2022 Marvin R. Ellison Emerging Leaders Scholars
The Marvin R. Ellison Emerging Leaders Scholarship was created in honor of Lowe’s chairman, president & chief executive officer,Marvin R. Ellison.
Blake Willis
Blake Willis is a finance major in the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Moreover, Blake is interested in finance management and analytics. Based on Blake’s performance after the first semester, he was accepted into the Co-op Program where he will gain valuable work experience related to his major. On-campus, Blake is a member of the Black Student Union and Big Brother Big Sister. During his high school career, Blake was a member of several honors societies, community service clubs, and completed 8 college credits in Spanish; Blake is conversant in Spanish. Raised in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Blake enjoys working out, playing basketball, spending time with his friends, and music. Blake aspires to be a financial analyst for a Fortune 100 company.
Destiny Spady
Destiny Spady is a business administration major at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Destiny is interested in finance, supply chain, and real estate. On campus, Destiny is an active member in her campus community by taking part in and holding leadership positions in many organizations on campus such as NCAT Active Minds, The Center for Financial Achievement, as well as NCATSAFE. In addition to making the Chancellor’s list her freshman year, Destiny has participated in many scholarly programs including the TMCF Incubator Program, TMCF Boeing Summer Immersion program, North Carolina A&T Honors Program, and the Risk Management Program. Raised in Tampa, Florida, Destiny enjoys reading books, exercising, and spending time with her family. Destiny plans to start her own real estate brokerage that not only assists her community in the homeownership process yet also educates on the topic of financial literacy.
Gabrielle Johnson
Gabrielle Johnson attends North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and majors in management with a concentration in business administration. She also plans to double minor in marketing and finance. Gabrielle has outstanding work experience in the corporate world. She has been a Human Resources Generalist Intern and Human Resources Recruiting Intern at EAB which is an education consulting firm located in Washington, D.C. However, her experience does not stop there, she was also an IT Service Desk Intern and served as an administrative assistant at different real estate properties in Washington, D.C. Gabrielle has committed most of her free time to helping high school seniors with the college application process and helping them find scholarships along with preparing them for college and giving them advice on how to be a successful student.
Jalen Ward
Jalen Ward is an honors marketing major at Howard University. Jalen is interested in digital marketing as well as entrepreneurship. On campus, Jalen is a member of the Campus Outreach group as well as a member of the esports team. During the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semester Jalen was a member of the Dean’s List and participated in the SBEL honors program in the Howard University School of Business. Raised in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Jalen enjoys working out, watching Marvel movies, as well as spending time with family and friends. One day Jalen hopes to own multiple corporations and help build generational wealth.
Joshua Wallington
Joshua Wallington is a Presidential Scholar at Howard University majoring in computer science. Joshua graduated high school summa cum laude and jump-started his professional life by being selected to work with Google’s Code Next and Computer Science Institute. In college, he is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and has participated in two hackathons, advancing to the final rounds. Joshua has mentored younger students with the Midnight Golf Program, his former high school, and as a recipient of the Gamma Lambda Scholarship. Joshua currently spends his 2022 summer working as an intern at the John Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.
Ravyn Davis
Ravyn Davis is an economics major at Spelman College. Ravyn is interested in several sectors within the finance industry, including analyst roles, corporate and investment banking as well as venture capital. On campus, Ravyn serves as the President of Community Foundation for Financial Literacy, Treasurer of Utopia Atlanta, and Publicity Chair of Girls Going Global. Ravyn started college as a classified sophomore due to dual enrollment credits and made the Dean’s List two semesters in a row. In addition to math tutoring and office assisting on campus, Ravyn started a venture capital internship with University Growth Fund this January. After moving several places due to her mom’s service in the Air Force, it is no surprise that Ravyn enjoys traveling. Besides that, she enjoys reading, hiking, and socializing with friends and family. Ravyn plans to open a community financial literacy clinic one day.
