Donny-Joshua Felix, Howard University- c/o 2015, Sports Management
Name : Donny-Joshua Felix
HBCU : Howard University
Graduation Year : 2015
Major : Sports Management
Minor : Political Science
Email : donnyjoshuafelix@gmail.com
Where are you from? Who introduced you to HBCUs?*
I’m from Miami, Florida. Coach Lenny Taylor and Coach Michael Lawrence.
Why did you choose an HBCU over a pwi?*
It was the only scholarship offer that I had.
What is the story of your "experience" at Your HBCU given its heralded status as a stellar and prestigious institution?*
My experience at Howard University was more than I could ever imagine. I still don’t know how I was blessed by God to be chosen to be one of the 10,000 students that got to attend the Mecca. I think I can speak for others when I say, you don’t really realize how much of a dream land it was until you're gone.
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think or talk about Howard in some way or form. I’ll never get over the fact that I got to live that special life for 5 years. It went by way too fast looking back on it but that place will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart. The love there was genuine, the professors cared for you even if at times you didn’t care for yourself.
All your friends were trying to do something special in life and it forced you to want to achieve the same.
"First time" experiences at your HBCU?*
It felt unreal, like a TV show type of ordeal. Just seeing so many beautiful faces everyday, smiling on campus enjoying life. Finally you felt accepted and safe to be yourself.
The people around you were on their mission to be great and leave some type of impact on the world.
Who are the professors that have impacted your life in and out of the classroom? How did they do that?*
Mr. Doku and the late Mr. Goodlet. By simply showing how much they cared, and always having a smile on their faces. They were both interested in soccer and loved to talk about it during office hours and what not. It was always refreshing running into them even after I was done with their classes.
What sports do/did you play at your HBCU? What positions?
Soccer, everywhere in defense & defensive mid.
What sports and/or extra curricular activities did you do in High School? And why?
Soccer and Jazz band. Music and soccer were my two passions growing up.
What to date has been your happiest moment @ Your HBCU?
2019 Homecoming was really nice.
Where is the “yard” located?
In the middle of the campus.
What to date has been your saddest moment at your HBCU?
Probably would have to say graduation, in terms of realizing it was really over.
What adversities (hardships) have you overcome to become the strong person that you are?
After graduating from college in 2015, I spent nearly 3-1/2 years pursuing a career playing soccer professionally. Although injuries derailed my aspirations of playing pro, it was those same injuries and setbacks that cultivated a desire to learn how to properly train and move from the inside out.
My goal is to train others in proper movement and help athletes reach their optimal performance and decrease their chance of injury. Train the mind and the body will follow is a mantra I have adopted.
I truly believe, "whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve". It is my purpose to not only optimize movement and nutrition, but to empower the mind to develop a healthy lifestyle.
What is your process when you are going through a hardship that you have never faced before?
Trust God, don’t stop and keep going. Eventually things will get better.
Name 1-2 Global Majority (“melanin-efficient”) people that have inspired you. And why? (e.g. Oprah, Malcom X, Marcus Garvey, etc.)
Nipsey Hussle, Kobe Bryant, and Eric Thomas.
What music would you recommend to others to listen to, to find strength and motivation?
Anything that can motivate them to want to be better on a daily basis.
What do you feel is most beautiful about you?
Everything! Lol
When and how did you discover your passion in life?
Couldn’t really say when but it was after college when I realized and accepted the fact that I liked helping others.
What's your take on life (in the philosophical sense)?
It’s what you make it, everything at the end of the day depends on the decisions you make on daily basis.
If you could only speak two sentences to the youth coming after you what would you say?
Focus on improving in some manner on a daily basis. Love yourself and be nice to others just because.
Entrepreneur? Tell us about your business.
I’m a fitness trainer based out of Miami. The business is called “DonnyJFitness”.
My goal is to train others in proper movement and help athletes reach their optimal performance and decrease their chance of injury. I also want others to understand how powerful the mind is and if you can get control over that then everything in life will change for the better.
Fitness/running help me discover that power. Helped me to learn the power of consistency and what happens when you do something over and over again.
Comments
Howard University
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Students: 10,300
- Athletics: Howard University competes in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Howard University offers Basketball, Cross Country, Bowling, Football, Soccer, Lacrosse, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Softball, Track and Field, and Volleyball.
- Notable Alumni: Andre Johnson - Actor on TV show Black-ish** Queen Latifah - Actress, was on the hit TV show "Living Single"** Erika Alexander - Actress, was on the hit TV show "Living Single"** Chadwick Boseman, actor** Taraji P. Henson - Oscar and Emmy-Nominated and Golden Globe Winning Actress** Elijah Cummings - United States Representative** Thurgood Marshall - United States Supreme Court Justice** Toni Morrison - Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize–winning novelist** Stan Verrett, anchor on the ESPN and ESPNEWS networks in the United States** Tom Joyner Morning Show producer Nikki Woods** United States Ambassador Andrew Young** Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia Kasim Reed** Actress Wendy Raquel Robinson** Book artist Clarissa Sligh** Shauntay Hinton, beauty pageant winner** Gus Johnson, sports broadcaster** Attorney Vernon Jordan** Television personality Ananda Lewis** Former Mayor of the District of Columbia Adrian Fenty** Actor Lance Gross** Kamala Harris, first African-American, and first Asian-American female Attorney General & US Senator from California** Television journalist Lori Stokes** Actor Ossie Davis** Former Malian prime minister and NASA engineer Cheick Modibo Diarra** David Dinkins, the first African-American mayor of New York City** Emmy Award nominated actor and star of the TV Show Black-ish Anthony Anderson** The first Nigerian president Nnamdi Azikiwe** Mayor of Newark, New Jersey Ras J. Baraka** NFL player Antoine Bethea** Civil rights leader Stokely Carmichael** Music Mogul, Sean Combs** Ben Ali, co-founder and owner of Ben's Chili Bowl, the famous restaurant in Washington, D.C.** Choreographer, actress, Producer of "A Different World" and singer Debbie Allen**
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