A familiar face to Falcons young and old, Ms. Williams has worked on promotions for Homecoming Reunion Events for over 15 years. Within the gates of 1315, Ms. Williams served as the Manager of the University Bookstore. As an alumnus she proudly assisted current and prospective students and Alumni with current, fashionable ways to display and express their Falcon Pride. Always willing to take on new adventures Ms. Williams is now employed as a Senior Admissions Recruiter for Saint Augustine’s University.

No stranger to service Shareese has been actively involved with various organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Raleigh Boys Club, The Lupus Foundation, and the Susan G. Komen Race for the cure. Ms. Williams is also a 2009 initiate of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated via Johnston County Alumnae Chapter. While an active member of the chapter, she chaired the annual Walking Out Against Family Violence 5K Walk for several years. The program raised thousands of dollars for Harbor of Johnston County. Ms. Williams is a member of the Saint Augustine’s University Raleigh/Wake Alumni Association and a Life Member of the Saint Augustine’s University National Alumni Association.

Ms. Williams has one son, Keion White, who is currently a graduate student at The Georgia Institute of Technology.

The post Shareese Williams, Class of 1998 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

Brent is driven for success and fueled by his passion for having a strategic outlook as always looking at life downstream, from various angles. He is a forever student, eager to build on his general knowledge, academic achievement in Sports Management, history, and leadership. He prides himself by staying in tune with latest technology and professional development through reading and online courses and content.

He grew up in Oakland, CA and was driven for success. His determination has contributed to the launch of several businesses including a sports apparel company and a sports consulting agency. He has a passion for community growth and youth. His leadership on the Little Elm planning and zoning board has helped the city grow and continue to evolve.

He is a leader and a top sales professional. He was a top sales producer for Gold’s Gym in 2019 and thus far in 2020. He has strong business acumen and leadership skills. He was recently appointed as the director of technology and social media for one of his civic organizations. He is leading them in technology for the 21 Century. Brent believes our health is our wealth. Brent’s keys to staying balanced are working out, meditation, walking, reading, and constantly improving. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated and Prince Hall Masons.

The post Brent Thibeaux, Class of 2005 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

Jamian Smith is a native of Duplin County, NC and currently resides in Holly Springs, NC. He is the husband to Tierra Smith and the father of two (Kennedy and Kaleb Smith). Jamian is a member of the 2011 graduating class here at Saint Augustine’s University, studying Engineering Mathematics. During his time here at Saint Augustine’s University, Jamian was an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Along with his rigorous Engineering studies, Jamian was a standout wide-receiver on the football team where he collected numerous “Player of The Week” awards, All-Conference honors, records at the wide-receiver position and selected to the HBCU All-Star Bowl. After graduation, he went on to complete his Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from Elizabeth City State University in 2014. Throughout his career, Jamian has held Data Scientist positions with multiple Fortune 500 companies and a top 15 accounting firm. As he continues to make waves in the analytics field with his continuous progression as a Data Scientist, Jamian has also begun his journey as an entrepreneur running his own e-commerce company where his true passion lies.

Personal Stats
Age: 32

Career: Data Scientist / Entrepreneur

Residence: Holly Springs, NC

Marital Status: Married

Children: 2

Education:
Bachelor of Science, Saint Augustine’s University
Master of Science, Elizabeth City State University

The post Jamian Smith, Class of 2020 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

HBCU life was everything I needed and wanted, there was people there whom looked like me, acted like me and accept me for me. I had never felt such a sense of belonging and worth. I graduated from Saint Augustine’s College with a B.S. in Criminal Justice on May 8, 2004. During my time at ̽����ѡ I was in the gospel choir, Outer Limits Modeling Troupe, Criminal Justice Club, Academic Achieve and a RA in Weston Hall. Upon my completion of under grad I moved back to Brooklyn New York with hopes of starting my career and attending grad school. Being in the real world and being an adult was hard. At one time I knew exactly what I wanted to do with myself, but now that the time was here I had no idea. No one would hire me because I had no experience, so I served in the AmeriCorps program for 2 years, then I landed an entry level position with Lifesprie Inc. an agency that services adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. I also worked part-time with NYC Administration for Service the same agency that separated me from my biological family, all the while moving up in the ranks of Lifespire. I stayed employed with Lifespire for 15 years and when I ended my career there I was Assistant Facility Director. I used my time at Lifespire to grow and advance both professionally and educationally and on June 13, 2020 I received my Master of Public Administration / Public Affairs from Metropolitan College of New York. Since the for the last 2 years I’ve served as Manager for Residential Services for Sanctuary Families an agency that services women, children and victims of Domestic Violence, Sex trafficking and other gender base crimes. In my current role I supervise a staff of 5 and run the daily operational procedures of 4 crisis shelter that provide housing, case management and counseling services to our client. As a survivor of childhood abuse and Domestic Violence the work I do provides me great satisfaction. As of February 2021 I recently started my own nonprofit outreach organization “ Queens On Board”. My organization does consulting and referral services for various community and educational events. We organized and sponsor block party, clothing and food giveaways and back to school drives just to name a few. During this nationwide pandemic I’ve come to find out I and the work is do is ESSENTIAL. Shenika C. Sharpe, MPA

