ASU alumni go viral after Tik Tok video of bar exam results

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Two Albany State University (ASU) alumni have gone viral after a Tik Tok video. Mother and son, Ray Curtis Petty Jr. and Meta Petty have garnered a lot of attention after Ray posted a video of him receiving his bar exam results.

He says his experience through law school has not been an easy journey, but a successful one none the less all thanks to the support of his family.

Ray Curtis Petty Jr. – attorney Esq. , Shakodi Sapp- Sister
Meta Petty- Mother
Brother- Joshua... — Ray Curtis Petty Jr. – attorney Esq. , Shakodi Sapp- Sister Meta Petty- Mother Brother- Joshua Petty(Ray Curtis Petty Jr. – attorney esq.)

What most people see as excitement in the video is actually a triumph for Ray and his mother, Meta.

“After the death of my sister, I could not allow that to detour me so I’m thankful those are the tears. Those are the experiences highlighted in the video and I’m grateful to see that the world is encouraged by it,” said attorney Esq., Ray Curtis Petty Jr.

Ray Curtis Petty Jr. – attorney esq. and sister, Shakodi Sapp — Ray Curtis Petty Jr. – attorney esq. and sister, Shakodi Sapp(Ray Curtis Petty Jr. – attorney esq.)

Petty and his family lost his sister, Shakodi Sapp, to sickle cell anemia in 2020. Immediately after her passing, he had to return to both his law school class and his military orders.

“I’ve been a paralegal in the Air Force for six years at the McDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. After those orders, I had to start studying for the bar exam and that took me into 2021. Got my results back, ended up failing the bar exam the first time, and had to start studying again,” said Petty.

ASU Alumni go viral for Tik Tok of bar exam results — ASU Alumni go viral for Tik Tok of bar exam results(Ray Curtis Petty Jr. – attorney esq.)

So, when he received his exam results for the second time, it was pure joy and excitement for the whole Petty family who tuned in both virtually and in person for the big results.

Both Petty and his mom are proud ASU alumni and feel very fortunate to have both graduated from the historically black institution.

Ray Curtis Petty Jr., Attorney Esq. & mother, Meta Petty — Ray Curtis Petty Jr., Attorney Esq. & mother, Meta Petty(Ray Curtis Petty Jr. – attorney esq.)

“I was born and raised in Albany, and just so that people can just see our stories and be like, ‘you know what I can go to school there, I can succeed there, I can become something there,” said Petty.

Ray Curtis Petty Jr. has a bright future ahead of him and says a goal of his is to one day bring a law school to ASU’s campus and be a beacon in his community.

“I want to be a, just a pillar in my community, no matter where God may lead me, and I want to be able to do the will of God and I want to be able to serve his people. It’s not about me at all, just being in this profession this is a profession of servitude,” said Petty.

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