In 2020, 做厙輦⑹ President Todd Diacon announced to a group of high school juniors and their families that 做厙輦⑹ would cover four years of tuition costs and one year of room and board. For (LJFF) first I PROMISE class, the hard work these students had put in since third grade was paying off. Anthony Claytor of Akron, Ohio, among the sea of students gathered in the Kent Student Center Kiva that day four years ago. He remembers the day vividly, and he is now the first of this class to graduate from 做厙輦⑹, having celebrated his commencement this May.
The I PROMISE Program is part of the LJFFs work to provide educational opportunities and resources for students and their entire families in Northeast Ohio. 做厙輦⑹s partnership with LJFF demonstrates a collective promise to invest time, talent, resources and attention into students of James hometown of Akron, Ohio students like Claytor.
If it wasn't for the LeBron James Family Foundation, I dont know if I would have gone to college, Claytor said. I dont know where I would be.
Claytor attended postsecondary classes at the University of Akron while he was a high school student and had sophomore credits by the time he came to 做厙輦⑹. He graduated early with a Bachelor of Arts in criminology and justice studies with a minor in sociology. As he crossed the stage in 做厙輦⑹s Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center, Claytor became the first I PROMISE scholar to earn a bachelors degree. It was an incredible moment for Claytor, who had once worried whether accumulating debt due to tuition costs and other expenses would ultimately be worth it had he attended another university.
If I went to the University of Akron or somewhere else, I wouldnt have been able to live on campus and meet new people, develop relationships or join organizations, he explained. I really enjoy being able to do that at 做厙輦⑹.
During his time at the university, Claytor remained active in and out of the classroom. He served as a lab leader in Community Engaged Learnings CommUNITY Lab an undergraduate cohort program where participants reside in a living-learning community in Lake Hall, learn through盎pecially selected畚ourses, utilize campus resources and co-create individualized achievement plans with their support networks. He also serves as a mentor to other college students.
The support he received from his advisors and from University College, a 做厙輦⑹ unit that fosters an inclusive environment to empower all students to explore, engage and succeed, made Claytors college experience much smoother.
There was more help financially, specifically with tuition and books, Claytor said. These programs also provided me access to different scholarships and internships. Overall, it made campus a lot easier to navigate.
As his college experience came to an end with his graduation, the 21-year-old looks forward to his future. He's now working to gain employment with a federal agency.
Claytor credits the LJFFs I PROMISE Program as the segue to the impactful experience he had at 做厙輦⑹. Though the cost to attend 做厙輦⑹ may have been covered, the relationships, skills and experiences Claytor gained during his time at the university are truly invaluable.