Spanish Town native is family’s first university grad

Before completing her high school studies, Julisan Street was concerned about how she would afford university.

However, her questions were answered when she was named the first female recipient of the Lafayette-Jamaica Scholarship in 2018 to begin her tertiary studies at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, USA. Three years later, the 22-year-old is overwhelmed, having completed her undergraduate degree majoring in geology, with anthropology and sociology minors.

Street is the first person in her family to complete a tertiary degree. She is now a PhD candidate and will start a five-year programme at the University of Michigan in August.

"Growing up in Spanish Town was pretty interesting because my parents didn't go to university and I always said that I wanted to go to school and better myself. My mother always used to say that education is the key and she encouraged me to study and to work hard, and I took her word at full force and I tried my best to get into a good school. When I got into Campion, I was excited and I knew that I had to work hard to get into university because it is expensive," said Street who also attended St John's Primary School.

PARENTAL SUPPORT

She said her parents, Andrew and Rosemarie Street, worked assiduously to provide for her needs, ensuring that she had funds for her daily commute and lunch money.

Street achieved 11 grade ones in her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate scores and all ones in both Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations units. She explained how she chose geology.

"I enjoyed watching television and Ariel, the mermaid, really interested me and I thought it was pretty awesome, and that's what really interested me in geology. But then, I also liked sharks. They are my favourite animals and believe they are often times misunderstood and I think people need to protect the ocean and sharks. That's what really piqued my interest in geology. Overall, earth sciences interest me," Street told THE STAR. During her time at Lafayette, Street admitted that there were times she felt like giving up.

"I was homesick and I would say I really don't have to do this, I can go back home. The weather was a thing that I had to get adjusted to and then there was being black," she said, noting that at times she was the only black person in her class.

"There were times when classes got really hard and I was really involved in school, so doing all of that was a little overwhelming, plus I didn't have my family," she said.

Street said that while persons had suggested she complete a master's degree, nothing could deter her from pursuing her love for research, having spent her time during the pandemic completing a honours thesis focusing on aspects of Jamaica's geological systems.

"I want to be a better scientist and I want to be a better geochemist. Everything that I think about while at school is how can this knowledge apply to Jamaica and how can I better my country. With my undergraduate thesis, I didn't know that much about rocks in Jamaica, other than the fact that there are igneous rocks and limestone," she said. "I am hoping that the more that I learn about stuff in my graduate school experience, the more that I will learn about Jamaica to help fill in the gaps."