Before becoming a Central State Marauder, Tyree Watson was a shy, hesitant young man longing to find a a place where he felt welcomed. Watson grew up on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, a place he describes as hostile and closed minded.
“Most of my time growing up, I was an outcast,” Watson said. “I didn’t do the things the people around me did. So instead of falling into the peer pressure, I spent a lot of time by myself.”
Watson said that sports were real important in Calumet City, which was fine for athletes but not so great for non-athletes like him. Watson never was the athletic type. Instead, he enjoyed hobbies such as video games and writing music.
Because of his hobbies, Watson became a target for bullies in high school. He was teased for his looks, talked about for his retro style of dressing, and excluded to the point where he felt he did not fit in. This resulted in Watson falling into a state of depression and isolation. After getting accepted into Central State in the spring of 2017, Watson hoped for a fresh start. “I promised myself that I would not allow my experience in high school to be the same experience I had in college. I wanted to not only be okay with being myself but find people that have the same hobbies and ideas as me,” Watson said.
Watson enrolled at CSU in the fall of 2017 and immediately joined several student organizations. He used his creative fashion sense to become a model in the New Age Fashion Troupe. He then became a Student Ambassador. His love for music landed him in a performing arts group called Illmatic Expression.
By joining these groups, Watson met people who accepted him for who he is. “The first thing that drew me to Central was the family oriented atmosphere,” he said. “I felt welcomed as soon as I got here and connected with some people that I consider family.”
Now in his junior year, Watson is the Vice President of New Age Fashion Troupe and a lead student ambassador. He released his debut rap album, “Hiatus,” over the summer.
Watson said that the transition from high school to college was monumental. He gives the ultimate praise to the people he met at Central State who helped him become a confident, open minded, and outspoken person. “Central changed my life,” he said. “I owe it to CSU for helping me learn to have pride in who I am.”