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L
aWanda DuBose grew up in the tiny
town of Bunnlevel, North Carolina. At
age 19, she was ready for a change and
joined the Army. She left with high expec
-
tations, ones she placed on herself and
those that came from her grandmother.
“My grandmother raised me and she is
my hero,” says LaWanda.
Almost immediately, LaWanda realized
that she had made a very smart decision.
“I love the military and I love my uniform,”
she says. “There’s a camaraderie that
just cannot be beat, a group of soldiers
working together toward a common goal.”
Currently a Sergeant and married to a
Sergeant First Class, she is very content
with the life she has built. However, a few
years ago, she decided she wanted to
reach a little further and earn a college de
-
gree with an eye on becoming an officer.
“When I called my grandmother and told
her about my plans, she was so proud!”
LaWanda began her studies in January
2012, and – determined to finish in 2.5
years – she is right on schedule to gradu
-
ate this summer with a Bachelor of Sci
-
ence in Criminal Justice and a 3.74 GPA.
What’s more, she has already been ac
-
cepted to Army Officer Candidate School
– nearly a picture-perfect ending.
Sadly, her grandmother passed away not
long ago. However, she passed knowing
that LaWanda was certain to graduate.
“She was my greatest motivator,” says La
-
Wanda. “At the end of every term, I would
call her with my grades and she was
always so proud of me! For Christmas
this year, my husband gave me a charm
with a graduation cap on it and said it
was from my grandmother. Much like her
memory, I will treasure it forever.”
Now, all of this alone makes for a very
nice story. However, LaWanda is more
than just a busy college student with a
full-time job. She has two young children,
serves as secretary for the campus chap
-
ter of Student Veterans of America and
is a tireless volunteer with the Criminal
Justice Club and its numerous charitable
projects. Last year, she went to Capitol
Hill to join other vets, meeting with law
-
makers and persuading them to support
additional measures to help returning
service members.
LaWanda DuBose demonstrates every
day what leadership is all about. For that,
ECPI University salutes her. If you see
her on campus, thank her for her service
and the excellent example she sets for all
those around her.
Name:
Randy Bellet
Title/Department/Campus:
Assistant Associate Dean, Computer and Information Science -
Richmond Moorefield Campus
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Economics and Marketing, New York University, Masters in
Information Technology, Virginia Tech
Date of Hire:
January 1999
What did you do prior to joining ECPI University?
Consulted and wrote applications run on local
area networks around Richmond, ran a women’s retail business
Most Rewarding Experience:
Shifting from one long-time career to another
Greatest Accomplishment:
Two terrific daughters, both of whom are well-grounded with excellent values
Favorite Book:
The Bible
Biggest Pet Peeve:
I thought about this for a while and I guess if I had to spend time thinking about it, then I don’t have one
Hobbies:
Piano and writing
Favorite Food:
Italian seafood
My Most Treasured Possession:
A collection of family photographs and documents (ship’s passenger records, naturalization
papers, etc.)
A Talent I Wish I Had:
The ability to play piano, saxophone, and guitar well
ECPI Salutes
Virginia Beach Student Leads by Example