When Zhaneya Morris enrolled at Germanna Community College, she didn’t just begin her academic journey—she began rewriting the story of her life.
“I wasn’t really thinking about college,” she admits. “But then my grandma brought Germanna to my attention and signed me up for classes.”
It was a pivotal moment. Living with her grandmother at the time and facing housing insecurity, Zhaneya needed stability and opportunity—and she found both at Germanna.
Originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, Zhaneya’s early years were shaped by constant moves and difficult transitions.
“We moved to West Virginia because my mom is on Section 8,” she says. “We started there and bounced around to other Section 8 housing after that.”
Her time in West Virginia was especially hard, as she began struggling academically and dealt with racism.
When she returned to Virginia, Zhaneya started to regain her academic footing. Still, the instability followed her into her teen years and early adulthood.
“When I started at Germanna, I was actually homeless,” she says. “I was going from work to either a hotel or my grandma’s house. That was a challenge.”
But despite these hardships, Zhaneya persevered—working long hours and attending classes, first online and at night, often just showing up and heading straight home.
That all changed when she decided to get involved on campus.
Zhaneya’s leadership truly came to light when she stepped up to lead the Black Student Alliance. “I started out as a secretary. The club was starting to fall apart, so I joined as the president and resurrected it. I’ve been president for a full year now,” she says. “Being president has helped me engage better with other people. It’s helped me put myself out there.”
Now a biology major with big plans, Zhaneya is set to graduate from Germanna in December 2025. Her dream? To become a holistic doctor.
“After Germanna, I want to transfer to George Mason University to finish my bachelor’s degree in biology and then go to Bastyr University to get my naturopathic MD,” she says. “I want to be a holistic doctor.”
Zhaneya is already taking steps toward that goal. “I got my doula certification at Germanna as well, so I’m a certified doula and also want to pursue that in the future.”
While the road hasn’t been easy, Zhaneya credits Germanna with giving her the community, confidence, and resources to keep moving forward. “My favorite part about being a student at Germanna is the overall sense of community,” she says. “I love the resources that Germanna offers.”
From homelessness and hardship to healing and hope, Zhaneya Morris is proving that with support and determination, anything is possible.