Davontae Singleton is a current student at the University of South Carolina Honors College, which currently ranks as the number-one public Honors College in the United States of America.  While you would not be able to tell if you met him today, Davontae’s path to success was a rocky one.

Davontae attended a poor performing middle school in Charleston county.  Nonetheless, he persevered, and was accepted to Academic Magnet.  His transition into Academic Magnet’s rigorous environment was a rough one, but Davontae did not give up.  He says “ I wouldn’t say that I struggled at magnet, it was more of an intense transition because in middle school I never had to study and made all A’s, but at magnet, it was the first time I had to study (I knew how, just never actually did it)”

It was challenging, but he persevered and went on to attend the University of South Carolina and was accepted into the Honors College as well as the  Opportunity Scholars Program .  Davontae is the first member of his family to attend college.  He is thriving at USC while double-majoring in English and secondary education with the goal of obtaining his BA in English Language and Literature in 2015 and going on to become a teacher, school principal, superintendent, or secretary of education so that he can help struggling children to envision their future and choose the pathway to success.  According to Davontae, “teaching isn’t something you should pursue only because you think you’d be good at it.  It’s got to be a passion”.

In addition to Davontae’s academic success at the University of South Carolina, he has also played an active role in extracurricular and community organizations,   serving as a South Carolina Honors College Student Ambassador and also with USC’s Upward Bound program. He has tutored high school students in English, chaperoned college tours, and facilitated SAT/ACT English prepatory workshops.  Davonte was a University 101 Peer Leader meaning he was a co-instructor for freshmen, helped create syllabi and lesson plans for the class, graded student’s exams and performance, coordinated outside-the-classroom activities, and met with students monthly outside the classroom for evaluations.  He also served as a supplemental instruction leader in heading peer-facilitated study sessions.

As a result of his difficult past, Davontae is devoted to the causes of children, civil rights and social action, education, and poverty alleviation.  “I was given many opportunities and was fortunate enough to have great parents and mentors to help me with those life decisions,” Davontae said.  “If I ever come across a child who doesn’t have that support, I have dedicated myself to help them just as someone took the time to help me.”  Since 2012, he has served as President for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, working with Case Managers in volunteering and creating student-interest within USC.  He has been the executive director of the Waverly After-School Program since 2011 and the President of Share Our Strength— No Kid Hungry since 2013.

As a result of all of his contributions to the university, Davontae has received numerous honors and awards.  He was a Harry S. Truman National Finalist, placed first in USC Connect Showcase for Research Presentation, placed second in USC Connect Showcase for Research Presentation, and was placed on the Dean’s Honor List for all four years of his undergraduate career.