One of Keisha Collins’ most vivid memories is the night a bomb nearly ended her life.
The year was 2003, and Collins, an Army reservist, was stationed in Iraq.
That’s not Collins’ only memory of her time in Iraq. She has plenty, including time spent building outhouse-style toilets and showers for her unit. But that’s all in the past, at least for now.
These days, the sophomore is a full-time student at WSSU studying sports management, a part-time employee at both Wal-Mart and the YWCA, and the full-time mother of a 7-year-old son,Collins said she joined the Army at age 19 to help pay for college.
However, on April 4th, 2003, not long after the start of the Iraq war, her unit was called into action. She is still on active reserves and travels Galax, Va. one weekend each month to take part in drills.
When she graduates, Collins said she wants to start a Youth Development Center in Candor, NC, her hometown. Taking inspiration from her mother, her role model, Collins said she tries to live by the Golden Rule, which is “treat others as you wish to be treated.”