“Be yourself,” is the simple yet crucial advice that graduating senior Zagora James offers to incoming Hornets. “Try new things. That is what college is for because a closed mouth will not get fed.”
As she nears graduation and reflects on her time as a Hornet, she not only knows the frustrating effects of having that closed mouth but also the pride that comes once it is opened and it is time to eat.
James hails from Mobile, Alabama, where she attended Murphy High School. As a dual-sport athlete, participating in both basketball and soccer, her extracurricular involvement centered around sports. She admits that this focus on athletics also sometimes interfered with her studies and personal time. She also prioritized community service and mentorship programs as a way to grow within her neighborhood. Unfortunately, she felt that her fruitful routine still failed to prepare her for life beyond grade school.

“It did not really prepare me to have the responsibility to do it on my own or to have the freedom that I do in college,” James said. “Because now I know that if you do not turn [your assignment] in, then you just do not turn it in.”
She graduated from Murphy High School in 2018 with her sights set on the Hornet’s Nest. Considering her mother, Dawn James, and brother, Deonte James, are both ASU graduates, there was a strong Hornet presence in her personal life. This familial connection to ASU worked to support James’ top requirement for her university of choice, which was to be a Historically Black College and University.
“Going to a predominantly white institution would have been too many people,” she said. “I did not think that I would get the knowledge that I needed. The one-on-one that I needed. I like to get to know people, especially my teachers.”
James initially enrolled as a health information management major though she was unhappy with the field. As many freshmen do, she felt rushed into deciding on a course of study without weighing out all her options. She found that a change would be necessary after completing several unfulfilling extracurricular opportunities. After discussing her issue with friends and ASU advisors, she was encouraged to explore interdisciplinary studies to support her career goal to work in sports management. Continuing to hold a love for sports, she knew that she was best suited for the world of athletics.
“Coming to the realization that maybe sports are not in my future, I figured I should still be around sports,” she said. “Sports management gives me the opportunity to plan things, organize event operations, ticket booth sales, and other things in that area. So, I get to do the work while still being close to something that I love.”
Present-day, she continues her interest in community outreach through involvement with the F.L.Y. Girls Mentoring Program, National Society of Leadership and Success, and other personal community service projects.
James considers her most memorable moments as a Hornet to be attending the Labor Day Classic football games before the COVID-19 pandemic. As the campus raged with events during the week leading to the game and members of Hornet Nation from all around gathered at the stadium there was an energy created like no other. Though she has attended the occasion since she was a little girl, her appreciation for the festivities did not grow until the more recent years.
“When I was young, I did not imagine myself being in that atmosphere or going to the school,” James said. “Once I started getting older and we were still going it was like, ‘Wow, they really do have school spirit. They really have a chant. They really do the battle of the bands…’”
She is most grateful for the influence of professor Andre Jackson, Ed.D., of the department of languages and literature. Though their relationship began rocky, as Jackson found difficulty instructing James’ older brother, it quickly grew into a constructive and lasting connection.
“[Jackson] would say, ‘I just hope you are better than your brother,’” she said. “From then on, he and I became close. He would give me advice. He would help me write letters to get into programs. He has just been the best teacher ever.”
As a result of her collegiate experiences, James believes that she learned the importance of schoolwork prioritization. Considering she enrolled with such an athletic background, she acknowledges that she did not prioritize her schoolwork as she should have. The excitement of campus life often overshadowed her studies, which placed her at a disadvantage later down the line. It was not until the COVID-19 pandemic hit that she was forced to sit and reflect on the quality of work that she had been contributing. Though the pandemic brought tragedy, it put life into perspective for James.
“It made me sit down,” she said. “It made me tend to what I needed to tend to school-wise…. I realized that it is okay to have fun, but you also have to make time for your work. You have to know how to balance things. You can do what you want as long as you know how to do that.”
These moments and realizations have also allowed James to mature personally. While she considered herself to already be outspoken, she credits ASU for encouraging her independence. She was forced into becoming a true adult and professional as she has moved away from home and accepted growing responsibilities. She now knows that sometimes to walk in the right direction, you must do so alone.
“When I first came to ASU it was always, ‘I have to have a friend with me to go to the cafe,’” she said. “‘Or, I have to be on the phone with my mom to go to financial aid.’ I just always needed a buddy. After a while, I realized that sometimes you cannot get stuff done with someone else tagging along. You eventually have to walk through life by yourself.”
As she has recognized her mistakes and grown, she urges ASU to do the same. James wishes for improved communication and transparency between administration, faculty, and students. She believes that each of these groups misunderstands the others, which causes a conflict that could be resolved with open dialogue and consideration.
“If they put themselves in our shoes they would understand our frustration,” she said. “We do not have our parents here. I should be able to [handle issues] without all of the run-around.”
Despite this, James’ time as a Hornet has set the tone for a fruitful career for years to come. She will be continuing her education at Louisiana State University to follow their graduate-level sports management program. Though she will be moving on, she reassures that she will always give back to her HBCU.
“I would like to be able to come back and give advice and help others,” she said. “Being able to give back as an alumna, would mean a lot to me because some people feel like they do not have anybody to turn to and all it takes is that one person to help.”
Overall, the appreciates all that ASU has done to support her academic, professional, and personal journey.
“I never thought that I would be more vocal and more independent,” she said. “I would have never seen myself in this position. So [ASU] has definitely changed me for the better.”
As her Hornet experience has surpassed her expectations, she is proud of the work that she has done and the woman that she has become.