Ministries & Organizations

Michelle R. Horton, Founder/CEO

http://www.youniversitydrive.com/visionary.html
E-Mail:info@YOUniversityDrive.com

YOUniversity Drive founder Michelle R. Horton is passionate about encouraging students to take accountability for their own success. Her belief in personal responsibility has fueled her success and is the inspiration behind the organization. YOUniversity Drive encourages students to get behind the wheel of their own success…You Drive!

Michelle’s professional experience includes developing marketing strategies for leading brands as a Marketing Director for RJ Reynolds. Her experience spans managing national event marketing programs and developing national advertising campaigns. Prior to Reynolds, Michelle worked in human resources with Ericsson Telecommunications.

Michelle transitioned from the boardroom to the classroom in the spring of 2009 as a marketing and retail management professor at Johnson C. Smith University. At JCSU, she has the opportunity to utilize both of her passion points, mentoring and marketing, to inspire and prepare the next generation of leaders.

Committed to helping JCSU achieve the vision of ‘Moving from Good to Great’, her creativity and passion have resulted in several new initiatives to improve student programming and exposure, including:

• Development of the Retail Management Program
• Execution of an Inaugural Retail Industry Day with Belk, Lowe’s, Family Dollar, Food Lion and Fifth Third Bank
• Presentation of several workshop and programs with prominent business leaders such as – Chauncey Mayfield, Max Siegel, and Rai Glover

In addition to her career achievements, Michelle is active in the community. Her current activities include being a member of the Rho Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., serving as a mentor for young women, and speaking engagements at local colleges, universities, civic organizations and churches.

Michelle is influencing the community in various ways, but when asked what motivates her most, she will tell you, “I want to make an impact…the response of my students and business leaders to the new programs, resources and tools I have created keeps me energized. I want to prepare students for the real world by not only connecting them with those who are accomplished in the community but by equipping them to take control of their destiny.”

Michelle received her MBA from Wake Forest University where she was a recipient of the Babcock Award – an honor given to students who demonstrate exceptional scholastic performance, leadership, and integrity. She received her undergraduate degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Recent Awards

• Selected as one of The Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2011
• Featured in March 2011 edition of Uptown Magazine’s “Finest” section for up and comers in Charlotte
• Voted JCSU’s Winner of the “Black Girls Rock” contest in conjunction with Black Entertainment Television (BET)

Past Affiliations

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Charlotte
• Ronald McDonald House
• Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build
• Babcock Graduate School of Management Alumni Council
• National Black MBA Association, and
• Association for the Benefit of Child Development (A.B.C.D.) Board Member