ORANGE PARK – Attending college was not on Sabrian Edwards’ radar, until he was awarded the Collier-Blocker Minority In-District Scholarship at St. Johns River State College.

“I knew that had to be divine intervention, because I had no intention of going to college and no financial means to get there, but here I am, and it’s paid for,” Edwards said.

The scholarship opened the door of opportunity and ultimately resulted in more than Edwards earning an Associate in Arts degree, which he will receive May. He will then begin working on SJR State’s bachelor’s degree program in Early Childhood Education. After being exposed to ECE courses at Oakleaf High, Edwards had no doubt what his career path would be and is thrilled to continue his education at SJR State with his bachelor’s degree.

Edwards credits much of his success to SJR State’s small college environment, where building relationships and participating in extra-curricular activities helped develop his potential for leadership and nurturing others.

“There are a lot of things that take place on a college campus other than just lectures,” Edwards said. “I knew I wanted to do more than just come here, go to class, and leave.” The various hats Edwards wears at SJR State prove this to be true.

Today, Edwards serves as the president of the Student Government Association, an opportunity that has allowed him to build his leadership skills in ways he never imagined. He interacts with the College’s leaders and is a bridge and voice for other students.

“Joining SGA is a great opportunity, and I’m enjoying every moment of it," Edwards said. “Growing my leadership skills through my involvement with SGA has been my biggest takeaway.”

Edwards also serves as the co-president of the Students Focused on Christ Club, a club that he and a few friends were instrumental in establishing on the Orange Park campus. To see him in action on campus leading a Bible study group is to easily witness that teaching is his passion.

"I never would have imagined I would have been so involved with my school, let alone a college,” Edwards said.

Whether through teaching or working in administration or serving on a school board, Edwards’ ultimate goal is to plant seeds that will "encourage children, and students in general, to take more confidence in the ownership of their education,” he said. With many students questioning why certain content is necessary, Edwards hopes to embolden students to be proactive, look beyond what is being taught and research the various ways the content in question can be applied to their lives. “Don’t just take in what the teachers give you," he said.

What would Edwards tell a student contemplating enrolling at SJR State? The words “relationships, connections, small class sizes, and an easy-to-navigate campus” are what quickly come to mind for him.

“When it comes to relationships and connections, I found it was so easy to build those at SJR State, especially the connections with your teachers because of the class sizes,” he said.