Faces of NLU: Javon Smith
For Javon Smith, education has always been at the very core of who he is. From an early age, he felt drawn to the classroom, even going so far as to arrive at school early to help his former kindergarten teacher set up for the day. Now, as he embarks on his journey toward school leadership, Javon is poised to become a true "catalyst" for positive change in the field of education.
"Education is at the foundation of my personhood," Javon explains. "It's time for me to embark on a journey toward school leadership." And the perfect institution to help him achieve this goal? National Louis University.
Javon chose NLU not only because of its personal significance to him - his late sister was an alumna - but also because of the incredible financial support he's received through scholarships. "The ultimate factor that drew me even closer to NLU was the access to financial aid and scholarships. I was able to earn two different scholarships based on academic merit here."
As Javon has progressed through his studies at NLU, he's been continually impressed by the level of support and camaraderie he's found among his peers and professors. "NLU has helped me to actualize my career goal because I have gained so many colleagues who are like-minded and like-hearted," he shares.
In particular, Javon has developed a close connection with Professor Dr. Gloria McDaniel-Hall. "It's actually difficult to determine who my favorite professor is because I have grown such a close connection in such a short time with all of them. I do feel a sense of belonging with Dr. Gloria McDaniel-Hall."
Even when faced with obstacles, like a dip in his GPA during a difficult personal time, Javon has demonstrated an unwavering determination to stay the course. "I notoriously dropped from an A student to a B student during winter quarter in undergrad. Even when my grandmother died at the beginning of January, I did not allow that to thwart my mission of maintaining a 4.0 GPA."
As Javon looks ahead to the future, he's filled with excitement and optimism. "My career goal is to be a catalyst," he declares. And with the support of NLU behind him, there's no doubt that Javon is well on his way to making a lasting impact on the field of education.
