Stephone Cody with his head down during the Get on The Bus Initiative. 

Photo Credit: Morehouse College SGA

By Joshua Bass, News and Politics Editor

When high school seniors prepare to enter college, one of the biggest challenges they face is securing funding. In the case of Stephone Cody III, a rising junior computer science major from St. Louis, that issue remains.

Early Wednesday morning, Cody posted a lengthy message on Instagram, beginning with: “If I haven’t been acting like myself lately — distant, drained, or just not all there — I want to be transparent about why.” Cody went on to explain that throughout his time at the college, he has struggled to secure funding and housing.

“Ever since I stepped foot on the campus of Morehouse College, I’ve had to fight tooth and nail to afford to stay,” Cody said.

Cody was awarded multiple scholarships, including the EA Madden Scholarship and the Snipes Scholarship, during Homecoming. However, when the spring semester began, Cody was dropped from his courses and told to pack up his belongings. By the time the situation was resolved, he had already fallen significantly behind.

As a student, Cody has held multiple roles, serving as a pillar during the 2028 New Student Orientation program, a stroll coach for Graves Hall, and a mentor to younger brothers.

“I was just a high school student on Dec. 25, 2023, when Stephone reached out to me. From that moment, he became more than a mentor, he became a big brother,” Jayshun Matthews, a rising sophomore business marketing major from Warner Robins, Georgia, said on Instagram Wednesday afternoon.

Despite his challenges, Cody said he tried to give his best effort. But the ongoing frustrations led him to ask a deeper question.

“Why do numbers on a screen stop us from entering the Garden of Eden that is Morehouse?” Cody said.

Now that his message is public, Cody has a few wishes for the college.

“Morehouse isn’t a place of theatrics,” Cody said. NSO should not be the only time of the year that we feel the love and support. Be receptive, be approachable, and be accessible. There are many others who struggle with what I struggle with, and it’s our job to realize that.”

Since Cody’s message was posted, students have begun organizing a relief fund to assist peers facing financial hardship.

Click here to read Cody’s full post or reach out to him.

Copy Edited by Niles Garrison, Features Editor