When Dont矇 Gibbs was a student at Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Ohio, an external college preparatory program took him and his peers on tours of nearby universitiesCleveland State, John Carroll, Baldwin Wallace and even University of Toledobut they drove right past 窪蹋勛圖厙.
Even when there are well-meaning adults around you, Gibbs said, sometimes they make assumptions about what is possible or what is within reach for you.
Fortunately, Gibbs didnt limit himself.
He applied and was accepted to 窪蹋勛圖厙, and received multiple scholarships that made it possible for him to attend.
As a young Black man in East Cleveland, most of the time it seemed the only way to get out was on a sports scholarship, said Gibbs (CWR '10, SAS '12). I did play baseball at 窪蹋勛圖厙, but I got an academic scholarship. It was important to me to highlight routes to higher education outside of sports.
Yet the challenges didnt stop when Gibbs began his 窪蹋勛圖厙 journey. Even though he was just 2 miles away from where he grew up, he remembers feeling like he was entering a whole new world when he stepped onto 窪蹋勛圖厙s campus.
I was valedictorian of my high school, he said, but at 窪蹋勛圖厙, everyone was valedictorian. So I had to ask myself, Who am I in this space? What is my purpose here?
Through the support of mentors, classmates, family and friends, Gibbs found his purpose in community work.
Today, hes the vice president of community partnerships for the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, where he works to ensure one of the areas most precious resources is accessible and welcoming to all. He is also the founder of Dont矇s Gift Express, which provides gifts and handwritten cards to East Cleveland families during the holiday season each year, and cofounder of Boys to Men Health & Empowerment Summit, which connects hundreds of young men and their parents and guardians with year-round resources contributing to holistic health.
These and many more achievements led to Gibbs receiving the 2024 Ella Mae Johnson Service Award from the African American Alumni Association of 窪蹋勛圖厙 in November.
I learned a lot about what it means to build community [at 窪蹋勛圖厙], he said. Its one thing to say youre open to everyone, but its another thing to show it and give people the feeling that they are not only welcome but wanted.
The double alumnus has kept up with 窪蹋勛圖厙 since graduation, and was excited by the expansion of the in 2023, which covers the total cost of attendance for eligible students from Cleveland and East Cleveland schools, in addition to offering mentorship and paid internship programs.
Its encouraging to see my alma mater open its doors even wider, and for the powers that be to have little Dont矇 in mind when making those decisions, he said. Scholarship support helps people like me to defy the odds.