Name: DeLeon L. Gray, Ph. D.
Profession: Professor
Age: 30
One Word That Describes You: Conversable
At age of 30, DeLeon Gray—a first-generation college student—has found a way to his dream profession in a short period of time. Poised to motivate and inspire students, Gray is the “leader of the new school” at North Carolina State University.
Gray’s educational career spans several reputable universities—from North Carolina State University to The Ohio State University, and he credits his love of research in helping him to discover that teaching and youth outreach is his calling. “Professors are often stereotyped as being thinkers
who are detached from reality and live in an ivory tower,” says Gray. To avoid the “ivory tower” label, Gray not only conducts research in his area of discipline, he also researches his own teachings and outreach efforts. “This allows me to draw on my strengths and use my time more efficiently. By doing so, I am able to avoid the “ivory tower” critique while addressing the responsibility I have to continually invest in my African American community.”Not one to rest on his achievements, Gray took no time in impacting the culture on campus at NC State, and the
surrounding communities. He created the SMART Collaborative to unite educators and researchers who are passionate about confronting educational challenges rooted in student motivation. SMART Collaborative members are active scholars—establishing science and technology after-school clubs in high-poverty middle schools in rural North Carolina, taking lead roles on projects designed to inform North Carolina’s transition to Digital-Age Learning Models; and facilitating workshops in which teachers interpret motivation data from their own students and generate theory-driven strategies for fostering their passion for mathematics.“The SMART Collaborative is working to revolutionize the way society thinks of urban adolescents,” says Gray. “The iScholar is an individual who possesses in-depth knowledge about the use of the scientific method to tackle interdisciplinary research questions. i
Scholars will enter college groomed to embrace lead roles in designing, proctoring, analyzing, and or presenting research.”NC State and the College of Education have been instrumental in supporting this innovation during its first phase. Successful contributions have been made to the student research culture at Hillside High School (Durham, North Carolina), and now The SMART Collaborative is gearing up to enter the second phase of this project.
As a highly credentialed mentor, award-winning, and outstanding faculty member within the American educational system, Gray believes that
success should not be a secret. “Adolescents from our community need to know what’s possible for them. They also deserve to be provided with actionable steps so that they may become a 27-year-old professor—or something greater.”The Black Enterprise Team understands the importance of education and is excited to see a BE Modern Man equipping students with the tools needed to succeed. Gray has showcased the strength, resiliency, fortitude, and a commitment to excellence that we can all learn from.
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