5 questions with Ikeyaira Metcalf ’25

1 – Who are the people who have influenced you at UD?
Bev Jenkins ’78 was the admissions staff person who interviewed me when I applied for the Flyer Promise scholarship that allowed me to attend UD. And she’s been my success coach for four years. I love Miss Bev. She’s like family. She’s like an aunt. We had to go to something once and I had sprained my ankle; she picked me up at Marycrest. And she let me use her cane. … My first year in Marycrest, I had a great RA. I wanted to be like her. So, I became an RA and now work in the housing office.

2 – Bev mentioned you’ve found good friends at UD. Tell us about them.
I met Yaralin Urena when we both arrived early on campus freshman year for Flyer Promise activities — meeting academic people and socializing. We just clicked. When classes started, we didn’t see each other until one day before class in St. Joe’s. We talked. I was beginning my faith journey. We went to some meetings, like a Bible study group, together. And one day she brought Jayonna Johnson. We became a trio. They hold me accountable; they foster talents I didn’t realize I had.

3 – How did the faith journey progress?
We were looking for a place nearby and saw a poster in the dorm for Passion Church. A pastor there was a UD grad, and the church was using space in the Dakota Center [founded over a half-century ago by Father Philip Hoelle, S.M. ’33, and UD business dean Bill Hoben]. At the start, during COVID, services were streamed online. They are working now on getting their own building. My family and friends go regularly to services together.

4 – Does your faith carry over into any of your other activities?
I always like talking to a camera. I made videos. But they stayed on my phone. Then, I developed subjects and just went for it. So now I have The Godly Girlies Podcast. I’m wrapping up my second season of Testimony Tuesdays, in which guests talk of how God has helped them in their lives, and Wisdom Wednesdays when guests talk of their talents and careers.

5 – What does your future hold?
I participated in D.C. Flyers, a 10-week internship, part of the Honors Program, with a bipartisan lobbying firm. (One of their clients was the National Pickleball League.) Since I want to be a lawyer, making connections in Washington was very valuable. After graduation, Yaralin, Jayonna and I planned to go to California. They are in fields where geography doesn’t limit jobs; I looked at law schools. We looked at apartments. Then reality hit. We didn’t want to move to California and be broke. We’re staying around here. I’m going to UD Law.