Treyvon Dingle

Treyvon Dingle, a native of Queens, New York, moved to Louisville, KY at the age of 10. He graduated from Butler Traditional High School and then went on to complete his first two years of college at Jefferson Community and Technical College (JCTC) to take full advantage of the lower tuition costs and fees before transferring to the University of Louisville.   

When Dingle started college, he initially wanted to become a physical therapist because the idea of helping people interested him. However, he ultimately realized after the third semester of college he was not fan of memorizing long lists of medications. “If I cannot help people medically, I will help them physically by keeping them safe,” said Dingle. Dingle decided to major in criminal justice and he has been committed to helping others ever since.

While at JCTC, Dingle participated in the process of establishing a chapter of the Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB), a national organization primarily composed of male students that helps participants to excel academically, socially, culturally, professionally, and in the community. “I joined this group because I was aware of the statistic that African American males experience higher dropout rates from college compared to other groups and I wanted to make a difference,” said Dingle. Dingle was truly committed to the SAAB development process and assumed the role of a secretary.  He worked closely with college administrators and faculty and staff to help create a strategic plan and bylaws. 

While a SAAB chapter at JCTC was ultimately not established, the connection with JCTC faculty and staff provided Dingle with the opportunity to communicate and advocate for student needs. Because of Dingle’s leadership, he was asked to co-present at a meeting in Spring 2016 with the Louisville Mayor, Greg Fischer, to increase community awareness of JCTC students need for affordable transportation. Dingle presented data that showed the number of students who live in areas of Louisville where public transportation is most used. Moreover, Dingle and his co-presenter shared income data and student success data to demonstrate the impact socio economics has on a student’s ability to stay in school and graduate.  

When asked to comment on Dingle’s meeting with the mayor, Laura Smith, Vice President for Student Affairs at JCTC, stated:  

On May 17, 2017, TARC and Jefferson announced partnership for fare-free bus rides for students enrolled at JCTC starting in August 2017. The college’s news announcement acknowledged Dingle for his participatory role in JCTC’s pilot partnership with TARC. Dingle expressed how excited he was that all JCTC students will have an opportunity to ride TARC for free and focus on their educational goals. 

As a result of Dingle’s outstanding leadership and commitment to excellence, he was awarded the Spring 2017 Outstanding JCTC Metropolitan College Student Award. He was recognized at JCTC’s annual awards and recognition ceremony on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. in the Health Science Hall on the downtown campus.  

JCTC Awards Ceremony (April 2017)

Dingle has since transferred to the University of Louisville (UofL) and has been working at UPS as a 3^rd shift, part-time package handler to receive tuition benefits through the Metropolitan College program. “Thanks to UPS, I will graduate debt free with my bachelor degree and will be one step closer to achieving my career goals,” said Dingle. 

Dingle acknowledged that his transition from community college to the university was difficult at first, but improved considerably once he began to talk to his professors and seek out academic support services and campus resources. Dingle’s advice to new and current Metropolitan College students is, “If you need help, seek it out. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Also, make sure your class schedule fits with your work schedule.” In addition, Dingle encourages students to enjoy life, try new things, and get involved on campus. In fact, soon after Dingle transferred to UofL, he became involved with the UofL Cultural Center, a campus organization that provides advocacy for students, celebrates the diverse cultures of the campus community, engages students in social justice, and supports the scholarship and retention of UofL students.

Dingle will graduate from the University of Louisville with his bachelor's degree in criminal justice in December 2018. After graduation, Dingle plans to join the Army or Air Force and eventually secure a positon in homeland security working for either the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) where he can continue his passion for helping people. 

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