Current Ph.D. student, Deondre Johnson, was selected for the inaugural cohort of the Holmes Scholars program at Old Dominion University. Deondre is being mentored by Dr. Kim Bullington and Dr. Ron Moses and will be attending conferences and presenting with them this academic year.
Deondre Johnson started off his educational journey with the goal of working in the medical field. He completed his master’s in public health at Old Dominion University and had plans of pursuing a career in community health. He liked the community engagement aspect of it.
He was also a student-athlete. Johnson played football at Mercer University as an undergraduate student and knew what it was like trying to balance academics, athletics and overall wellbeing. After graduating from ODU, he went to work as coordinator of fitness, wellness and health promotion at the University of North Georgia.
His “lightbulb moment” came when he sat down with a University athletic administrator and learned how he can combine his background in public health with his desire to “educate, inspire and continue to push people toward their academic and career goals.” Johnson decided it was time to take the next step so that will open the door to all kinds of new opportunities – even if they are ones he has not considered yet.
“(The Holmes Scholars Program) looks different for everybody, but I feel like this is the support group that I needed to not only give me the confidence but also the help to push me outside of my limits,” Johnson said.
Johnson is pursuing his Ph.D. in higher education, combining his passion for public health and student-athlete wellbeing through teaching and research. He is interested in exploring the connection of holistic development and the impact it has on student-athlete success.
At 24 years old, Johnson said he is also excited to join a cohort of fellow scholars who are coming from different educational and professional experiences. He sees himself working long-term in higher education and is confident that the Darden College Holmes Scholars experience will guide him in the right direction.
More about the Holmes Scholar program: Old Dominion University’s Darden College of Education and Professional Studies welcomes its first cohort of Holmes Scholars, a diverse group of doctoral students with the goal of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in PK-12 and higher education.
The inaugural cohort and their focus areas include Clarence Bumpas, counselor education and supervision: clinical mental health; Hilda Adu Gyamfi, special education; Natisha Harper, educational psychology; Deondre Johnson, higher education; and Christine Marie Turner, counselor education and supervision: school counseling.
The Holmes Scholar Program, which falls under the American Association for Colleges of Teachers Association, is designed to boost the education field by recruiting and supporting students from historically underrepresented groups who are on track for careers in higher education. Over the last 25 years, the national Holmes Scholar Program has worked to address equity and inclusion at all levels of education.
The program opened to applicants in November 2023. Its mission aligns with Darden College’s own goal of fostering a diverse community of faculty, staff and students and recognizing systemic barriers to achieving that goal.
“Our mission and values are at the core of this program,” Tammi Dice, dean of Darden College, said. “In a time when (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility) work is more critical than ever, we are proud to take a stand and live out our values as a college. By striving now to enhance diversity among the professoriate, we will be building a solid foundation to further empower aspiring scholars from underrepresented groups in the future.”
There were 10 applicants for Darden College’s first cohort and five spots available. Bumpas, Adu Gyamfi, Harper, Johnson and Turner committed to the three-year journey in which they will receive mentorship, peer support and professional development to prepare them for future faculty and leadership positions. The goal is to demystify academia and the culture of the academic life, providing the scholars with the necessary tools to succeed in a research environment.
Their experience and ultimate goals vary, much like their backgrounds.
Emily Goodman-Scott, professor and director of the Darden College Holmes Scholar Program, said as much as she hopes these students learn over the course of the program, she expects to learn, too.
“All of them are very committed and focused, talking about their research interests, their journeys, what they’ve done before and what they want to bring into this,” Goodman-Scott said. “Every time I’ve talked with them, I feel like I could pinch myself. I’m so grateful to get to know these folks, get to learn from them and have them learn from each other.”
Looking ahead, the program is poised for growth and sustainability. With plans to build a robust mentorship infrastructure, Darden College Holmes Scholars Program will continue to support future generations of scholars. Alumni are encouraged to stay involved by leading webinars, panels and conferences and offering mentorship to new cohorts, and Goodman-Scott said members of this group have already expressed interest in supporting future scholars in some way.
The scholars this year represent a wide range of backgrounds professionally and culturally.