While in college, I felt a deep call to impact youth. One night, I stayed up creating a full mentoring program—mission, vision, and objectives—and brought it to a nearby school. Through Call Me MISTER, where I served as chapter president, we launched Youthful Misters the next week, mentoring K–8th grade boys.

When I first brought the idea to the cohort, there was some initial pushback—people felt like it was “just another thing added to the plate.” I was so passionate and zealous about the vision that I literally had tears of frustration trying to help them see it.

Well… that same year, it was nominated for South Carolina’s Board of Volunteers Award.