News & Features, November 2018

Getting hurt may have been a blessing in disguise

Jovan Gladden came to Saint Augustine’s University to play football, but when he got hurt he had to change plans. He had to focus on other activities and he found out he could be as successful off the field as on the field

The sports management major from Baltimore has amassed many titles, Gladden is the 2018-2019 Mister Senior, president of the Gamma Omicron Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and vice president of the NPHC, Honor Council of Alpha Kappa Mu

He is also active in the Sons of Saint Augustine’s University.

When Gladden graduates, he plans to attend graduate school for psychology and become a sports psychologist. He said his goal in life is to be financially stable and set an example for those coming behind him to follow.

“My motivation in life is to make my family proud and set an example for my nephew to achieve in everything because I know that if I can do it, he’ll have somebody to look up to,” Gladden said.

He said SAU has helped prepare him for his career by showing him that he could become better than what he was. “My biggest achievement was becoming the president of my chapter,” Gladden said. “It’s my biggest achievement because of the leadership role I must adhere to and my contributions to give back to the school through my fraternity.”

At Saint Augustine’s University, Gladden is a leader inside and outside of the classroom. Getting hurt and not being able to play football may have turned out to be a good thing for him

— Ja’Dareah DeBerry