Perseverance and Purpose: How Two Fall 2025 Graduates Achieved Their Greater At Virginia State University

Through their resilience and VSU’s empowering environment, Purple Heart recipient
Tony Durham Jr. and cancer survivor Shawna Alston overcame life-changing challenges.

Finding your Greater isn’t easy. Just ask Fall 2025 Virginia State University graduate Tony Durham Jr., a Purple Heart recipient and author of The Man Within: The Self-Love Journey for Men, who draws from his military experience, personal trauma, and counseling education to inspire others.

Before becoming a Trojan, Durham served three tours in the U.S. Army, including stops in Iraq and Kuwait. He faced near-death experiences, lost friends, and received the Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat, but his toughest battles came at home.

“I faced a lot of adversity,” said Durham. “While I was over there, I saw my best friend get blown up, and that took a toll on me. I went down a spiral of depression and anxiety, just not understanding life after deployment.”

Durham struggled to process his emotions, initially believing that seeking help would be seen as weakness. Bottling everything up, however, wasn’t the answer. He turned to alcohol and, at his lowest point, contemplated suicide. Eventually, he sought help from a counselor, and the experience inspired him to help other veterans facing similar challenges.

After earning his bachelor’s degree, a friend encouraged Durham to pursue his master’s in Counselor Education at VSU. In 2023, he enrolled to continue his own journey toward Greater while developing the skills to transform lives.

“I had to tap into understanding my true self,” he said. “I was going through a lot on my own, but once I enrolled at VSU, I started to learn more about self-care, my boundaries, and basically how to take care of myself.”

Durham now plans to pursue his Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) with a specialization in Psychiatric Mental Health. Reflecting on his journey, he credited his aunt and late grandmother for their unwavering support.

“It’s been a journey,” he said. “During the times I was struggling, they were always my rock. Even though my grandmother is no longer here to enjoy this moment, I know she is watching from above. For me, this is more than just an accomplishment.”

Another Trojan, Another Triumph

While Durham’s journey demonstrates courage in the face of adversity, Shawna Alston’s story shows the power of resilience.

At an early age, Alston learned that life is about perseverance. At 13, she gave birth to her first child. Then, as a high school sophomore, she dropped out to support them both. A few years later, she faced another major challenge: a cancer diagnosis at age 18, shortly after giving birth to her second child.

“I was very discouraged,” said Alston. “Between being a teen mom, having a major health scare, and losing friends, it was very challenging, but I eventually found my true self.”

Looking into the eyes of her two children, Alston knew she had no choice but to keep going. She earned her GED, beat cancer, and enrolled at Virginia State University in 2013, where she had attended summer camps every year as a child.

Her first stint at VSU, however, was unsuccessful. Homeless and living out of her car, the responsibilities of school, work, and raising her children became overwhelming. So, Alston took a break from education, but not from building a better life for her family.

She earned her cosmetology license, became a Master Barber, and opened her brick-and-mortar location, which is now Naturally Unique Barber & Beauty in Petersburg, an award-winning salon she still owns and operates. She also teaches cosmetology at the Colonial Heights High School Technical Center.

Finally on stable ground, Alston returned to VSU in 2023 to complete her Bachelor’s in Individualized Studies.

“Coming back really gave me the opportunity to hit the ground running,” she said. “It was one of the things in life I never got a chance to finish, so I felt like I owed it to myself to complete it.”

When Alston receives her degree, it will mark the end of one chapter in a life shaped by faith and resilience. She experienced the impact of “Greater Happens Here” at VSU and encourages anyone facing challenges to keep pushing toward their dreams. Now she plans to return to VSU in January to pursue her Master’s in Leadership and Supervision in Education, as she continues to become a GREATER version of herself.

Both Durham and Alston will be among the 329 graduates receiving their degrees at Virginia State University’s Fall 2025 Commencement, which will be held Saturday, December 13, at the VSU Multi-Purpose Center. The processional begins at 8:30 a.m., with award-winning actor and Trojan alum Rob Morgan delivering the keynote address. The ceremony will also include a posthumous honorary degree presentation to the late James M. “Jim” Holland, who served on the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors and was known for his generous support of VSU.