I was bullied over my unique name for my entire childhood – now I’ve used it to become a Dr there’s no way I’ll ditch it
A WOMAN named Marijuana Pepsi earned her doctoral research degree after writing a dissertation on unusual names.
The woman – now officially Dr.Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck – received her doctorate in higher education leadership from Wisconsin’s Cardinal Stritch University.
During her studies, the 51-year-old decided to explore a number of names and how the monikers are perceived amongst others.
The title – “Black names in white classrooms: Teacher behaviors and student perceptions” – included extensive research and interviews of Black students.
Speaking of her own name, Dr.Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck revealed that her mum was convinced ”it would take her around the world”.
In school, she said her name would often elicit the strongest reactions from white teachers, NPR reported.
“A lot of other people were thinking [my mum] was smoking marijuana and drinking Pepsi.
“In the black community, we’re used to having names that are more cultural.”
In her earlier years, Dr. Pepsi said, Marijuana was ”just a beautiful name” – but it all changed after she moved to a new city and was made aware that her moniker was ”different”.
Her teachers, she went on, would not go by her full name and instead call her Mary.
“They could see what the other children were doing, and they were trying to smooth the way and make things easier for me.”
Marijuana has a son named Isaac, whom she describes as smart and tall just like her.
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Before earning the diploma, the mum got married in 2017 to Fredrick Vandyck and the family live on a farm near Rockford, Illinois.
Sharing her story with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel , Dr. Pepsi went on to tell she left her unstable home aged 15 years old and has since done everything to prove herself ”to a world that wrinkled its brow every time it heard her name”.
“People make such a big deal out of it, I couldn’t get away from it.”
As for the future, the mum is keen to write a book that expands on the theme of her dissertation, and she even has plans to look for a professor position.
Dr. Pepsi has also started the Marijuana Pepsi Scholarship, which aims to give £380 every year to a deserving first-generation African American student enrolled at University of Wisconsin Whitewater.
Described as a ”grounded” and ”funny” person, the mum has won an army of fans both in real life and online.
One said: ”I know her, she’s from my hometown. Absolutely wonderful woman.”
Another added: ”She was interviewed on NPR awhile back. Very smart, funny, and grounded person.
”The f****d thing is that all of her other siblings had typical names.”