Alexander Credits Ballroom Dance for Success

When Faizon Alexander enrolled at Virginia Peninsula Community College, he was transitioning out of the military and about six few years removed from high school. He didn't know how to integrate into a college setting.

To help with that, he joined the ballroom dance team despite having no experience.

"I saw them having fun," he said.

Team members explained they had a few annual competitions and often went to local clubs to dance outside of school.

"I tried it out and had a great time," he said.

Fast forward a few years. Alexander has earned a social science degree at the College, a bachelor's from Old Dominion University and is taking pre-requisites for a physician's assistant program. But he's still part of the Virginia Peninsula dance team as a coach, mentor and competitor. (Some competitions have alumni teams and others allow alums to participate.)

He never envisioned he still would be involved with ballroom dancing years later, and now he can't see himself not involved. He hopes to be active 20 years from now.

"Without a question," he said.

For him, it was about more than dancing.

"Being around a bunch of college students who are on that same journey … led me to success," he said.

He met student ambassadors and learned about their program. Since the ballroom dance team works with numerous campus organizations, he had leadership opportunities. He got to travel across the state and throughout the region, attending competitions in Maryland and New York.

"Ballroom led me to that," he said.

It also helped him become a better student.

Practices usually are in the late afternoon or early evening, sometimes just an hour or two after his classes. There wasn't enough time to go home in between, so he spent that time studying.

"On the community college level, it's very easy to show up and then disappear after class," he said. "When you have something to stay after for … you can bridge that time if you don't have anything else to do by studying."

He also spent time in the library and exploring all the College has to offer.

"I'm pretty sure if more clubs engaged in the way that ballroom does, so many people would have a much better experience at the community college level," he said.

Alexander is a mental health technician at Newport News Behavioral Center, which is interested in tapping into his dance and leadership background.

"(They) asked me to try to invent a program to where our residential kids can have a block of time to where they're learning something like dance," he said.

The success Alexander has had doesn't surprise Pam Roberts, the team's adviser.

"He's one that I've really watched blossom," she said, recalling he wasn't outgoing when he started, but was club president his final semester at the College. "Just to see him develop into what he is, it's been really nice."

The experience, he said, gave him direction. And he has some advice for others at the College.

"Everybody should give a club a try," he said. "There are so many good opportunities that can come from it."