In The Light: Medvis Jackson

In The Light: Medvis Jackson

Senior Medvis Jackson has a sharp wit, snazzy demeanor and, of course, sick dance moves.

“I’m on YouTube,” said Jackson, a na­tive of Detroit, Michigan. “A few years ago, I wouldn’t want to share that. But I’ve come to terms with it.”

The infamous video, entitled “Dancing Medvis,” shows the talented senior onstage in a packed Chapel doing his personal rendi­tion of the Chicken Dance. The video is a hallmark of Jackson’s legacy here at Colgate.

As the current Chief of Brothers and an Africana Latin Asian Native American (ALANA) Student Ambassador, the polit­ical science major and French minor has also been a visible role model for many younger – and older – Colgate students.

“I’ve been able to interact with so many people here,” the senior explained. “The great thing about Colgate is the resources we have because of our small size. People from other schools don’t get the same opportunities.”

Citing “the East Coast feel” as part of Colgate’s uniqueness, Jackson also finds the school’s physical environment to be a wonderful asset.

“I love the running trails and the boat­house,” Jackson said. “Being from the Midwest, these are things I wouldn’t have access to back home.”

Last semester, Jackson ventured out of rural Central New York to participate in the “excellent” Washington, D.C. Study Group.

“I interned with the Republican National Committee (RNC) and frequently passed by many congressmen,” Jackson said. “Being in a metropolitan area definitely gave me a taste of what life will be like after Colgate.”

The senior, who is “riding the fence be­tween law school and grad school,” is cur­rently applying to government and political jobs, many of which are based in D.C.

“Studying with Colgate in D.C. gave me a lot of networking opportunities,” Jackson explained. “I’m very thankful.”

Jackson, who also participated with Heading Home in Boston as part of the Manzi Fellowship, encourages all students to “get involved as much as you can.”

“Don’t wait for your friends to make something cool,” Jackson advised. “Do what makes you happy. Most people don’t do something because their friends aren’t doing it. If you don’t like how things are, be the one to change it.”

Jackson also stressed that Colgate students need to “enjoy Colgate for all it is,” which is “more than partying on Broad Street.”

“Be self-critical,” he said. “Your experi­ence is in your own hands. Make the most of it.”