Dear Mr. Campbell, My name is Jermonte Hatcher. I am twenty years old. I am originally from a small town called Council.

I now reside on campus but I do live in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I have many siblings from both parents. I have one from my mother and step father, and I also have five siblings from my father, three sisters and two brothers. My overall family is quite large and would take me forever to point everyone out honestly. Growing up in a small country town, there was not much to do. For fun, when I was smaller, I would go outside and make mud pies in the dirt and go in the woods and pretend to be a hunter like my grandfather. My Grandmother would be in the kitchen making dinner while me and her daughter, my aunt, would be outside making a mess in the yard with whatever we could find. After a while, we would get tired of playing with sticks and things and we would just go and ride our bikes around the small community. When it seemed to be getting dark, we would go inside and then proceed to play school and have our pretend sessions with the children we had made up in our heads. Those were the easy days. Several years later, I moved to Wilmington to be with my mother, with whom I did not have a great relationship with, so that I could continue school. My grandmother died shortly after, and that was the beginning of when everything changed. My mother and step father abused me in a way that I wish to not speak of much. During the last two years of middle school and the rest of high school, I decided to join chorus because I knew I could sing. As it turned out, I had realized that music was the best and most proficient way that I could, like yourself, express myself and not get frustrated on things that didnt really matter too much. In 8th grade, I decided that I had to branch out and establish myself as the true vocalist that I was. So, my teacher decided that my friend Tyler and I could do a duet for our 8th grade graduation. I then promoted

the idea that I could also do a solo as well to get my voice heard. The idea was dismissed though, as he did not want me to shine out from the other students. When I performed, Tyler needed a microphone and it was decided that I did not because my voice was very loud. We sang The Circle of Life from The Lion King and everyone in the crowd loved it! That was the highlight of the year. Over the next four years, I was also involved with Chorus as well, and I had eventually made the Voyagers, which were the best of the best choral performers at the high school. I had earned my first solo in the 9th grade. At the end of my high school career, I was then chosen at All County Chorus, which are all high school choirs combined into one, to do a solo as well. That counts as one of my biggest successes in singing overall. I was also chosen to film in a movie in 2011 because of my singing ability, but that was by chance. That has to be first in my list of accomplishments. After high school, I decided to come to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to pursue a degree in Psychology. As you already know, I enjoy music and I decided to join a gospel choir on campus known as the Voices of Eden. But after singing with them for the first night, I decided that this program was not for me. I have to be honest with you. I was not as much of a social person as I am now. I was close minded, and I did not have time for joining clubs and making friends before I came to college. But I met someone, and that someone changed my whole mind about how to live life. You only live life once, so why not join clubs and make friends and I changed my attitude about college. Now, one year and five months later into my relationship with my fianc, I am proud to say I have come a long way from where I had already started. Academically, I was always a great student, but my personality prevented me from growing in other ways. I now know how to network, and make friends and enjoy life! I enjoy college now and I even added a second major, which happens to be German. I have met

my best friend, and my fianc as well, and I am happier more than I ever have been in all my life. My Grandmother wouldve been proud! I am very excited to begin my first semester back as a sophomore since I left the University this past fall to be with my fianc. But I am back now, and all is well. I am ready to begin to meet more new people and begin a new chapter, and a new year here at UNC-Charlotte as well as enjoying my new English class!

Sincerely, Jermonte Hatcher