ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: AVERY JAMISON
Avery Jamison is proud to have been born and raised in Philadelphia where he attended Russell Byers Charter School from Kindergarten through 6th grade (no middle school existed at RBCS at the time). He loved hanging out after school to do his homework and is especially proud of having been a member of the chess club that won second place at the state tournament in Harrisburg. From RBCS Avery went on to middle school at Friends Select and then followed his brother to high school at Archmere Academy in Delaware.
During his high school years, Avery had the extraordinary opportunity to travel internationally. He first went to France where he was part of a student exchange program, and then as a member of the Keystone State Boys Choir, he traveled to India! In Paris he was able to practice his French, which he continued to study throughout his education. Avery was mesmerized by Paris and thrilled to be in a big city made up of neighborhoods like his home town. He immersed himself in the culture and loved learning the transit system and how to order food. Of India, he says, “It was a beautiful country full of people and traffic! The Taj Mahal was amazing, and I loved meeting new people.”
Inspired by these travels, Avery eventually chose to major in International and Global Studies at Elon University in North Carolina, and he couldn’t resist minoring in both French and business administration. Always eager to lean more, Avery pursued graduate studies at Clemson University and earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling with a focus on college-aged students.
Now earning a living in his field of study, Avery supports 600 college residents at the University of Delaware and especially likes helping students deal with their issues and challenges. As he comes to the end of two years as a residence counselor, Avery is contemplating his next opportunity in higher education, possibly in a position that would support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives.
Avery had the following thoughts to share with current RBCS students, “Be patient and enjoy your youth! It is important to stay present and stay in the moment. However, also know time flies and soon you will have to answer questions about your future, so it’s never too soon to think about your college options.”
We know Avery’s compassion will support many future college students, and his love of travel will make him a wonderful global ambassador for Philadelphia!