The post Shenika Sharpe, Class of 2004 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

After graduating from ̽����ѡ, Dr. Russell attended Georgia State University where she pursued a Master of Science degree in Biology with a concentration in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. She received both Graduate Teaching and Research Fellowships. It was at GSU she discovered her passion for global health and global travel during a study abroad program in Taiwan. With her master’s degree in hand, Dr. Russell was contracted as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Her team produced virus-like particles (VLPs) from Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) for the testing of samples received from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Her work at the CDC was intriguing because it was at the intersection of public health, medicine, and bench research. Although she enjoyed her work and the impact it would have on informing CDC’s policies regarding HPV infection control, she decided to hone her skills as a biomedical scientist. In August 2013, she made the difficult decision to resign her work and matriculate at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) to pursue a doctoral degree.

Dr. Russell’s dissertation research involved a novel platform in which infection-derived exosomes were used to further understand chlamydial disease, and to identify potential biomarkers for vaccine development. She was blessed with the opportunity to present her research at national and international conferences. She also received peer-reviewed publications, and numerous travel awards and grants including the American Society for Microbiology Robert Watkins Fellowship and the German Academic Student Exchange (DAAD) scholarship. Her interest in the host’s immune response to infection led her to conduct her postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University. She did a one-year fellowship studying the host response to Streptococcus pyogenes infection that causes strep throat. With her goal to bring her research from the bench side to the bedside, she accepted the call to attend medical school.
Dr. Russell is currently a 3rd year medical student at her home institution at Morehouse School of Medicine. She desires to impact the world as a physician-instructor-scientist, training the next generation of young minds, while conducting groundbreaking research to improve the health of her patients.

In addition to her academic pursuit, Dr. Russell has high hopes of climbing the ranks as a soldier. She was recently commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve and is humbled to serve this great country that has given her the opportunity to soar.

Dr. Russell believes in work-life balance. She likes to dance, watch films from the early 1900s, and attend outdoor summer concerts. She also enjoys traveling internationally. She thinks of herself as a cultural anthropologist and has traveled to more than 40 cities across 18 countries.

Her mission in life is to live without regret.

Her motto is, with Christ all things are possible and with a smile she can conquer any storm.

The post Raedeen Russell, Class of 2010 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

LaShawnda Rodgers is a resident of Cary, North Carolina where she resides with her loving husband and her 3 amazing boys. LaShawnda had a rough childhood and endured a lot of abuse, and trauma as a child. But made the decision to let those adversities be her stepping stone to show others what is possible to those that believe in themselves and in the God who created them. She beat all statistical odds and is a true success story. She has obtained a Bachelor’s in Science of Business Administration from Saint Augustine’s University, MBA from Strayer University, DEI from University of South Florida, and a Scrum Master Certification from Scrum Alliance. She is currently pursing her PMP through the PMI. LaShawnda is sociable, compassionate, lifelong learner, overcomer, philanthropist, and adventurer. She enjoys traveling, hiking, hanging out with her family, whitewater rafting, Women’s Advocacy, meeting new people, and helping others to win in life.

LaShawnda is currently the Founder and CEO of Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium. She started Rodgers Global Leadership Consortium after seeing the need for leadership development training programs and coaching for new through experienced leaders within mid-large enterprises. She believes that change starts at the top, so if our leaders are better equipped and supportive than so will our teams be. LaShawnda also is a Certified Transformation Life and Marriage Coach. Her coaching programs help married couples and individuals to eradicate the barriers that are blocking them from achieving goals, win the battles in their mind, and walk confidently in every area of their life. Some of LaShawnda previous professional experiences are in Project Management, Program Management, Business Analysts, Data, and Business Development. Due to her vast knowledge, she has worked at some of the largest organizations such as Cisco, First Citizen Bank, Nationwide Mutual, and Biogen just to name a few.

