My name is Deondre Johnson, and I am from Reidsville, Georgia. I have lived here in Norfolk for a year. Pictured above is my immediate family back home and this is where I get most of my motivation.

I graduated from Mercer University in 3 years while playing football and also going from a walk-on to a full scholarship athlete and team captain. In my time at Mercer, I was put in positions that required me to challenge myself physically and mentally. Initially, I came into undergrad as a Biology major with intentions of becoming a neurosurgeon until I was introduced to Public Health. Public Health embodied the community relations aspect that I have always desired. My goal has always been to help my community reach the best possible health outcomes and public health allows me to be more actively involved in this process.

After graduation, I began looking at the opportunity to run track because I wanted to continue my athletic career. I had always been interested in moving out of state and experiencing life in Virginia after all the good things that I heard about Virginia Beach. After some research on the surrounding schools and programs, ODU’s Health Behavior and Promotion track caught my attention and I also got the opportunity to pursue my athletic career in track.

I am currently here at ODU pursuing my master’s degree in Public Health and working as the Graduate Assistant Advisor for the College of Health Sciences. I am also interning at Minority Aids Support Services here in Norfolk.

My big career goal is to work in the CDC in health communications, but in order to get there, I must gain experience and work my way up. This is my biggest weakness, my inexperience. On the other hand, I have been in diverse work and learning environments that have helped prepare me for my future career. I have been able to manage multiple tasks at once, work independently and in teams, and have found success in any role. This will make me successful in the future.

In my free time, I like all things sports, working out, and just hanging out with friends. I’ve also been getting into watching interviews and listening to podcasts to see a lot of different perspectives on life and specific subjects.