After Rachel Jeantel‘s primetime appearance as a witness in the killing of her friend, Trayvon Martin, the 19-year-old says the experience has inspired her to pursue a law career.

Jeantel spoke exclusively to The Rickey Smiley Morning Show last week when she spoke about how the George Zimmerman trial affected her. She said the not guilty verdict truly surprised her.

“And after the verdict justice did not serve,” Jeantel said. “Um, I worked so hard and so focused to this case and this happened and I was upset, so. It’s what it is. So I got to still keep fighting for justice for Trayvon.”

She also said Trayvon was nothing like the young thug many in the conservative media made him out to be. “He was a family guy,” Jeantel said. “A family guy. Smiley told Jeantel that he would pay for her books during her first semester of college.

“We don’t have Tom Joyner money, but we’ll get them books for you though,” he said. She has not finished high school yet, but plans on earning her diploma eventually.