Meet Jermane Easterlin

Whitworth Cadre Two
'08 Graduate (Business Management & Computer Science)
Bellarmine Preparatory School '04

A long hard road

It has been a long road for Jermane Easterlin to Whitworth College, where everybody knows "J Rock is so hot" on the mic, on the field, and in the classroom. Hard work has enabled Jermane reach to this point; and with an attitude that says, "You can never go wrong just working your hardest." He is not ready to let anyone stop him from going as far as he can go.

Opportunity calls

"I did pretty well at Jason Lee," Jermane says meekly referring to his academic performance in middle school. Something about Jermane was beyond average, though, as a counselor at Bellarmine called Jermane in his eighth grade year offering him an opportunity to receive his high school education at Bellarmine Preparatory School free of charge. "I was like, 'Yes, I just have to talk to my mom,'" Jermane says remembering his response to that call.

A reality check

At Bellarmine, Jermane's potential was put to the test. Initially, he wasn't an impressive student or athlete, but he got by "being cocky and funny," he says. During his sophomore year, though, Jermane got what he describes as "a reality check." He remembers the YMCA having a lot to do with this wake up call. "I saw how I could improve my body so that gave me confidence in other areas," he says. "I started to do better in school. I just began working really hard at everything I did."

Deemed most improved

In his senior year of high school, Jermane saw his hard work pay off as he managed to pull a 3.8 GPA, a dramatic increase from his sophomore average of 2.0. It seems fair that Jermane received the "Counseling Department Award for Most Improved Student" and when his basketball team went sixth in the state that year as well, Jermane was again rewarded for his hard work.

A classroom leader

At Whitworth, Jermane has found his hard work ethic to be a key instrument in not only his individual success, but in his success as a leader. Double majoring in Business Management and Computer Science, Jermane has had to work twice as hard. His leadership in the classroom has set him a part from his classmates in several ways. "A lot of people want to follow me and they trust my decisions," he says confidently.

An all-around guy

Jermane also has worked hard in athletics, walking on to the varsity basketball team his freshmen year and then participating in varsity football since his sophomore year. In balancing athletic commitments with academics, Jermane's success has been dramatic: he was named to the 2006-07 "Academic All District Team" in football. Even more, impressive, Jermane actually has time for having fun and making music. Managing to enroll in virtually every talent show hosted on the Whitworth campus since his freshmen year, J Rock has performed his own original hits designed to take any party to the next level.

Moving up and giving back

As Jermane plans on moving beyond Whitworth to his own next level, he aims to pursue opportunities to work for a company like Microsoft as well as those to open doors to others in his community. "I know a lot of my friends could be in the same spot I am right now if they were given the opportunity," he says humbly. "I want to have a program for kids who have the same issues I had...I want to motivate them to work their hardest."

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