In this episode of Humans of Iowa State, Toyia Younger, senior vice president of Student Affairs, shared her life story, including what it was like to move to Washington, D.C., in her early 20s, what brought her to Iowa and how she helps students succeed on Iowa State’s campus.
“I’m originally from Flint, Michigan, and I went to Michigan State University,” Younger said. “I had an amazing time in college, I will admit to that. But when it was time to graduate, I really had no idea what I wanted to do.”
Younger’s story begins with her graduation from Michigan State, without a clear plan for her post-graduation life. After studying for the LSAT exam, Younger realized that her grades were not high enough to pursue a law degree. From there, she moved to Washington, D.C..
“Most people in my program either moved to Washington, D.C. or went to law school, and I had no clue,” Younger said. “I actually started studying with some girls to take the LSAT because I didn’t have anything else to do. Then, reality hit and said ‘Your grades suck. You would never get into law school. That was stupid.’”
After working for her local U.S. Senator, she realized that working for the House of Representatives would provide her with a higher income. From there, she pursued a master’s degree in higher education at Trinity Washington University.
“So I ended up applying for an internship, which was six weeks in D.C. to work for my U.S. senator from Michigan,” Younger said. “What was supposed to be a six-week internship turned into 20-plus years in D.C.”
After receiving her doctorate from the University of Maryland, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. During the pandemic, Younger was offered a job at Iowa State. Upon first glance, she was against moving to Iowa due to the weather. However, she eventually came around, went through a rigorous interview process and was accepted into the role with open arms.
“I had $1,000, which was the money from my graduation party, and I moved to D.C. on a whim,” Younger said. “It was exciting, it was new. I didn’t realize what a bubble I had grown up in.”
To watch the rest of Younger’s story, click the video link above the story.
To have a chance to be the next Human of Iowa State, apply at this link.
