Mandel Scholars Academy helps Daysean Scott expand his horizons

December 18, 2017

Daysean Scott is a man with a plan. While many students enter college unsure of what career path they want to follow, Scott is laser-focused.

The Richmond Heights resident will graduate from Cuyahoga Community College this month with an Associate of Arts degree, then attend Cleveland State University next fall to study for two bachelor’s degrees—one in psychology and one in African American studies.

Once he’s finished with school, Scott wants to become a family counselor and establish a mentoring program for young men. Ultimately, he would like to earn a master’s degree and teach psychology and African American studies at the college level.

To pave the way toward his dreams, Scott has relied on people, resources and support at Tri-C.

Scott enrolled at Tri-C in the fall of 2015. At the outset, he was focused on a sociology concentration. But that changed when he was accepted into the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Scholars Academy. 

“When I first arrived at Tri-C, I was in a place where I was only comfortable knowing what I needed to know, and that was it,” Scott said. “The Mandel Scholars program helped open my eyes to something bigger.”

The Mandel Scholars Academy introduced Scott to new fields of study in psychology and the humanities. The experience also helped broaden his perspective, as he was inspired to learn more and expand his career options.

While at Tri-C, Scott has been involved in other honors activities as well, including serving as president of the Eastern Campus’ Phi Theta Kappa chapter. But looking back on his time at the College, he counts the academy as the most influential force in his educational journey.

“The Mandel Scholars program taught me things I probably wouldn’t have learned anywhere else,” Scott said. “I learned how to do research. My critical thinking skills improved. I had the chance to talk to people of many different backgrounds. It was a great experience.”