Ki’Jay Randall never imagined he’d go to college, let alone the police academy. “I always said college wasn’t for me,” he admitted. But in 2018, a year after high school, he took a leap of faith and enrolled at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC).
As an Annapolis native, Randall had heard great things about AACC. A friend introduced him to the Student Achievement and Success Program (SASP), and from that moment, he never looked back. Though he once thought a blue-collar job was his path, he trusted his instincts and gave college a shot.
“When I first started, it was a struggle,” he said. But once he got into the rhythm, he realized he could succeed. He put in extra hours and excelled in one of the most rigorous programs – AACC’s Police Academy.
Once skeptical that college wasn’t for him, Randall now sees it differently. “College is for anyone willing to put in the time. … Everyone here is very willing to help you,” he said.
Randall has graduated from AACC and is eager to serve as a police officer in Maryland. “I always tell myself I want to do it for at least five years, then move on federally. But who knows? My colleagues say I might love it and want to stay.”
Having worked as a police cadet in Annapolis with his mentor, Miguel Dennis, Randall is ready to give back. “I’m excited to get out there and be part of the change,” he said.
In the end, Randall knows that even when the workload feels overwhelming, it’s all worth it. To him, success isn’t just about reaching a goal – it’s about the journey. “Sometimes we forget that the journey can be just as important as the end goal,” he reflected.
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