By Laura Donnelly-Smith
Quardricos Bernard Driskell remembers clearly the surprise he felt when he learned, as a Morehouse College junior in 2003, that he had been selected as an Oprah Winfrey Scholar.
“I was a good student, but was short about $4,000 to $6,000 my junior year,” he said. “So with my grades and involvement, I was able to get some tuition assistance. I thought it was coming from the college’s annual fund. Then it popped up on my student account that the money was coming from an Oprah Scholarship!”
Mr. Driskell, now a graduate student in GW’s Graduate School of Political Management, a youth advocate at a public charter school and an assistant minister at an Alexandria church, said he was humbled and grateful to join the ranks of the more than 400 “Morehouse Men” whose educations were financed through Oprah Winfrey’s $12 million endowment to the college. And in mid-May, he and 300 other Morehouse graduates traveled to Chicago to participate in the taping of a farewell show in which they surprised the talk show host.
“It was a reunion,” Mr. Driskell said of the Chicago visit. “My first-year RA was on my flight. I kept meeting brothers, as we call them, who I hadn’t seen since freshman or sophomore year and who are now lead players in their fields. Four of my best friends were also Oprah scholars.”
During the taping, the men lined up and filed into Chicago’s United Center, filling the aisles and converging on the stage to thank their benefactor. It was the second time Mr. Driskell had the chance to mingle with Ms. Winfrey—in 2004, she attended a gala at Morehouse where she received a lifetime humanitarian achievement award and met scholarship recipients. In Chicago, Mr. Driskell and his fellow Oprah Scholarship recipients had another surprise for Ms. Winfrey: They had decided to raise their own funds to help even more Morehouse students finance their college educations.
“We already have $300,000 in pledges to add to the money she’s given Morehouse,” he said. “The money will go to students much like ourselves, who were top academically but needed a little financial help.”
Mr. Driskell said that without the financial support of the Oprah scholarship, he’s not sure he would have been able to afford to finish college.
“Oprah allowed me to finish my education at Morehouse and helped me to go on to further my education,” Mr. Driskell said. “Because of Oprah's investment in my future and education, I desire to do the same.”
After graduating from Morehouse in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and leadership studies, Mr. Driskell earned a master’s in theological studies with a focus on social ethics from Harvard University in 2008. Peter J. Gomes, a prominent theologian and social advocate, became one of his mentors and helped inspire him to a career of service.
In planning his next move, Mr. Driskell decided he wanted to explore his interests in political action committees, lobbying and education. So in 2009, he moved to D.C. to work for the College Republican National Committee and to enroll in GW’s graduate certificate program in PACs and political management. Steven Billet, an associate professor of political management, taught Mr. Driskell in several certificate classes and eventually encouraged him to enroll in GSPM’s master’s degree program in legislative affairs.
“It was pretty clear he was a bright guy who could really benefit from taking the PAC program [credits] and transferring everything to a master’s degree—he was already halfway there,” Dr. Billet said. “So I encouraged him, go ahead and finish your master’s degree. He’s an insightful guy who clearly brings a different perspective in some ways because of his religious education. But it’s different in a very good way.”
And though Mr. Driskell admitted he wasn’t initially keen on doing more graduate work when he already had a master’s degree, he said he was glad for the encouragement. His graduate coursework fits well with his interests in advocacy and education, as well as with his current job as a youth advocate and professional development coordinator at YouthBuild Latin American Public Charter School in Columbia Heights. Students in the YouthBuild school—all of whom are between the ages of 16 and 24 and have dropped out of traditional school—learn construction and other job skills by building low-income housing, and earn GEDs or high school diplomas.
“A lot of my job involves advocating to the D.C. Council for workforce programs for young people,” Mr. Driskell said. “We also advocate for things like the DREAM Act—50 percent of our students are Latino or Latina.” The DREAM (Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors) Act, if passed, would allow undocumented immigrant students to gain permanent resident status if they meet certain qualifications, such as completing college or military service and demonstrating good moral character.
Mr. Driskell expects to finish his second master’s degree this fall. Ultimately, he’s interested in running for public office, and also hopes to someday start an education nonprofit focused on citizenship and advocacy. And his roots in his faith will always be part of his life, he said.
“My career is triple fold—advocacy, education and traditional ministry. In some small way, by working at YouthBuild and advocating for at-risk youth, coupled with the skills I’ve developed at GSPM, I am honoring Oprah's legacy.”