LaShawnda is a Keynote Speaker and speaks on topics regarding Leadership, Diversity, Mindset, Business Growth, Customer Experience just to name a few. Some of her most recent keynotes have been Northwestern’s Leading the Way Leadership Conference which she spoke on The Future of Leadership. LaShawnda has partnered with Power To FLY, an organization that values diversity and breaking barriers so every woman feels supported in her career. With Power To Fly, LaShawnda is doing a keynote entitled, The Great Resignation and its effect on the Workplace. LaShawnda is a Co-Author of Simply Grateful an Anthology Project with 10 other authors sharing stories about Gratitude and how it empowers others to live out loud. Besides being a co-author, LaShawnda is also an author with a book entitled, “Manna in the Workplace: Spiritual Food for The Career Minded Soul”.

As an advocate for those who are disadvantaged, LaShawnda enjoys serving on the Board as the VP of Community Outreach for Blacks in Technology RDU Chapter. In this role, LaShawnda partners with corporate and nonprofit partners to obtain financial support and create opportunities for African American men, women, and children interested in breaking into or growing in the technology industry. LaShawnda is also a member of Black Women Talk Tech, Women in Stem, and Tech Ladies. LaShawnda also donates her time to speak out against Domestic Violence, Suicide Prevention, overcoming adversity, and equal educational for all. She has received several awards and recognition for her community service and professional work. But nothing means more to her than seeing someone moving from lack of confidence to walking confidently and taking control over their life.

The post Lashawnda Rogers, Class of 2005 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

If you have ever heard the names Ludacris, DJ Khaled, 2 Chains, LL Cool J, Redman, Jim Jones, Foxxy Brown, and Ace Hood, these are just a few of the artist that are synonymous with Hazardous Records, LLC founder, the youngest Black Radio Station owner in the nation, and 2007 Saint Augustine’s University Alumni, Damian Powell. Known in the music industry as “DY-NASTY,” he has owned and operated a North Carolina based recording studio since he was 19 years old. In 2001, he landed his first radio job on Radio One’s K-97.5 in Raleigh, North Carolina, and for over 10 years he became one of the Carolina’s biggest DJ’s. In 2011, he was laid off from Radio One, which became a pivotal moment in his career when he turned his passion for music into an independent record label, Hazardous Rec, LLC. In 2013, DY brokered a deal with Kevin Lile’s 300 Entertainment. With the resilience and grit that has defined his career and life’s struggles, over the next 5 years, with the money he earned from his record label sales, and from throwing large scale events, he was able to raise over $1 million dollars with his partner and aunt Delores Powell to purchase his first FM property Hot 97.9, coronating him as the youngest Black radio station owner in the nation. He was supported in this endeavor by the late, United States Senator, Tony Rand, and Dr. Ronald Benfield who was a local surgeon.

In 2018, PMC Broadcasting, Hot 97.9 FM made its debut and is the fastest growing urban station in the Raleigh market with a listenership cume of over 179,000 and growing. He is the recipient of several commendations, including the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified Platinum commendation for the production of Cam’Ron’s Come Home with Me; and Gold for Lil’ Scrappy & Trillville King of Crunk and Welcome to Trillville. While launching Hot 97.9, mindful of the impact and reach of urban radio, he entered into a rebroadcast/lease agreement with his alma mater, Saint Augustine’s University on its 750 AM station that was in dormant state. Which in turn he repaired it and restored it, DY is also a self-taught sound engineer who built and gifted his beloved Saint Augustine’s University in honor of the vision of ̽����ѡ, a brand new, digital radio station “Falcon Fly Radio”. His donated gift, is valued at approximately $70K to the University, The New Falcon Fly Radio launched in 2021. The station is poised to be a completely student run enterprise that can be heard internationally on Apple Music, Pandora, Tune-in, on the university’s mobile app, and website. 

The post Damian Powell, Class of 2007 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

The post Justin Perry, Class of 2011 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

The post Tamara Millines-Freeman, Class of 2004 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.

Kimaada Hankins-McLeod is a native of Darlington, South Carolina. Kimaada is the oldest grandchild and was the first in her immediate family to graduate from college.  Shortly after graduating, she landed a job with Verizon.  That job has now turned into a 20 year career of telecommunications experience from call center, tech support, an executive assistant to the director, and her current role as a Federal Government Incident Management.  During her time at Verizon, Kimaada has won numerous awards to include Pinnacle of Excellence, Circle of Honor, and MVP.  The best part of her job is literally learning something new just about every day.  

Outside of work, Kimaada attends Works for Christ Christian Center in Sanford, North Carolina. She is on the Usher Board and Young Women of Purpose (church organization).  She enjoys being a Team Mom for Brick City Tigers in Sanford, North Carolina. Not only does she get to spend valuable time with her son Evan but able to be impactful to the youth she comes in contact with.  She said working with the youth has taught her great patience.

Kimaada is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Kimaada is married to R. Maurice McLeod.

The post Kimaada McLeod, Class of 1999 appeared first on Saint Augustine's University.