Jeantel thanked Joyner for the offer and indicated she might want to pursue a career in law enforcement.Radio personality Tom Joyner has offered a full scholarship to the Historically Black College or University of her choice to Rachel Jeantel, who testified for the prosecution in the murder trial of George Zimmerman. Jeantel, 19, was a friend of Trayvon Martin’s and spoke with the 17-year-old shortly before he was shot to death by Zimmerman.
Reluctantly thrust into the national spotlight, Jeantel’s cross-examination over two days last month was marked by sharp exchanges with defense attorney Don West. She was widely criticized and ridiculed for her demeanor, lack of command of the English language and inability to read cursive writing. However, few realized at the time that, though Jeantel was born and raised in Miami, she is of Haitian and Dominican descent and that she also speaks Spanish and Creole.
Joyner, a graduate of Tuskegee University, said he was moved by the rising senior’s courage and testimony.
“If you want to graduate from high school and go to an HBCU, even if it’s not in Florida but especially Florida, like Florida Memorial, Edward Waters or FAMU, if you want to do that, I want to help you do that,” Joyner told Jeantel on the nationally syndicated The Tom Joyner Morning Show on Tuesday. “I will help you get tutors to get you out of high school, tutors to help you pass the SAT and I will give you a full ride scholarship to any HBCU you’d like.”
Jeantel thanked Joyner for the offer and indicated she might want to pursue a career in law enforcement.
“An HBCU would be an ideal environment in which Ms. Jeantel could realize her educational aspirations because of their academic excellence and signature protective, supportive, nurturing environments,” said Lezli Baskerville, president and CEO of the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. “Having been pilloried and ridiculed in the national media, Ms. Jeantel will be able to realize her educational aspirations in a welcoming and supportive environment, while sharing the richness of her Haitian Creole, Spanish, American tri-cultural, tri-lingual background.”
Zimmerman was found not guilty Saturday in Sanford, Fla.
