MANSFIELD — Jesse Halfhill used to feel utterly hopeless about the world around him.
“I was drifting without purpose,” said Halfhill, a high school senior on the cusp of graduation.
“My pastime was sitting idly by, scrolling X (formerly Twitter) and being frustrated with the state of the world. This was not only unproductive, but ultimately it deprived me of purpose and connection.”
Halfhill credits the College-NOW Business program at North Central State College with helping him see things differently.
The College-NOW program is a two-year, full-time program allowing high school juniors and seniors to earn an Associate of Arts in Business Administration degree while also completing their high school education.
Halfhill enrolled as a junior through a partnership with NCSC and Pioneer Career and Technology Center.
“If I wanted to become great, I knew I had to dedicate myself to working, serving, and studying harder than I ever had before,” he said.
Halfhill also enrolled in NCSC’s Honors College, which allowed him to connect with local businesses and community leaders.
It was through these interactions that he recognized the profound impact individuals can have when they invest in their communities. Inspired by that realization, he made a conscious decision to follow their example.
Halfhill attended Lexington Village Council meetings. He began volunteering at the Lexington Senior Center and with the Catholic Charities food pantry. He discovered what he now calls the “cardinal virtue” of hope.
“Gradually, I weaned myself off of the abstract radicalism and nihilism baked into me from social media, and I instead became immersed and impassioned by seeing the impact and importance of being connected to my local community,” he said.
During his senior year, Halfhill joined the Honors Council Advisory Board and accepted the position of Chapter President of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, taking on responsibilities that would challenge him to lead, collaborate, and serve at a higher level, all while still completing his high school education.
For Halfhill, these efforts weren’t about adding activities to a resume; they were about living out a newfound sense of purpose through giving back.
Meanwhile, his academic efforts recently earned him recognition from the Ohio Association of Community Colleges as one of the top-performing students in the state. The All-Ohio Academic First Team celebrates academic achievement, with honorees receiving a $1,000 scholarship and special recognition for their success.
Halfhill said the honor wouldn’t have been possible without the community that made him.
“I have not been the one who is responsible for such an honor; instead, it has been the community leaders, local politicians, business leaders and entrepreneurs, and above all else, the local citizens and members of the community who have impassioned me, motivated me, and supported me throughout my time at North Central State College,” he said.
Halfhill was recently invited to speak at this year’s North Central Ohio Hall of Excellence, where he shared his story with community leaders, emphasizing the importance of opportunity, service and the responsibility to give back.
“More than anything else, I feel grateful and fortunate for the community that has shaped me and given me everything,” Halfhill said.
Halfhill said his goal is to continue creating in a way that allows him to give back and create value for the community.
The next step on that journey will be attending Ashland University in the fall, where he’ll pursue a double major in Business Analytics and Finance while studying political economy as part of the Ashbrook Program.
“Ultimately, I am aiming for a job on Wall Street, so that one day I may return and establish the first venture capital investment banking firm in Mansfield,” he said.
