For 19-year-old Zylen Campbell, the Durham Success Summit has been nothing short of transformative. A once shy and uncertain teen, Campbell now speaks with confidence and ambition.
“I had no confidence before this program,” Campbell shared. “It allowed me to gain confidence.”
The program also inspired him to aim high. “My goal is to go to Harvard,” he said, dreaming of earning a degree in economics. Thanks to the Summit, he’s gained exposure to opportunities he never imagined, including educational outings like a Carolina Hurricanes game.
Durham Success Summit: A Lifeline for Local Youth
The Durham Success Summit, founded nearly five years ago by Derek Rhodes, is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young Black men between the ages of 16 and 24. The program helps participants build self-confidence, transferable job skills, and connections to life-changing opportunities.
“We are a nonprofit organization that helps young Black people build self-confidence and work skills,” said Rhodes, the organization’s Executive Director.
Since its inception, the Summit has helped launch numerous success stories. “We’ve had students move to Texas, California, even New York,” Rhodes said.
A Boost from GSK IMPACT Awards
This year, the Durham Success Summit is one of 10 nonprofits in the Triangle region to receive a $50,000 unrestricted grant through the GSK IMPACT Awards. The awards, given by the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GSK, recognize organizations tackling community challenges, including education, employment, and health.
“It is important that we are able to invest in what these organizations are doing to make people healthy outside of the doctor’s office,” said Erica Henderson, GSK’s Director of US Charitable Investments.
The GSK IMPACT Awards provide a total of $1 million in funding, split evenly between nonprofits in the Triangle and Philadelphia. Other winners in the Triangle region include LatinxEd, Equality Before Birth, and A Place at the Table.
A Ripple Effect of Giving Back
Campbell and other students involved in the Summit hope to pay it forward. “I want to be at a point in my life where I can start giving back to my community,” Campbell said.
For Rhodes, the grant ensures the Summit can continue transforming lives, empowering young men to break barriers, and building a legacy of service and success.
Join the Celebration
The 2024 GSK IMPACT Awards will be presented virtually at noon on Thursday, November 21. For more details and to attend the event, visit the US Charitable Investments website.
For more stories on transformative programs and the people making a difference in Durham, stay tuned to The Bull City Citizen.
