Danielle is a two-time first-generation college graduate, higher education professional, and creator of Decode College. After barely graduating high school with a 2.0 GPA, she was told by a guidance counselor that she would not be accepted into a four-year institution. Despite those doubts, Danielle was accepted into college and received a band scholarship that helped cover the cost of tuition.
She is a proud alumna of two illustrious HBCUs. Danielle earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Shaw University before going on to earn a Master’s in Divinity from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, where she graduated with a 3.4 GPA.
Her undergraduate college journey was far from traditional. After being placed on academic probation and nearly facing academic dismissal during her sophomore year, Danielle made the decision to take her education seriously and ultimately graduated with a 2.6 GPA. She was a 5 year undergraduate student. Her story is rooted in a truth she now shares openly with students: “C’s get degrees, and you are not your GPA.”
Danielle believes a lower GPA does not determine how far you can go in life, your intelligence, or your ability to succeed. Over the past six years working in higher education, she has combined both her personal and professional experiences to help students better understand college systems, resources, and opportunities.
In 2020, Danielle earned a Life Coaching Certification from The New Skills Academy, and in 2024, she earned a Virginia Career Coaching Certification from Northern Virginia Community College.
“The last will be first. The underdog’s on top. Whoever counted you out, couldn’t count.”
Danielle channels that mindset through her vibrant, down-to-earth personality and her passion for student success. She created Decode College to empower first-year, first-generation, and transfer students with the guidance, tools, and support needed to navigate college confidently and make informed decisions about their academic futures.
She understands that first-year students often enter college excited but overwhelmed, trying to adjust academically, socially, and emotionally all at once. She also recognizes that transfer students deserve support and guidance while navigating new environments, rebuilding community, and adjusting to unfamiliar systems.
Danielle believes first-gen students deserve more than just access to college — they deserve guidance, support, and someone who reminds them they belong there.
AFFILIATIONS
“The one who falls down and gets up is stronger than the one who never tried.”
Decode College with Dani 
