Vanessa Peterson
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Big things come in small packages: Vanessa Peterson S.O. What! Success Story

It seems like it was yesterday when Vanessa Peterson (Gray at the time) walked onto the University of Memphis campus with the new class of Emerging Leaders. I was a sophomore, but this girl of small stature had a huge presence. 20 plus…
Alton Cryer
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Why You Should Never Give Up on Our Young Men, Alton Cryer S.O. What! Success Story

When I started my speaking journey, I was invited to share my “Against All Odds” story. That was for the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis. One of the students in the audience was Alton Cryer. Whom I…
Tiffany Bellafant Steward
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An Unexpected Journey in Higher Education, Tiffany Bellafant Steward S.O. What! Success Story

Last week I shared how as a high school junior, a few of my friends. And I skipped school and hung out with AKA’s on the campus of the University of Memphis.  One of those women was Tiffany Bellafant Steward who experienced what I felt was…
LáDeia McNeal
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Turning a Positive HIV Diagnosis into a Positive Force for Change: LáDeia McNeal S.O. What! Success Story

When was the last time you had a challenging situation but you were able to look at the bright side or make something good out of it? Well, that’s usually easier said than done, but my friend, LáDeia McNeal does it beautifully.  After…
Almetria Turner
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When Transforming Your Body Transforms Your Life, Almetria Turner S.O. What! Success Story

Can you imagine someone weighing nearly 300 pounds becoming one of your health and fitness role models? As a high school junior, a few of my friends and I skipped a couple of days of school (Shush, don’t tell anyone). We spent those days…
Ashley Daniel
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Being a Mom is a Full-Time Job, Ashley Daniel S.O. What! Success Story

One thing I know for sure is that you never know what the future holds. When I met Ashley Daniel, Bradshaw at the time. We were college freshmen excited about serving on the Student Activities Council. By our sophomore year, we were both…
Darci (Richcreek) Caesar
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One of the Most Emotional Interviews I’ve Done – Darci (Richcreek) Caesar

I attended the University of Memphis on the Emerging Leaders Scholarship and one of my special Emerging Leaders friends was Darci (Richcreek) Caesar. It was a small group of us, and we learned a lot about leadership and grew together as…
Destini Johnson
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One of My Awesome Former Student – Destini Johnson S.O. What! Success Story

One of the greatest honors of my life was when I was asked to create a course for the University of Memphis. After I received the Fogelman College of Business and Economics Outstanding Young Alumna Award. The Dean, Rajiv Grover, learned about…
Summer concludes sharing the lessons learned from her memoir with how to be successful in life.
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Persevere to the End

Today as I celebrate my 42nd birthday, I also reflect on my 15th birthday when an incident that happened so fast changed everything about my life. And made me question if I would be successful. What I learned in my journey, 26 years after…