Vanessa Prioleau proudly poses in front of SBI sign during for her graduation photoshoot. (Photo special to FAMU)

“In 2002, I also lost my father,” she said. “It was a pivotal moment that really shifted something in me. I knew I had unfinished business with FAMU.”

Over the next two decades, Prioleau steadily rebuilt her academic path. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Miami Dade College in 2015 and a Master of Public Administration from Barry University in 2022. Still, something felt missing.

“It finally hit me: the piece that was missing was the degree I originally set out to earn from Florida A&M University back in 1998.”

She returned to the Hill in the fall of 2023, determined to finish what she started. This spring, Prioleau graduated with a Master of Business Administration, a 3.9 GPA, and was inducted into the Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society.

“From academic probation to academic honors, this journey has taught me the power of perseverance, resilience and the importance of unfinished dreams,” she said.

For Prioleau, walking across the stage at FAMU is more than symbolic — it’s deeply personal.

“Crossing the stage means everything. I left home with the goal of graduating — against my dad’s wishes. He thought Tallahassee was too far,” she said. “He passed away on my birthday, November 30, 2002. I promised him I would finish. And even though I’ve earned a BAS and an MPA, this one hits different. I’m actually finishing what I started 27 years ago — and that’s dope.”

A defining moment of closure came during Jennifer Collins, Ph.D.’s, capstone course, where she and the other students in her small online MBA cohort shared their personal journeys.

Vanessa Prioleau poses with FAMU fan in front of giant rattler. (Photo special to FAMU)

“There were just four of us, and we built a family,” she said. “We all had some kind of connection to FAMU. That was the moment I realized — man, I actually did this. I didn’t think it was possible.”

Now in Miami, Prioleau plans to continue her work in government as a grants administrator while launching a grant consulting company to help underprivileged communities obtain funding for their programs.

When asked what advice she would give to students who have had to pause their education, she didn’t hesitate.

“Keep going no matter what. God has a plan for you, and you may not understand that the answer isn’t always ‘no’ — sometimes it’s just ‘not now,’” she said.

Her journey reflects Florida A&M University’s commitment to second chances, lifelong learning and transforming lives through education.

“FAMU has a way of calling you back — to the place you were always meant to be,” she said. “And for that, I am forever grateful.”

Vanessa Prioleau poses in front of the Eternal Flame. (Photo special to FAMU)

 As Jacquelyn Vanessa Prioleau crossed the stage, she not only honored her past but fulfilled a dream 27 years in the making — a powerful reminder of what it means to be a Rattler: resilient, determined and destined to strike again.