We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Dar Mayweather a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Dar, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?

Recent studies have shared a concerning trend: approximately 52% of recent four-year college graduates are underemployed one year after graduation—accepting jobs that don’t require a college degree. This statistic, reported by the Strada Institute for the Future of Work and the Burning Glass Institute, shows that 45% remain underemployed even ten years post-graduation.

I was one of the 52%. As a first-generation college student, I thought getting the degree was the magic ticket to becoming a professional. After overcoming many obstacles—witnessing domestic violence, losing my brother to gun violence, watching my father struggle with addiction, not graduating middle school, and starting high school grieving—I never imagined I’d go to college. But when the Army rejected me due to asthma, I pivoted. I wrote an essay about supporting my school through grief, earning me $25,000 in scholarships.

My message to high school students and students in general is this: it’s never too late to decide to improve your life. It’s not how you start—it’s how you finish.
I applied to one college, got in, and later transferred to Grand Valley State University, graduating with a degree in criminal justice. I thought I would help kids in the system avoid the fate of my brother. But I didn’t intern, shadow, or network—I just attended class. After graduation, I applied for over 100 jobs and got zero interviews.

Here’s the truth: our educational system doesn’t always help students discover their natural gifts and connect them to careers. We teach content but rarely help students identify their strengths, passions, or how they align with real-world opportunities. That’s why so many students graduate feeling lost—and end up underemployed.

Confused, I turned to my mentors, who were not faculty. They helped me see that my five years working in student roles had already prepared me for a career in higher education—I just didn’t realize it. I became a higher education professional before I knew it was a profession. That discovery changed everything.

Becoming a higher education professional helped me meet my wife, become a speaker, share my story with over 160,000 people worldwide, support students from 40+ countries, and go from a Hall Director to a leadership studies faculty member at UNCW. Now, as a faculty member, I ask myself if students passing my class was enough for me to believe I am helping our country produce the next generation of industry leaders. Reflecting deeper on my content and delivery changed how I teach and has produced student body presidents, industry leaders, and entry-level professionals who had jobs created for them upon graduation.

Now, I help students articulate their gifts, connect with industry leaders, and pursue meaningful careers. But imagine if our educational system (from K-12 and beyond) helped students do this from day one. If I could change one thing about education, it would be to help students explore who they are, what they’re good at, and how to apply that in the real world. Degrees matter, but clarity, confidence, and connection matter more.

Dr. Dar, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The number one concern I hear from high school and college students is: “What’s next for me?” I help students figure that out by connecting their talents, skills, and natural gifts to meaningful careers and fulfilling lives. Some students are farther along than others, so I’ve developed a process—built on leadership assessments and coaching strategies—that meets students where they are. Together, we create a personalized roadmap and build a support network that helps them become who they’re meant to be.

I got into this work because I was once that student who was lost, underemployed, and unsure of my path after school. But through mentorship and experience in student leadership roles, I discovered student affairs—and it changed my life. Today, I serve as a faculty member, professional speaker, and student leadership coach, committed to helping the next generation find their purpose and path forward.

I provide workshops, coaching programs, keynotes, online content, and educational resources that equip students with the confidence, clarity, and tools they need to transition from college to career. My programs are tailored for high school and college audiences and the educators who support them. You can learn more about my work at www.drdarmayweather.com.

My approach sets me apart: I lead with empathy, experience, and strategy. I believe students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. I show students I care, and then I help them get results.

I am most proud when students discover their “why.” That “aha” moment when everything clicks is why I do what I do. I want every student to know that all you need is one thing to unlock the life you desire. For me, that one thing was student affairs. Because of it, I’ve spoken to over 160,000 people, helped students from more than 40 countries, and even built a home that my wife and I designed together—from the ground up—on an educator’s salary.

People say educators don’t make money, but I’ve found that you don’t need to be wealthy to live richly. I’m living proof that purpose, service, and passion can open every door you need.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

From a young age, I had a clear vision: I wanted to be a present father, a loving husband, and someone who helped people. I didn’t know the path, but I knew the purpose. And when your vision is clear, opposition often shows up to try and break you.

I’ve faced more heartbreak than most people would believe. I lost my brother to gun violence right before high school. Years later, I would lose my oldest sister, right as I was sitting in my first Ph.D. class. My other brother was murdered in 2020, just months after becoming a faculty member. For years, I had a distant relationship with my father, but after my youngest son was born in 2021, I decided to forgive him. In 2022, I drove 16 hours so my dad could meet his grandson, but we arrived to the news that he had passed in his sleep.

I share all this not for sympathy but to say you do not know when your vision will become a reality. I had every excuse to be bitter, broken, or believe that life was stacked against me. I’ve been picked on, misunderstood, and overlooked, but I chose to stay loyal to the people who believed in me.

Resilience, for me, has been about obedience, commitment, and staying true to the vision God placed on my heart. I may not have used my criminal justice degree. I didn’t get a single interview after applying to over 100 jobs in that field. But every detour taught me something. It all led me to become a doctor, a professional speaker, a faculty member, and, most importantly, a present husband and father.

Even if it feels like you’ve wasted time, remember this: doing something is always better than doing nothing. Every moment, even the ones that didn’t make sense at the time, helped prepare me for this life. My resilience didn’t just help me survive—it allowed me to break generational curses and give my sons what I never had: a father in the home.

Whatever your dream is, however long it may take, know this: it’s still possible. Keep showing up. Keep moving forward. You can live the life you envision. I’m living proof.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the hardest lessons I had to unlearn was the idea that I had to have it all figured out on my own. Early in my journey, I questioned why life felt so difficult. I had been through so much—grief, loss, setbacks—and I used to ask God, Why me? But over time, I realized something powerful: Life isn’t happening to me; it’s happening for me. I began to ask the question, Why not me?

That shift in perspective changed everything. I learned to stop leaning on my understanding and started trusting that every hardship shaped me into someone who could pave the way for others. My pain became purpose. My setbacks became a strategy.

Another lesson I had to unlearn was that delays meant denial. I used to think that if something didn’t happen on my timeline, it wouldn’t happen at all. But looking back, everything I dreamed of came to pass—it just took patience, growth, and trust. Even when I wasn’t mature enough to express it, I never gave up on the vision God gave me as a little boy. Now, I know that a delay is not a denial; it is an opportunity to grow in my purpose.

And maybe the most profound lesson of all? I had to unlearn comparison. I used to feel like I was behind, like I wasn’t enough. I even struggled with accepting my name. But everything changed once I stopped comparing myself to others and started embracing my story. Now, the very things I used to hide from are the things that make me powerful. My name, past, and path all give my students permission to believe in themselves.

So, the lesson? You are enough. You are not behind. And embrace your life as it’s being built.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.drdarmayweather.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdarmayweather/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dar.mayweather/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdarmayweather/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@drdarmayweather

Image Credits

Jessica Lojek is responsible for the picture in front of the chalkboard.
Next Level Speakers Academy is responsible for the picture on both stage.