Jalen Alexander got a big surprise while attending a scholarship program last week with 20 other Niles students.

The Niles High School senior received two full-ride scholarship offers from Kentucky State University and Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina.

“It was a big surprise,” Alexander said. “I wasn’t really expecting anything

like that.”

The scholarship event — called the Infinite Scholar’s Program — was designed to expose a variety of colleges, especially Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to underrepresented

students, while giving them an opportunity to apply to college and receive scholarship offers.

The Niles College and Career Center took 20 students from Niles High School, Niles New Tech and Cedar Lane to the program, which took place Sept. 25 in Gary, Indiana.

In total, Niles students received 25 college acceptance offers on the spot. Not including Alexander’s full-ride offers, Niles students were offered more than $81,000 in scholarship money at the event.

Alexander said he is undecided about where he wants further his education. He plans to retake the ACT in order to pursue scholarship offers from several in-state universities.

“(Having the full-ride offers) gives me a sense of security so if I get stressed out and can’t pay the fees I can always transfer because I have a backup plan,” he said. “It also gives me confidence because if I don’t get another full-ride I can always go back to that.”

Alexander plays football, basketball, runs track and is part of the school band. He also works on the school newspaper and is in the Berrien County Math and Science Center program.

If that isn’t enough, he works at Taco Bell on the weekends.

“I am the type of guy that always likes to be on the go,” he said. “I don’t like having nothing to do. I like to get stuff done.”

Alexander plans on pursuing a career in social work in order to better the lives of children in low-income areas.