinder her daily phone calls with her grandmother. “It’s a miracle being a firstgeneration student. However, it is very stressful. The support I have here on campus and around me makes it a lot better. My grandmother was my biggest cheerleader,” said Cain.

That consistent motivation and encouragement to keep pushing to accomplish her dreams propelled Cain to grow as a leader during her time at ETSU and use her voice to elevate the voices of minority and underrepresented communities of color.

After declaring her major in Sociology and minor in Black American Studies, Cain spoke about how crucial diversity and representation are to the ETSU campus community during a panel that included ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland, faculty, staff, and administrators. Additionally, Cain is the first student on the Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council at ETSU.

She then joined the Black Affairs Association and became a leader for Black History Month. The organization is accessible to all students and serves as a source of encouragement for students to become involved in a variety of activities that make a difference on campus and in the community. “It definitely helps when it comes to educating people who are not of color and other cultures, too. Now they’re more mindful about the importance of Black History Month – instead of it just being a month,” added Cain.

In 2020, Cain was selected to join the Dr. Brenda White Wright Emerging Leaders Academy Program. The eight-week leadership development program focused on critical skills to become effective servantleaders at ETSU and beyond. Cain said she developed skills in community engagement while upholding a fundamental component to successful leadership: focusing on what you can do for others and the value your actions can bring to those around you.

Cain teamed up with Girls Inc. to pack nonperishable food items for children impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic who did not have access to school meals during virtual learning. Seeing firsthand the faces of those benefiting from the acts of service, Cain said, “It helped a lot. Before the pandemic, when I was younger, I was the person who was in need. So, I know how hard it was being in that position. Going in and taking action as soon as the nation shut down, it helped.”

Cain now shares her motivational story as an Expedition Leader, making her one of the first friendly faces prospective students see during ETSU campus tours, in addition to lending her voice to recruit outof-state students. You’ll often find her in the Mary V. Jordan Multicultural Center, located in the D.P. Culp Student Center, where Cain said she met some wonderful mentors who helped shape her collegiate life. “If it wasn’t for Ms. Carshonda Martin (the former Multicultural Center director), I wouldn’t be where I am today – along with the entire team at the Multicultural Center.”

Cain will graduate from ETSU in December. She wants to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees before one day opening a school she hopes to name in memory of her grandmother. Cain says her grandmother’s words of wisdom still echo in her mind, and the rings Cain’s grandmother left her are tangible tokens she wears each day that serve as a gentle reminder to carry on the legacy of empowering others to achieve their dreams.

“Keep going, keep going. Surround yourself with good people, people who are going to support you no matter what. Don’t let anything stop you, because at the end of the day, you are here for a purpose.”

Yasmeen Elayan is Marketing and Communications Specialist in ETSU’s Office of University Marketing and Communications. | Photo by Ron Campbell