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UC student has a good attitude and some joy
February 4, 2021
oi Hutcherson read the email with her acceptance into the University of Cincinnati’s Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program and screamed. Loudly.
"We were on our way to the movies and Tyler [her fiancé] and his dad thought my water broke because I was so loud," Joi says. "I yelled because I was happy."
Always "dead-set" on going to college, the fact that Joi was to become a young mother never deterred her; it was simply an additional motivator.
Joi knew she would need scholarship support, and was a focused and accomplished high school student. She says she was honored to be a part of a highly competitive program.
Offered by UC’s Office of Ethnic Programs & Services, the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program promotes academic excellence, fosters diversity and provides leadership and service opportunities to its students. Named after African American student Darwin T. Turner, the youngest person to graduate from UC at the age of 16, the program’s goal is to recruit and retain underrepresented groups with high potential for academic success. Students like Joi must meet qualifying criteria to be considered and, if accepted, receive full tuition scholarships.
"Darwin T. Turner is based on service, scholarship and success," Joi says. "They look for students who want to better themselves and make an impact on the world."
This description describes Joi perfectly. In her second year at the College of Arts & Sciences with a major in organizational leadership, Joi is the UC Government Director of Academic Affairs, a member of the Society for Human Resources Management, holds an internship, runs a baking business (Joiful Creations) and is the mother of two-year-old Carter Rose.