Kaiyla Woods grew up in a family full of accountants, so they were shocked when she decided to major in Electronic Media at Texas State. For Kaiyla, that choice was a step of independence and strength in knowing what she wanted to do in the future.

Kaiyla was raised by her grandma until she was 14. When her grandma died of cancer, she moved in with her mom and helped raise her younger sister. A few years later, Kaiyla’s mom gave birth to a new baby boy and they became a family of four.

Her grandma’s one wish was for Kaiyla to go to college. With a new baby in the family, Kaiyla didn’t want to be too far away from home. Texas State ended up being the perfect choice because of the location, opportunities, and price.

“College was something my grandma instilled in my brain from the beginning,” Kaiyla said. “I’ve always loved school, so I knew I was going to go.”

Now a junior at Texas State, Kaiyla is involved in many organizations including the Honors College, Ignite, Black Freedom Pre-Law Association, and OL. She’s also the social media coordinator for the LBJ Student Center and is expanding her professional skills.

“That was an experience with early mornings and late evenings,” Kaiyla said about being an Orientation Leader. “But it was actually super fun.”

After graduating, Kaiyla plans to either go to law school or get a job at an ad agency.

Student Profile: Kaiyla Woods