ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT!
Danielle Whittington
Class of 2020
I am Danielle Whittington, I am apart of the 2020 graduating class of From the Heart Christian School. I went on to attend McDaniel College located in Westminster, MD. Attending college at the height of Covid was in no way easy with classes being mostly virtual and very little social interaction on campus. With Covid dying down my sophomore, I was given the opportunity to branch out and explore organizations on campus. One of my favorite campus clubs that I was on the executive board for was W.O.R.T.H.(Women of Resilience Tenacity and Honor). W.O.R.T.H. is a women’s empowerment club created in order to promote self-love and show others how to be loving towards each other.
I worked two on campus jobs throughout my time, one was the Office of Student Engagement as an Engagement Peer and the other was an IT Help Desk Attendant. I interned before graduating with the McDaniel College Campus Safety Department, which opened my eyes to the point that psychology and law enforcement should go hand and hand, especially on a college campus. I say this because many of the calls for campus safety were mental health crises, therefore law enforcement should be equipped to handle those crises. I graduated from McDaniel College in May 2023 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice. I have been working at Sheppard Pratt’s Recovery & Academic Program along with the Landing Program in Gaithersburg, MD since June 2023.
At my job, I work with adolescents who are currently in recovery for substance abuse issues. The center is a safe place for high school students to come recover missing high school credits and maintain their sobriety. Through this job, I am so grateful for the foundation that From the Heart Christian School had set for me, it has helped me realize so much along the way and it has ultimately helped me to help others. I am currently in the job process for a federal government law enforcement position.
Although this process has been long and I would say the most difficult thing that I’ve ever done, I have learned that perseverance is key and I wouldn’t be able to persevere without God. One of the job requirements is to be able to do pull-ups, when I started working with my personal trainer in May, I would have never thought that I could do a pull-up but in September I was able to do my first one. God allowed me to meet a like-minded individual (my trainer) who has encouraged me and pushed me along the way. I am grateful for my experience at From the Heart, I cherish the people who poured into my life since I entered those doors at the age of 3yrs old without them I don’t know where I would’ve been.
Ekari Gleaton
Class of 2020
My name is Ekari Gleaton. I graduated from FTHCS in 2020. After graduation, I attended Xavier University of Louisiana where I graduated Cum Laude with high honors in Philosophy earning a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy Pre-med with a minor in chemistry. While at Xavier, I worked as a tutor in writing, organic chemistry, and biology. I am currently working as a CNA/CMT through Capital City Nurses. I am preparing to take the MCAT this April and plan to attend medical school in New York in the fall of 2026.
Major Highlights
Senior of the Year Finalist: Each year, the University of Pittsburgh chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, recognizes one recently graduated or graduating senior from the university for meritorious leadership and extracurricular activities, that exemplifies the type of student who the University aspires to produce, and who inspires others to strive for similar conspicuous attainments. The award recipient’s name is engraved on a stone in the ODK Leadership Walk between the Cathedral of Learning and the Heinz Memorial Chapel. In my last undergraduate year, I was named as a finalist for the award. The link below leads to a biography put together about my time at Pitt and highlights some of my involvement in the Pitt community through my final year.
https://www.studentaffairs.pitt.edu/news/senior-of-the-year-finalist-jahari-mercer/
The Pitt News 2017 Silhouettes Feature: Each year, The Pitt News, which is the University’s student newspaper, selects members of the Pitt community to highlight in their yearly edition of the Pitt News Silhouettes. Individuals highlighted can include members of the University and/or members of the community surrounding campus. In 2017, I had the opportunity to be highlighted in the Pitt News Silhouettes and was able to talk about my experience and involvement at Pitt from my first and second years of my undergraduate program.
https://pittnews.com/article/126932/silhouettes-2017/jahari-mercer/
SGB Executive Vice President Election Article: During elections for the University Student Government Board (SGB), the person who receives the most votes among those students who run for board becomes the Executive Vice President of SGB, serving as the president in the event of the president’s absence. Because I received the most votes among students who ran for the board at the time, I served as the Executive Vice President of SGB for the 2018-2019 school year. If you scroll down slightly past the video in the article below, you will see my name mentioned along with the other elected members of the board. I am also quoted in this article, expressing my excitement over the results.
