3 minute read

SYNERGY - Juneteenth 2022

Jeffery Danso

Story By: Jen Hunsaker

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COACH, STUDENT, FATHER, MENTOR and ROAD BUILDER

Jeffery Danso wears a few different hats, but they all melt together to drive his ambition of creating a way for students when there is no way. When Danso was a college soccer player, he was trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. One mentor suggested that he look at all of the formative and influential moments in his life and see if that can become a career. Turns out it can!

His first job was at The Ohio State University where he created the Buckeye’s First program. Danso worked with first year students who were the first in their families to attend college. They’d connect with faculty, learn about resources, and go on campus tours.

“Professionally, it was the most rewarding job. It really gave me purpose working with at-risk or firstgeneration students. I got to show them that while they’re on their own, they aren’t really alone. There are lots of people, including the faculty, that want to help them succeed.”

Danso explains, “Access to education is changing, but the preparedness is not. These programs try to even the field of preparedness.” At the University of Florida (UF), Danso continued to work with underrepresented students throughout their tenure at the university because it’s one thing to get them to college, the real milestone is to help them graduate.

He now also gets to focus on admission and recruitment, or as he puts it, “represent students that are underrepresented.” His initiatives give students the vision of an education and high-salaried career, as well as the steps or programs needed to make those dreams a reality.

To that end, he organized Diversity Weekend, a huge recruitment weekend for the school of business’ MBA program that kicked off February 2020. Their target group includes women, LGBTQ, veterans, and students of color. Basically, all the voices needed to enrich classrooms, boardrooms, and communities.

“The younger generations really embrace diversity and inclusion. They crave it and look to work around people who are from different cultures and have had different experiences. They’re thirsty for it.”

Even with an auspicious beginning, it’s been a huge step in helping the Gainesville community and in changing the culture of diversity and inclusion around UF. Nearly two years, one pandemic, and several conversations about inclusion later, UF is expanding their diversity and inclusion initiatives to create a new Diversity Program Manager role that Danso will fill this year.

“I’ll get to reach undergrad, grad, and high school students. I really want to build a track for underrepresented students to enroll and thrive within the school of business. I really hope I can make a difference in the community.”

He already has big plans and is eager to start working within the community and complete that educational track from application, to acceptance, then graduation. “As I’m growing and transitioning, I try to figure out who can grow with me. Who will benefit from having me in this role?”

With solid support from his wife at home, and the strong values that he learned from his Ghanaian parents, Danso understands—almost atomically—that it takes a village. The village he’s building is bound to have lasting generational effects on the community at UF and in Gainesville.

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