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 many first-year, first-generation, and transfer HBCU students enter college excited yet overwhelmed as they navigate academic pressures, social adjustment, unfamiliar systems, and major life transitions all at once. She believes students deserve more than just access to college — they deserve guidance, support, community, and reassurance that they belong in these spaces while learning how to confidently navigate their college journey.
Danielle is deeply passionate about the transformative power of HBCUs, as the two institutions she attended profoundly shaped her personal and professional journey. Her experiences within HBCU communities opened doors to opportunities, mentorship, and growth that she once believed were beyond reach, inspiring her commitment to helping students recognize the possibilities available to them through higher education.
AFFILIATIONS
“The one who falls down and gets up is stronger than the one who never tried.”
Decode College with Dani 
