Caemon Scott felt that his education and talents would be enhanced and nurtured at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Growing up so close to Lafayette, Caemon already knew one of the coaches.
“Coach Badon had previously coached me at Lafayette Christian Academy, so having that previous connection made me want to commit here,” he said.
Utilizing strategic communication to improve community relations
Caemon started as a chemistry major but changed to strategic communication to help his community heal with interpersonal relationships.
“I realized I wanted to be in a major where I could use my strengths of communicating to do what I am passionate about, which is helping others.”
So far, his favorite strategic communication class is strategic communication research (CMCN 331).
He said, “I took [the course] during my spring semester of sophomore year, and Dr. Lauren van Gerwen was my professor. I really enjoyed this class because while I was learning how to research strategically in class, I was immediately applying it to the research I was conducting for an event I wanted to get instated on campus.”
Caemon’s passion for the safety and success of his community encouraged him to minor in criminal justice.
“I chose the criminal justice minor because I am extremely passionate about fixing how policing is viewed in this generation,” he said.
His favorite criminal justice class is the police process (CJUS 203).
“Professor Robert Reardon was my instructor, and this class made me understand both sides of the spectrum whenever it comes to policing; the civilian and the police officer. This class helped me further understand how misconceptions of policing can be created, and how communication is key in policing,” Caemon said.
Caemon hopes to become a police officer after graduation and progress on his journey.
“Following that, I want to be a public relations specialist for a police department to help bridge the gap between the department and the community,” he said.
Making a positive impact on campus
Caemon is the founder of Mental Health Week at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
He said, “This is not only important to me because I have seen how mental health can consume people, but we often hear about people or college students committing suicide. I have often heard people say something needs to change but had no action behind it. I wanted to help be the change and let my actions speak for themselves.”
Mental Health Week will consist of a range of activities and events for students, faculty, and staff starting November 06, 2023.
Caemon believes his involvement on campus helps to enhance his experience as an overall student.
“I am the president of SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee), the vice president of BSAA (Black Student Athlete Association), founding member of MMA (Minority Male Athletes), and I am the SGA (Student Government Association) President’s Executive cabinet secretary for athletics. These organizations have taught me how to use my voice and taught me leadership skills that I now exemplify every day. They have opened opportunities for me to represent UL Lafayette student-athletes as a whole and help me grow as a greater person outside of track and field.”
He shared some of his thoughts on playing sports while in college.
“Some benefits that come with being a student-athlete is a lot of younger kids look up to us so we can be influential to the younger generation. Another benefit is that student athletes' voices are in a way projected more because we have a broader audience.”
When asked about his experience so far at UL Lafayette, he said, “My favorite part about studying at UL Lafayette is the connections that you can build from simply asking your teacher one question. The support and assistance I have received from my teachers has been second to none, and if they did not know the answer, they pointed me in the right direction without any hesitation.”
Caemon is grateful for his experience at UL Lafayette because he has changed for the better.
“My college experience has come full circle. I came into college only caring about track, but now I want to create change and improve UL Lafayette while still being one of the sprinters in the conference. I have had multiple people at UL Lafayette who have motivated me and pushed me to be where I am today; with that support and the help and guidance of God, I have been able to reach where I am today.”