Rayford Mullins leaves a legacy of leadership at Alcorn
Rayford Mullins has always been destined for greatness. Ever since his youth, the Alcorn State University senior was pegged as the one to watch. His mother was, and still is, his biggest supporter, and the reason why he has grown into the leader he is today.
“My mother motivated me the most,” said Mullins, who will earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology on Saturday. “She would always tell me how different I was, and how I stood out from other children in my community. I’ve always been the type of person that would get the job done. If there was something that I wanted to change, I would try to do what was necessary for the change to happen.”
Once Rayford walks across the stage to receive his bachelor’s degree, he will become the first person in his family to earn a degree from a four-year institution. He was also the first male in his family to earn a high school diploma. These are just a few accomplishments that lead him to realize his destiny.
“I wanted to bring pride to my family’s name by being a good student and staying out of trouble. I’ve always been serious about uplifting my family’s name by working in my community to help spread hope to those who are younger than me.”
Rayford will leave a great legacy behind at his alma mater. He is one of the founding members of The Psychology Society, a group of psychology majors who spread awareness about various mental and physical illnesses during their community service projects.
Over the years, the Psychology Society has garnered much attention from students on campus. Rayford is proud to have been a part of the organization’s growth and popularity.
“The organization has grown tremendously since its early stages. The feedback from the members and number of students seeking to become apart of the organization has been amazing. It’s a testament to our mission, which is reaching the minds of our society one Brave step at a time.
At some point, everyone experiences failure of some sort. During the Spring 2016 Student Government Association campaign process, Rayford ran for Senior Class President, but wasn’t voted to serve as his class’ leader. Although he suffered the loss, he didn’t let it stop his pursuit to be the best leader possible.
“After running for senior class president and not winning, I didn’t let it deter me from being a leader. Even though I have held other student leadership roles, that situation showed me that you don’t need a title to be a successful leader.”
After completing his duties at Alcorn, Rayford plans to accept a full-time position at Canopy Children’s Solutions, which is a mental health behavioral prevention center in Jackson, Mississippi that caters to students from around the state. He also plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical and mental health at Mississippi State University.