https://peachwort66.rssing.com/chan-60749106/all_p55.html
Engineering Ambassador: From the summer of 2019 through the summer of 2020, I worked as an engineering ambassador for the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. Engineering ambassadors help in the recruitment of prospective students to attend the Swanson School of Engineering by giving tours of Benedum Hall, which houses the school of engineering, and sharing their experiences with prospective students and their families. The link below is my archived profile from the school of engineering’s website.
https://www.engineering.pitt.edu/first-year/ambassadors/archived-profiles/jahari-mercer/
Why Pitt? By Jahari Mercer: The following video was one of the last things I did as an engineering ambassador. A few engineering ambassadors and I were asked to record a presentation explaining why we decided to come to Pitt, why we chose our respective engineering major, and to talk about our experiences at Pitt as well. This presentation also gives a recap of my time at Pitt and my plans after graduation as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsnSlOt5Uv4
Activities & Highlights since FTHCS
2015-2016 School Year (First-Year Undergraduate)
- Began studying at the University of Pittsburgh on a full-tuition scholarship along with a scholarship from the Swanson School of Engineering and the University of Pittsburgh Chesapeake and Potomac Pitt Alumni Chapter.
- Was actively involved in the Pitt Excel program which is a program dedicated to the recruitment, retention, development, and graduation of underrepresented minority students within the Swanson School of Engineering along with being involved in the University of Pittsburgh chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.
2016-2017 School Year (Sophomore Year Undergraduate)
- Served as a student representative on the University of Pittsburgh Year of Diversity Steering Committee. The goal of the Year of Diversity was for the Pitt community to respect, value, and appreciate diversity in all areas. The committee was comprised of students, faculty, and staff from across the University.
- Served as the Vice President of Community Outreach for the University of Pittsburgh Resident Student Association (RSA). RSA serves as a representative body within the university to identify and make known the needs of students living in university residence halls.
2017-2018 School Year (Junior Year Undergraduate)
- Worked as a manufacturing co-op engineer for Harley-Davidson Motorcycle company in York, PA as a part of the Swanson School of Engineering’s Cooperative Education program.
- Served as the Corporate Liaison Chair for the University of Pittsburgh chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). The mission of NSBE is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community.
2018-2019 School Year (Senior Year Undergraduate)
- Served as the Executive Vice President for the University of Pittsburgh Student Government Board (SGB). The purpose of SGB is to promote the concerns, interests, needs, and welfare of the student body through creative programming, supporting student organizations, and facilitating conversations between the student body and the university community.
- Served as a member of the leadership team for Pitt Excel’s B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. which stands for Brothers Respecting Open Thought Helping Every-man Realize His Own Original Dream. B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. is dedicated to supporting individuals who identify as men within the Pitt Excel program on a personal, professional, and academic level.
2019-2020 School Year (Super Senior Undergraduate)
- Studied abroad during the summer of 2019 as a part of the Engineering Sustainability – Island Nations: Jamaica program. This program was a 2-week cultural immersion, based in Kingston, Jamaica, to understand the complex and unique approach to sustainability in island nations.
- Made the Swanson School of Engineering Dean’s List for the Fall 2019 semester. The distinction of Dean’s List within the School of Engineering is awarded to students who receive a 3.25 or higher semester GPA during their time in undergraduate school.
- Graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering in the spring of 2020 and was named a finalist for the 2020 ODK Senior of the Year award.
2020-2021 School Year (First Year Graduate School)
- Began my first year at the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh pursuing a Master of Business Administration on a full-tuition scholarship funded by the University of Pittsburgh and the National Black MBA Association.
- Served as one of the Vice Presidents for the Katz Operations Club. The Katz Operations club plans and facilitates programs geared towards students concentrating in the field of operations.
2021-2022 School Year (Second Year Graduate School)
- Completed an 8-month internship with PPG Industries as a Supply Chain MBA intern within the Architectural Coatings Logistics & Distribution capabilities team.
- Currently serving as the Vice President of the Katz Student Executive Board (SEB). The Katz SEB acts as the primary representative of Full-Time Master’s students to the Katz faculty and administration and plans creative programs to enhance the experience of everyone in the Katz community.
