MY STORY: A Bit-by-Bit Journey
My name is John Herron, and I'm currently attending The University of Texas at Dallas to obtain a Bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems. Aside from technology, I have an interest in communication and marketing. As a leader, I believe that teamwork is incredibly important for output quality, morale, and retention. For these reasons, my focus lies within nurturing skills, developing talent, and inspiring results.
After I graduated from high school in Virginia, I moved with my family to Texas and entered directly into the workforce. My business experiences are comprised of management/assistant management positions within several retail companies. My life altering moment was when I was awarded full custody of my daughter from a previous marriage. At that time, being a team lead for a Fortune 500 company, I realized that this great position was not enough to support us. Therefore, I chose to leave that job and pursue a college degree. |
I enrolled at Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC) in Fall 2010 as the first member of my family to pursue higher education. This was a stressful decision since my mom and dad did not immediately support my vision. I remember to this day my father stating, "You don't need to go around chasing some piece of paper that won't land you a job. You need to find a job and work your way up as your mother and I did." I disagreed and chose to stick with my decision of attending college.
During my two year tenure at NTCC I was involved in many local student organizations on campus. I was elected as Student Government President, Phi Theta Kappa Regional Vice-President (Honors Organization), President of Brother-to-Brother Organization, and Student Ambassador. These organizations provided community outreach opportunities for me to impact the lives of others. Also, I was able to travel to publicly speak before colleges, mayors, board of directors, and community members on various topics. At the end of my sophomore year at NTCC, my mom and dad had the opportunity to see me walk across the stage to receive my associate's diploma. Also during this time frame, I remarried to a special lady that my daughter and I are grateful to share our lives with. |
After receiving my associates degree, I transferred to The University of Texas at Dallas in Fall 2012. This brings me to my story today, where I am often asked by my peer: what makes me do what I do? The answer to that question is not so simple.
I watched my father's battle with cancer for over 6 years before it finally came to an end December 2012. During that time frame, I watched my father fight to enjoy every day with his family. When he was restricted to a wheelchair, I remember my dad altering so many things so that he could continue living a normal life. For example, he had his brother build a ramp off the front porch, so that he had a way to leave the house. My dad's story inspires me everyday to make an impact within the world and to be grateful for the life I have. I live my life in a way as if I have someone following me around with a camera 24 hours a day. I never want to look back thinking I wasted an opportunity to make a difference in mine or someone else's life. |