Name: Lakisha Barclay
Occupation: Executive Director & CEO
Employer: Rubber Division, American Chemical Society
Name of High School: Central Hower High School
Location (City/State): Akron, Ohio
Name of College (1): The University of Akron (B.S. Accounting)
Location (City/State): Akron, Ohio
Name of College (2): Case Western University (MBA with Nonprofit Concentration
Location (City/State): Cleveland, Ohio
Please state the reason(s) you are supporting Project GRAD Akron and raising funds for the scholarship fund. Project GRAD Akron is a staple in the Akron community and is well known for supporting our Akron children with scholarships to pursue their college dreams.
Name of your favorite teacher and what made the person special to you: Deborah Owens, Marketing Professor at The University of Akron. Professor Owens has a unique way of connecting with her students. She helped me to remove some of my own self-limiting possibilities by showing me what I was capable of.
What were some of your most enjoyable times in school? (preschool through college): Preparing our senior outfits at Central-Hower for Senior Day. Studying at Bierce Library with my calculus classmates. Getting to know all the other students and learn their future plans.
Looking back over the years, what advice would you give to your high school self or college self? Don't sweat the small stuff! High school seems really important right now but it is only a fraction of your life. "You are not for everyone and everyone is not for you!"
Favorite quote: "Don't let perfectionism paralyze you. Perfection is an illusion that can never be attained. It's a trap that keeps you from taking action and learning from your mistakes"