Darrell Gill

The Starbucks College Achievement Program Scholarship enabled Darrell Gill to earn an undergraduate degree after financial constraints prevented him from finishing 19 years ago. And Gill’s second round of college was marked by excellence; each semester Gill tackled more than 12 credit hours and earned a place on the dean’s list.

Gill explains that he loves engineering because he is fascinated by the way things work and his goal, simply stated, is to make things better. 

“Engineering, and particularly the technological entrepreneurship and management program, allowed me to harness my passions and develop ways to change the world with them,” he said.

A business owner already, Gill says he will use what he has learned to build better brands. His program armed him with the tools he needs to build out his ideas and test their feasibility.

“The most challenging is the patience required to methodically test hypotheses, analytically process results and conclusively direct efforts,” he says.

For Gill, having support was pivotal to his success.

“Surround yourself with support. Be a champion for your journey and others,” he says. “Talk about your schooling with other students or with just anyone. It is surprising when people who you’d think wouldn’t care, end up being one of your most staunch supporters.”

Among the Fulton Schools faculty who helped Gill throughout his studies were Jason Bronowitz, Lauren Reid and Steve Cho. 

“Innovative ideas will by definition change the way we will do things in this world,” he says. “We will evolve or devolve to best suit our needs. Engineering makes this practical and functional.”

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ fall 2019 class here.