Our Story

A decade and a half ago, three teenage boys from the streets of Newark, New Jersey made a pact: They would stick together, go to college, and become doctors.

Now, over 13 years later, these three men have overcome obstacles and proudly bear the title of doctors.

Their effect on their communities has indeed been tremendous. These young men continue to speak out on life's challenges and together symbolize a new walk, talk, and attitude about facing the world. Children can identify with them, as well as at-risk teens and adults.

Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.com

As teenagers from a rough part of Newark, New Jersey, Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt, and George Jenkins had nothing special going for them except loving mothers (one of whom was a drug user) and above-average intelligence. Their first stroke of luck was testing into University High, one of Newark's three magnet high schools, and their second was finding each other. They were busy staying out of trouble (most of the time), and discovering the usual ways to skip class and do as little schoolwork as possible, when a recruitment presentation on Seton Hall University reignited George's childhood dream of becoming a dentist. The college was offering a tempting assistance package for minorities in its Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Plus Program. George convinced his two friends to go to college with him. They would help each other through. None of them would be allowed to drop out and be reabsorbed by the Newark streets. Although this inspiring and easy-to-read book would be enjoyed by any teenager or educator, it seems perfect for minority youth, especially young men of junior high and high school age, who may lack more immediate role models. If the ordinary boys who made this pact could survive college and medical school by sticking together, then so can others. --Regina Marler

From Publishers Weekly

Jenkins, Davis and Hunt grew up in and around the projects of Newark, N.J., a place decimated by crack. "The sounds of gunshots and screeching cars late at night and before dawn were as familiar to us as the chirping of insects must be to people who live in the country." The three attended high school together in the mid-'80s and made a pact to attend medical school together. "We didn't lock hands in some kind of empty, symbolic gesture... We just took one another at his word and headed...

Book Description

All too often we hear about the dangers of male friendships, where peer pressure prevails over common sense. But rarely do we hear about another kind of male bonding, which, in the case of George Jenkins, Sampson Davis, and Rameck Hunt, led three boys to succeed beyond their wildest dreams.

Jenkins, Davis, and Hunt grew up in impoverished, broken families in Newark, New Jersey. Both Davis and Hunt served time in juvenile jails. But when Jenkins-who had a dream of becoming a dentist-learned about a program for minority students interested in careers in medicine, he convinced his two friends to apply and they vowed to get each other through. Despite the tremendous distractions and difficulties they faced, today two are doctors and one is a dentist.

Filled with drama, courage, temptation, and, ultimately, triumph, The Pact is a story about the potential in all of us, as well as the empowering strength of friendship. It provides hope to parents and inspiration to teenagers, teachers, and anyone who is comforted by knowing that we can, through friendship, rise to accomplish our dreams.

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Films shown:

• Good Will Hunting

• Higher Learning

• Just Another Girl on the IRT

• Real Women Have Curves

• Stand and Deliver

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Essay Contest

Each student enrolled in a Learning Community is eligible to participate in the essay contest. For students enrolled in a Freshman Seminar, the essay is a requirement of the Freshman Seminar course and essays will be collected by Freshman Seminar instructors on a date specified by the instructor. For students NOT enrolled in a Freshman Seminar, essays can be submitted to WRC 1013 or EDP 1703 instructors. Please speak to your instructor for additional details and a due date. 

The top 5-8 essays will be chosen from across all LCs. These essay winners will be invited to have dinner with a group of UTSA campus leaders on October 20th from 5:30-7:30 following the panel discussion. Essay winners will be announced in the Freshman Seminar, WRC 1013 or EDP 1703 classes on October 14.

Prompt :

In no more than 3 pages (double-spaced, size 12 font, 8 1/2 X 11 paper), write a letter of recommendation to medical school for one of the three main characters in "The Pact."  In your letter, include the following:

·        Address how the character took advantage of opportunities made available to him in his life.
·        Use a minimum of three examples from the book to support your letter of recommendation.
·        Take into account factors that the medical school will be looking for in eligible candidates and address at least three of these factors in your essay:

1)     special strengths and weaknesses of the applicant;
2)     any academic challenges that the applicant faced and how they resolved these challenges;
3)     the applicant's ability to do independent work;
4)     the applicant's extracurricular activities, including employment;
5)     the applicant's reliability, drive, initiative, intellectual curiosity, work habits, and intellectual and personal integrity;
6)     motivation for attending medical school;
7)     social values, emotional stability and personality;
8)     the applicant's success in becoming integrated into the social, academic, and extracurricular environment at their school and/or in their community;
9)     leadership qualities and ability to inspire the confidence of others

The essay committee will use the following criteria to determine essay winners:

Ø      Did the essay have a central thesis, supported by multiple paragraphs, addressing how the character took advantage of opportunities made available to him in his life?

(20 pts)

Ø      Did the essay incorporate at least 3 factors that medical schools will look for in eligible candidates to support the letter of recommendation?

(30 pts)

Ø      Did the essay contain at least three examples from the book?

(30 pts)

Ø      Were the writing style and standards of English effective enough not to distract from the reading of the essay?

(20 pts)

Maximum Points Awarded:  100