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For most high school seniors, life is a whirlwind of classes, extracurriculars, and the ever-looming question: “What’s next?” But for TNA senior Jalise, the path forward is as clear as it is intriguing. Fueled by a passion for understanding the intricacies of human behavior and a curiosity about the darker corners of the mind, Jalise has set her sights on pursuing a degree that will allow her to study criminal behavior. At 18 years old, the Penn Hills resident has been accepted to Slippery Rock University, Morgan State University, Robert Morris University, Southern University at New Orleans, Duquesne University, Clark Atlanta University, PennWest Clarion, and Lincoln University.

“Wherever I go, I want to study either psychology or psychiatry. Mental health really interests me and I’m curious what triggers people and makes them act certain ways,” said Jalise. “My brother would always watch shows like ‘Criminal Minds,’ ‘CSI,’ and 'How to Get Away with Murder,’ so criminal psychology really piqued my interest.”

As the fifth member of her family to attend TNA, Jalise continues a legacy of excellence and Bulldog pride. She is very involved in Mock Trial and Moot Court, and she competed on a national level  at the Marshall-Brennan Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C. with fellow classmate Nathaniel.

“Nate and I reviewed a case for a few months and had to make an oral argument while judges scored us,” Jalise said. “I’m proud of how well we did, and the courses at TNA made learning fun and really prepared us… We once debated on whether hotdogs should be considered a sandwich!”

Jalise is also a talented Bulldog Track & Field athlete having made it to the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) competitions twice in her high school career for the 200m.

“Track is definitely a mental game! I have to constantly push myself and push myself,” said Jalise. “To relax, I also enjoy reading autobiographies with my mom – it’s a way we bond. We just finished two good ones on Cicely Tyson and Viola Davis. Our love of reading the same books all started when I was younger. I would read to her and make up words in the book that I thought should be in there but weren’t,” laughed Jalise.