As an overworked senior, I don’t usually have (make?) the time to meet the new class of 2019. I was just abruptly informed that this is a grave mistake on my part. I was just forced to spend time with a first year, and it was great. Thanks to HerCampus, I got to meet one of Davidson’s newest and finest: Jalen Madden.
He clearly doesn’t mind being the center of attention
Full Name: Christopher Jalen Madden
Hometown: He was born in Greensboro, but he mainly grew up 15 minutes outside of Atlanta in Union City, Georgia.
Zodiac: Scorpio
Relationship Status: Jalen is currently taken, and he has been for a while. Don’t worry; I already shed a few tears for all of us collectively.
Favorite Color: Royal Blue. “It’s just a smooth kind of color, you know.” (I didn’t know, but now I do. Thanks, Jalen.) “Just enough cool, not overbearing. Mellow. Laidback.” I didn’t know you could gather so much information from just a color. Gotta love a guy who is so contemplative and insightful.
Sports: Jalen played baseball and football and ran track in high school. His favorites are baseball and football.
Fun Fact: DISCLAIMER: This is the best and “funnest” fun fact that I have ever heard in ALL my years of being subjected to hearing people’s fun facts
In high school, Jalen had to fulfill a 1-year music requirement. *Not that fun yet* Jalen decided to join his school’s Scottish pipe band. Because high schools have Scottish pipe bands, naturally. *Getting more fun* He enjoyed the pipe band so much that he stayed in it throughout the duration of his high school experience – aka FOUR WHOLE YEARS. *It’s really getting fun now* He even wore kilts! *See?! Really fun stuff, here* He loved learning about Scottish culture and history through music. For instance, he learned that Scottish men would wear their kilts for war, thus kilts were very masculine. Unfortunately, there is no picture of Jalen in a kilt; he said it was kind of a low moment. So much for kilts being masculine then.
I usually only interview upperclass-people, so I felt uneasy asking someone who has been at Davidson for a whopping 8 weeks to tell me what he wants his major to be. Jalen did not disappoint, however. He wants to major in biology and become an anesthesiologist. Since Jalen was so prepared about his major, I decided to ask him about his minor plans, as well. He doesn’t have any. He likes Africana Studies, but that department doesn’t offer a minor. Jalen says that if he had to have a minor, (some people do indeed make a living off forcing poor undergraduates to have minors. It’s a dangerous lifestyle. Beware) he would choose Ethnic Studies.
I asked Jalen what his first impressions of Davidson have been. First and foremost, “shit is really hard.” Other things: “F is alright. People are pretty cool, and the BSC gets turnt.” Jalen decided to come to Davidson because we remind him a lot of the 4-year, all boys boarding school he attended in Virginia. He likes the similarities of tradition, helping teachers, caring students, a lot of bricks, and small classes. It’s pretty much Woodberry just with girls.
Jalen with the other 6 Black students in his class in high school. A good lookin’ bunch
Jalen is already incredibly involved on campus. He is a Bonner scholar. He’s in Strategies For Success, which is for pre-med students. He’s the freshman class representative for the BSC, so he gets to organize events to help bring the class of 2019 together. He also does STRIDE. All in all, there are a lot of different venues you’ll find Jalen in, which you should find him. You won’t be let down.
Jalen has two younger siblings, as he was the guinea pig baby. He has 13-year-old sister, who has been nationally ranked for track since she was 7, or something crazy impressive like that. He also has a 7-year-old brother, who is equally athletically gifted. It’s hard for Jalen not to be around his family, especially since he’s also a momma’s boy. His words not mine.
Why are sibling picutures always so cute?
I think Jalen’s mom needs to be Campus Cutie, too. You can see where he gets it from
This article wouldn’t be complete if I neglected to tell y’all about Jalen’s girlfriend. They have been dating since his sophomore year in high school. Remember, he went to high school in Virginia. His school had nominated him to be representative at a diversity conference in Texas. At his hotel, which was in the middle of nowhere, he met a girl. She was a junior in high school in New York. Obviously they started texting and all that good stuff. THEN Jalen’s dad started working for Delta, so Jalen would fly up to New York all the time to go visit her (I can’t handle how cute this story is). She decided to go to college at Emory, which is in Atlanta.
Fast forward to today. When I asked Jalen about his ideal date, he decided to just tell me about his next one. SPOILER ALERT: Jalen is going to go down to Atlanta and surprise his girlfriend. He’ll take her downtown to a fancy restaurant called Deep Blue, because she likes seafood. After dinner, they are going to go on a big Ferris wheel in the city. Apparently this is a super special Ferris wheel that has VIP boxes with a TV and a bar in them. From the top, they will be able to see the entire Atlanta skyline. How beautiful?
Jalen Madden has changed my mind about getting to know the class of 2019, and I’m sure if you meet him – correction, when you meet him – you will understand why. Luckily, he’ll be here for 3 and a half more years, so you’ve got time!