Between college applications and graduation, the last thing any high school senior wants to worry about is having a place to sleep every night. But for Tupac Mosley, that was often the case. The 17-year-old endured what no one should have to go through at such a young age: the loss of a parent.
"After my father passed, we fell behind on bills and we ended up getting evicted from our home February 21 of this year," Mosley told Fox 13. He moved from house to house throughout the remainder of the school year. At one point, Mosley was living out of a tent. He lived on a camping site called For the Kingdom, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping urban youths in Memphis put their lives on the right track.
Indeed, Mosley didn't let his circumstances affect his education. He maintained a 4.3 GPA at Raleigh Egypt High School and graduated valedictorian of his class in 2019. On top of all that, Mosley was awarded more than $3 million in college scholarships. "When I heard that I got $3 million, I was more than elated and excited and astonished that it was that much," he said.
In the fall, Mosley will attend Tennessee State University where he will major in electrical engineering. TSU president Glenda Glover even drove all the way to Memphis from Nashville to offer Mosley a full academic scholarship, including a housing and meal plan free of charge.
Mosley credits his teachers, guidance counselors, and his school principal for helping him achieve his goals. "I knew that I had to make them proud... Never let your current situation, whatever circumstances you're going through, be a mountain that you can't climb," he said.
