Life Lessons: A Journey from Drop Out to PhD Candidate

by Jarod Leonard, HRBOOST® Newsletter Contributor

The student, the person, the player—these are all roles I have learned to play along the way on this journey called life. The most important lesson I have learned is that there are no guarantees or handouts. I had to learn those lessons the hard way.

As the top-ranked basketball player in Missouri and sixth overall in the nation at the Nike All American basketball camp, I felt I had the world in my palm. At a mere 16 years old, I quickly learned that palms can get sweaty and you can lose everything. With all the accolades came the power, and with the power came the arrogance and entitlement. That arrogance and entitlement led me to drop out of high school when I was a junior at the renowned DeSmet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, Missouri. At DeSmet, going into my junior year, I was the highest-rated basketball prospect who had attended in over a decade. My decision to drop out of high school led me down a path of depression, anxiety, and self-confidence issues that were extremely difficult to overcome. But, I always had determination and a dream to return to school and play basketball again. With that in mind, I opted to attend day classes and finally received my GED at age 21. With the GED in hand, my heart was now set on working myself back into shape to become a college athlete, after having not so much as touched a basketball the last five years.

My father, Jesse Leonard, worked tirelessly with me to restore my endurance, confidence, and skills not only on the basketball court but also in life. My father will himself admit that he’s not the most “book-smart” guy in the world, but he has the heart of an angel and the determination of a lion. After I dropped out of high school, the phone calls stopped; friends didn’t visit any longer and I placed no more value on private-school education and everything that comes with it. The one person who has stayed by my side throughout the whole process, until this day, is my father. He was not a financial figure - a “parent” who solely offers monetary support and believes that is enough - but a true father figure. After I dropped out, he got involved in the activities I was passionate about and showed an interest in spending countless hours with me on social media, listening to and making music he didn’t particularly enjoy, and simply having conversations with me about life. Like this month’s webinar discusses, my father not only deserves appreciation but also recognition.

After countless hours of hard work rebuilding my mind, body, and soul, I was able to obtain a full-ride scholarship to attend college, receive an education, and live out my dream of playing college basketball. Throughout my college years, balancing my studies and athletic commitments was challenging, and there were ups and downs to say the least. I was lucky enough to have a diverse and unfailing support system by my side, thanks to Coach Anthony Andre, Len Harrington, and Mary Francis Gullo. All of these people played a significant role in pushing me to be a captain and All American basketball nominee at Daytona State, earn my master’s degree in public administration at Valdosta State University at the age of 24, and even to this day in my role of doctoral candidate in education and organizational leadership who will walk, yet again, this upcoming May. More recently, my mentor Roseann Mabry, friend Cait Hassett, and coach/father figure Greg Mullen have supplied me with unbelievably helpful advice and guidance to take the next steps.

As I continue this journey, I to try to pass on the life lessons I have learned to the people I work with—people like the youth at the Boys and Girls Club, where I was a health and wellness coordinator/athletic director, and the former college teammates I have mentored along the way.

Currently I am in the final stages of my dissertation, entitled “Managing Diversity and Cultural Differences in the Workplace,” at Nova Southeastern University while simultaneously completing Cornell University’s professional certification program in “Diversity & Inclusion in HR” and Duke University’s Online Learning Program concluding early February. Additionally, I volunteer as a Big Brother at Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri and am on the Young Friends of St. Patrick’s Center board.

Life has certainly not been easy, but the life experiences I have gathered and the challenges I have overcome will be invaluable in advancing in potential careers, representing my community, and making ongoing social responsibility efforts in and out of the workplace. What didn’t kill me most certainly has made me stronger, and I look forward to what roles I will play in the future.