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A Continuation of Advocacy
Jashawnna Gladney ’16 left her Heelprint through the Carolina Cupboard: Community Food Pantry.
Alongside her brother, Roderick, she founded the on-campus food pantry in 2014 to serve students in need. Now, Gladney continues to ensure people have access to the resources and education they need through her role at the District of Columbia Public Schools and as a member of the Young Alumni Leadership Council (YALC), a volunteer group within Carolina Annual Giving that helps fundraise and advocate on behalf of all Carolina schools, units and programs.
Gladney shares her experience on the committee in this Q&A.
Why did you choose UNC and what did you study here?
During undergrad, I studied global studies with a global health and environment concentration. Through the global health concentration, I got very involved with exploring public health and the intersection of public policy – both of which I was always interested in, but didn’t really know what they looked like in practice until I got to UNC.
During the latter part of my undergrad career, my brother had an idea to create an on-campus food pantry, which led to he and I founding Carolina Cupboard. Then I began dedicating a lot of my time to studying food policy, food access and insecurities to get an understanding of the food landscape and food insecurities among college students.
Where did you go after graduation?
Currently I work for DC Public Schools at their central services as a Specialist of Strategic Initiatives. My professional career has always been in education. When I graduated from UNC, I worked in the admissions office as an admissions representative. Then I became a college advisor through the Carolina College Advising Corps for 2 years at Wilson High School in Eastern NC. I think working in the admissions office allowed me to get an understanding of what admissions looks like at UNC. I definitely got to experience it and realize higher education is just not for me. My current work has allowed me to transition from student facing work to strategic planning, process improvement and design.
How did you get involved with the Young Alumni Leadership Council?
I actually learned of YALC through my older brother, Roderick, which has been an opportunity for me to share Carolina Cupboard with the members and for them to share with their communities. As a member of YALC, I get to share this organization with people in the UNC community who were not aware. Most of all, it has given me the opportunity to advocate for people to participate in the Pantry Bowl, which, through YALC, has been a continuation of advocacy.
Why should current students join the council when they graduate?
My pitch would be, if you’re looking to get an understanding of how the university functions outside of its role of giving you an education and you being a student, then YALC is an opportunity to do that. YALC gives you an opportunity to connect with the Board of Visitors, staff and faculty of the university, and other very distinguished university officials that you would not have access to as a student.
If you’re looking to get a better understanding of what goes behind operating UNC, you should join YALC. Of course, respectfully, if you have the ability to donate as well, that’s beneficial, but beyond that it provides opportunities to connect with alumni you would not have connected with otherwise.
The Young Alumni Leadership Council is a great way for recent Carolina graduates to get involved, give back and connect with other alumni. Click here to learn more about the council and the Young Alumni Carolina Covenant Scholarship Endowment Fund.
