Junior Makai Richardson has dealt with unique challenges ever since he was born, but you would never know it based on the bright smile and magnetic personality he brings to every room.
Junior Makai Richardson has dealt with unique challenges ever since he was born, but you would never know it based on the bright smile and magnetic personality he brings to every room.
“I call him my miracle baby,” said Richardson’s mother, Martinique McLaughlin. “He was born a month early at 6 pounds, 5 ounces and never spent a day in the NICU.”
Richardson spent the majority of his life in the Fort Liberty area of Fayetteville. When he was seven years old, he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Asperger’s syndrome, which is a form of autism spectrum disorder that can often influence the way a person socializes and communicates.
However, McLaughlin decided to tell her young son only about his ADHD diagnosis, a decision Richardson is grateful for.
“At the time, she only told me about my ADHD. I didn’t find out about my Asperger’s [syndrome] until I was 14,” Richardson said. “But it makes sense. It’s the placebo effect. I wasn’t necessarily aware of it, so I didn’t experience all of the symptoms until I grew older. When I started feeling a certain way, she told me why.”
Richardson said having both disorders impacted his life in multiple ways, from nervous ticks to becoming more introverted to unintentionally mocking people.
“I always had to know why something wasn’t or why something was,” he said.
Pursuing Personal Positives
But Richardson found a way to turn the disorders into positives, channeling his desire for knowledge into an interest in a variety of hobbies including soccer, video games, anime, and superheroes – especially Spider-Man and Deadpool. In middle and high school, Richardson even played the trombone and drums before finding his groove with mallet instruments in the marching band.
Richardson would tell you he is most passionate about biology and, more specifically, zoology. It’s one of the reasons he decided to begin his journey at Methodist University in 2022, while also pointing to MU being named by Niche College Rankings as the most diverse university in North Carolina in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
“Makai wanted to choose a place that would fit him,” said McLaughlin. “We’re a multicultural family and he wanted to go somewhere where there was diversity.”
Through two years, Richardson continues to improve – learning the important lessons in life as he pursues a bachelor’s degree in Biology with a Music minor.
“I learned that being an adult can be hard,” Richardson added. “You have to lock in and avoid procrastination. I’ve been able to slowly master it during my time here.”
He credits the faculty and staff at MU for a smooth transition, including Nan Fiebig (Director, Housing & Residence Life) and Dr. Larry Sugisaki (Assistant Professor of Composition & Rhetoric).
“Dr. Sugisaki shared with me his own experience with mental disorders and now he’s a professor,” Richardson said. “He taught me if he can do it, I can do it.”
He’s also found his footing on campus, making friends, often playing piano in the Berns Student Center, and attending various events (including his favorite – the dodgeball tournament). Richardson is on track to graduate in 2026 and hopes to find a career as a zoologist afterwards.
Richardson also maintains a close relationship with his mother, who is thankful her son chose to attend MU.
“It feels like home,” she said. “I’m happy with what he’s learning and I’m happy with his advisors. Everybody has been super helpful to him, and no one has ever labeled him. It’s been amazing.”
Richardson agrees, saying his time at Methodist University has given him the ability to unlock his potential.
“I’m very proud of myself and what I’m accomplishing, but also grateful for my time at Methodist University,” Richardson said. “It’s helped me get out of my shell more and become the person I want to be.”