Christal-Joy Turner

Christal-Joy "CJ" Turner is an Aggie, Arlington native who is passionate about student success and matriculation. From a young age, CJ always had a passion for being involved, helping others,  and giving back to her community through various platforms such as Girl Scouts, National Honor Society, and orchestra. While obtaining her Bachelors of Science in Psychology (minor in Neuroscience and Biomedical Science), CJ's love for helping others grew to new lengths when she starting speaking to prospective students and their families with the Prospective Student Center (PSC) at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. She integrated her love of basketball with education when she became an assistant coach for an AAU basketball team in the local Bryan/College Station Community and showed them the benefits of getting to and through college.

By the time she graduated from Texas A&M University in 2015, CJ had served on many organization executive boards, planned numerous conferences dedicated to helping students from underrepresented areas, rechartered a collegiate chapter of a national organization, and impacted the lives of several students she encountered. She continued her life of service by serving as an advisor to a collegiate national organization, a co-chair to an organization recognized by Texas A&M University's Association of Former Student Network, and holds membership to a series of networking organizations geared towards professional development. Through earning her Masters in Higher Education in Enrollment Management and Graduate Certification in Conflict Resolution Management from Abilene Christian University in 2017 and working in the field of higher education for the past 3 years , she cultivated an interest in promoting the importance of minority admission as well as retention into colleges/universities.

While working with and speaking to a variety of counselors, students, and their families , she realized just how much of a gap in knowledge there was between students being accepted into the college of their choice and their first year at the institution and wanted to make yet another change in her community. In 2018, CJ created The Bridge by H.O.P.E (H.elping O.thers through P.ositive E.ducation) Foundation, Inc. with hopes that the program will impact the lives of minority, first generation students, providing them with the tools, skills, and motivation to be the best in all that they do. Christal-Joy Turner has always thought of herself as the foundation of the bridge between her student's dreams and their reality and believes this foundation will not only eventually help the students in her local community, but statewide.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world..."
-Nelson Mandela