Dexter Bush-Scott is enthusiastic, personable and quite the character. You can find him striding across campus from one activity to the next, often dressed to the nines in ties and slacks. Although he claims be shy, Dexter exudes a fun, goofy aura that is impossible to miss when in his company. In his four years at the College, he has immersed himself in many aspects of our campus: Residence Life, Multicultural Affairs, Greek life and Honor Council.
p. You say you’re shy, but I don’t see it.
p. I’m a shy guy who loves chocolate chip cookies. I can be fun and outgoing or really quiet and reserved. It just depends on when you meet me. At times I love being around people, but I’m also okay with being alone and listening to music or watching TV. I strive for success in life, but I’d much rather have happiness. Ultimately, I’m a work in progress who strives for happiness and has a passion for helping kids from disadvantaged backgrounds.
p. Is that the career you’d like to pursue?
p. My dream job [is] to open a center for kids from disadvantaged backgrounds that provides them with academic assistance, opportunities for personal development and exposure to experiences that help them understand and appreciate diversity in all forms. My plans for after college are graduate school for higher education administration, college student personnel or student affairs administration. I joke that I want to be a male Anne Arseneau.
p. Coming to school, did you know you wanted to do higher education?
p. Actually, I didn’t even want to go to college. Reflecting back on high school, I was really apprehensive about going off to college. I felt like I had worked extremely hard in high school and just wasn’t excited about the academic workload of college. I even stayed overnight here during Black Studies Scholars Weekend and wasn’t blown away.
p. What changed your mind?>
p. My mom quickly let me know that it was not an option for me to not attend college, so I ended up applying early [decision] to the College. Somehow, I got accepted and the rest is history. I will say that I thought about transferring my first semester, but after meeting some incredible people I decided to stick around and see what the College had to offer. It has by far been the best decision of my life and I’m forever indebted to everyone who has helped me along the way.
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
p. It would be a grilled chicken breast covered with Monterey jack cheese and bacon, mashed potatoes with white gravy, corn, strawberry lemonade and chocolate molten lava cake with ice cream, fudge and a warm chocolate chip coconut cookie on the side. What can I say? I like good food.
If you could repeat one day at the College, which would it be and why?
p. I would repeat my first day, but only if I was the person that I am now. I would love to see how my life would be different if I entered college as the person that I’ve grown into and not who I was in high school. I think my experience would be completely different and hopefully it would be equally if not more satisfying than it is now.
What is your proudest accomplishment during your tenure at the College?
p. I think my proudest accomplishment has been growing into the person that I am now. I have had some incredible opportunities that have really helped me understand who I am and what I value. I’ve learned to be comfortable with who I am and appreciate what I have to offer. I recognize that I’m not perfect, but I’m happy with the progress that I’ve made so far and only hope that I continue to grow once I graduate.
p. What was your most rewarding activity?
p. I would have to say being a tour guide because I enjoy interacting with parents and students. I’m allowed to be myself and share my personal story about how W&M has helped me grow as a person plus I can tell jokes to an audience who laughs. It’s a good feeling when someone comes up to you after a tour and tells you that you did a “great job” or that their child didn’t even want to take the tour at first but now they’re glad they did and want to come to W&M. It also doesn’t hurt when a parent offers you a job and gives you their business card, [laughs]. It’s just a really good feeling when you connect with a tour group or family and feel like you left them with a vivid impression of the campus and its sense of community.
