When USC Upstate sophomore and Chancellor Ambassador Dorrell Howard talks about his path to college, he doesn’t begin with his first day on campus. He begins with LaunchGVL.
Howard, an art education major from Greenville, said the high school internship program “gave me hope” during a time when he was juggling school, a job at CVS and a budding career as an illustrator. A teacher noticed his work ethic and connected him with LaunchGVL leader Berdina Hill. From there, Howard said, everything shifted.
“Mrs. Berdina stayed with me through it all,” he said. “She believed in me. She encouraged me when things got hard. She pushed me to keep going.”
As a LaunchGVL ambassador, Howard visited high school campuses across Greenville County, helping students explore internship opportunities in fields ranging from engineering to marketing. He hosted informational meet and greets in cafeterias where he reviewed resumes, walked students through job descriptions and coached them ahead of interviews with local employers.
He said meeting students where they were – often nervous and unaware of their potential – was the most rewarding part.
“We’d help them overcome that anxiety of ‘What if I’m not enough?’” he said. “Even if they didn’t get the job, we reminded them it wasn’t the end. There are always more opportunities.”
Howard said his ambassador role strengthened his professionalism, organizational skills and overall confidence. From learning how to shake hands and speak with employers to building digital presentations and managing multiple projects, he said LaunchGVL prepared him for college long before he arrived at USC Upstate.
“It made me more personable,” he said. “I learned how to connect with people and be myself.”
LaunchGVL also played a major role in shaping his college decision. During a program celebration, Howard met Donette Stewart, Upstate’s vice chancellor for enrollment management, who awarded several ambassadors — including Howard — a full ride through the Spartan Promise Scholars program.
“I was shocked,” he said. “That moment made everything real. USC Upstate felt welcoming, and the scholarship sealed it.”
Now a standout student leader, Howard works as a desk assistant, weight room attendant and trainer, Curtis Gallery intern and Chancellor Ambassador — roles that allow him to support students the same way he was supported.
He credits LaunchGVL with teaching him the value of mentorship and community.
“We can’t do it alone,” he said. “We all need that push, that person who believes in us. And now I want to be that support for other students.”
His advice for high school students considering LaunchGVL is direct.
“Have a heart,” he said. “Take the opportunity and give it everything you can. It might change your life the way it changed mine.”
LaunchGVL, a partnership between the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and Greenville County Schools, connects high school students with paid, real-world job experiences before graduation. Howard said being part of the program also allowed him to mentor younger students, helping them build confidence, develop networking skills and discover their strengths.
“Some students just need someone in their corner,” he said. “I’m grateful I got to be that person.”