Deesha Dyer
beGirl.world
Detroit, MI USA
"Community college changed my life. It gave me that chance to try again and they accepted me the way I was."
Career Roadmap
Deesha's work combines: Entrepreneurship, Non-Profit Organizations, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Because I had already proved that I was capable of doing the work, people ended up loving that I only went to community college. It was inspirational to them and that gave me confidence.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Associate's Degree
Women's Studies
Community College of Philadelphia
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an Executive Secretaries & Executive Administrative Assistants:
High School
Bachelor's Degree: Business Administration and Management, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA.
2.
Right after high school, she attended the University of Cincinnati, but admits that she didn’t prioritize school and eventually dropped out.
3.
Started working as an executive assistant at the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust and as a freelance hip-hop writer for the Philadelphia City Paper.
4.
She had always been an activist in her community, but says she felt like she wasn’t taken seriously because she didn’t have an education.
5.
Decided to go back to college when she was 31 years old—got rejected from several four-year schools, so she went to community college instead.
6.
Shortly after the election of President Barack Obama, she took a risk and applied to a White House internship—got a position interning in the Office of Scheduling and Advance.
7.
After her internship, she was offered a full-time position as a special assistant to the president and the White House social secretary.
8.
She is now an award-winning speaker, writer, event producer, and the co-founder of beGirl.world, a nonprofit organization that empowers teenage girls through global education and travel.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Don't let people know you only went to community college, you won't be taken seriously.
How I responded:
Because I had already proved that I was capable of doing the work, people ended up loving that I only went to community college. It was inspirational to them and that gave me confidence.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I didn't grow up with a lot of money and was sent to a boarding school for low-income children. I've also been on assisted living and have been evicted from apartments before.
I went to the University of Cincinnati for a little while, but I ended up dropping out because I couldn't afford it. I didn't go back to school for another 10 years.
I felt like a failure when I dropped out of college. I later battled with the stigma of going to community college as an adult. Later, at the White House, I had imposter syndrome. I learned to be proud of my journey.