Exactly Where He is Meant to Be: Widenerson Moise’s Bold Path to Bowie State

When Widenerson Moise ‘27 applied to college, Bowie State University was not his intended destination. He was accepted at 20 colleges and universities, most of which were HBCUs. Bowie was the only in‑state institution on the list, and his guidance counselor applied on his behalf.

"I honestly had no plans to come to Bowie. My goal was to get as far away from Maryland as possible because I needed a fresh start. But my guidance counselor said, ‘trust me on this — you’ll thank me later.’ So I took a leap of faith.”

Commitment day was approaching fast and Moise hadn’t made a decision. His guidance counselor urged him to attend a Bowie State campus tour, but he protested.

“I said nah, I don’t have a car and it’s too far from where I live on the Eastern Shore. But my athletic trainer took a day off from school to drive me to Bowie. It was the only college I visited. The moment I stepped on campus, I was taken aback by its beauty. The icing on the cake was seeing the student radio station and broadcasting room. As soon I got home, I committed to Bowie.” 

That leap of trust was another link in a chain of powerful connections that began in Haiti and led Moise, a Communications major and first-generation college student, to exactly where he needed to be.

“I was born and raised on the beautiful island of Haiti. My family brought me to the U.S. when I was 10. Back then, I’d pray to God ‘if you allow me to get a free education and change my circumstances, I promise I won't take it for granted.’”

Moise honors that promise through exceptional commitment. He maintains a 3.8 GPA and stays active across campus.

“When I got here, my mindset was to do everything at Bowie that I couldn't do in high school. I was a three-sport athlete, so I was always in season.”

As a freshman, he volunteered as class graphic designer and joined Models Inc. and the Caribbean Students Association (CSA).

“I stepped into even more roles sophomore year. I became Mister CSA and today I’m vice president.”

Leadership comes naturally to Moise, who is also President of MOCA (Men of Color Alliance) a Yard Ambassador for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Campus Activities Board marketing director and an enthusiastic tour guide host for prospective students.

Even at rest, he’s working. Moise pairs leadership with business instincts as a resident assistant in the Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community.

On the business side, he owns and operates Dub Visual, a creative business he founded to capture events through photography and visual media.

“I cover a wide range from corporate events to graduation shoots. I photographed the mental health panel hosted by Ben Crump, I’ve taken photos of artists like Mariah The Scientist and I’m editing a photo album for Under Armour.”   

In May 2026, he won first place in the Non-Tech category at the annual Bulldog Pitch Competition. His business idea, "Beyond HBCU Life," is a storytelling platform for HBCU students  and organizations to share narratives in their own voice. His idea earned him a $4,000 prize. 

One of his most meaningful Bowie State experiences happened far from campus.

“I was at a Family Dollar store, and I saw a woman wearing Bowie State shirt, so I introduced myself. She’s a proud Bulldog alum and a member of the Alumni Association. She offered me help if I ever needed it."

Months later, as Moise faced uncertainty about paying for college housing, he remembered that encounter. Embracing Bowie State’s Be Bold spirit, he reached out.

“I told her I'm having issues. I don't know where I'm going to get the money to keep paying for housing. Immediately she said, ‘I got you.’”

She connected Moise with Bowie State’s Alumni Association and helped him secure scholarship support.

“For me, that was bigger than money. Someone believed in me without really knowing me.”

Faith shapes how Moise understands these moments. He often reflects on childhood, when opportunities felt out of reach and prayer felt urgent. He’d remind himself: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5 New Living Translation)

As he prepares for senior year, Moise recognizes how deeply his success connects to mentors, alumni, faculty, friends and faith.

“My whole purpose now is to create opportunities for people who don’t have them, especially kids coming from developing countries where education isn’t guaranteed.

Everything I do now is what I prayed for in Haiti. I only need eight hours a day for rest. The other 16 are for my resident assistant job and using the time wisely to make the most of myself.”