Commencement Spotlight: Joel Felton

Joel Felton, a 24-year-old native of Albany, Georgia, will graduate on December 14 with a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Albany State University College of Business, Education, and Professional Studies. 

Felton is actively involved in campus life, serving as a member of the Anime & Geek Organization (AGO), participating in the Honda Campus All Stars Challenge (HCASC) Trivia Team, and working as a peer tutor in business and economics. Additionally, he held leadership roles in the AGO Public Relations Committee and was a member of the Council of LGBTQ and Ally Student Syndicate (C.L.A.S.S.).

Felton also dedicates himself to community service, volunteering to distribute food and collect donated canned goods for local families in need.

His achievements include being a two-time HCASC National Qualifier, advancing to the Elite Eight, and twice serving as a teacher for a Yale-hosted business program for high school students.

Felton’s professional development includes an internship with the United States Air Force as a logistics management trainee through the Premier College Internship Program. He has since signed a contract to become a Logistics Management Specialist at Warner Robins Air Force Base.

Looking ahead, Felton plans to pursue a master’s degree in human resources management or risk management, further solidifying his commitment to excellence in business and service.

 

What motivated you to learn more about your field?
I have always had a knack for negotiations, tactics, and desires for all things money. Eventually, this led me to take an entrepreneurship class in high school, and as a result, I ended up in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) organization. This gave me further insight into the business world and opened my world up in a way that I did not think possible. The world operates on business concepts, and it is a beautiful phenomenon that will always be a part of society.

Why did you choose ASU?
I transferred to ASU from Albany Tech after receiving an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management with General Management Specialization, an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management, a Technical Certificate of Credit in Human Resource Management, a Technical Certificate of Credit in Supervisor/Management and a Technical Credit in Service Supervision. Albany State demonstrated to me that I could apply these degrees and become attractive in my skillset as a business-savvy man. The business program had everything that I needed to help me grow further in my career. I strongly believe I have made the right choice to venture into this field of work.

 

What do you love most about your chosen profession?
I love that despite how much I dislike math and calculations, the problems and projects that were presented to me during my time at Warner Robbins did nothing but fuel my desire to improve and find the answer. I am not the type to wake up, roll over, and sigh with despair about having to go to work. I wake up with sheer excitement (despite not even being a morning person) because I am ready to explore the vast amount of knowledge I can dive into today. I firmly believe that knowledge is power. This means the more you obtain, then the doors you go through will have no choice but to open in your path.

Who has made the biggest impact on you, and who do you consider to be a role model at ASU?
The first person who has had the biggest impact on me while at ASU has been a fellow peer of mine, Dontavious Scott. In the short time I have gotten to know him, we have had our share of ups and downs, but we became best friends. He didn’t introduce me to a lot of the things I ended up doing, but he was a big reason as to why I stuck it out to try some of them. I would never tell him to his face, but his friendship is valuable to me while at ASU. I hope that as we move on to our careers, our friendship can remain steady and grow stronger.

As for a role model, it’s someone that you would not think I would have had much interaction with because of my major, but the chair of the Department of Natural Sciences, Dr. John Williams, is my choice. He is my trivia coach, and it started as him being someone who could help me, to becoming someone I wanted to be better for. I look up to him, and I want to do everything I can do to succeed because he took the time to teach me more about enjoying life. I wanted nothing more than to see him proud of the man I have become.

 

What advice would you give to other ASU students?
Success is not linear. Everyone is on a different journey, and it won’t be easy. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, and difficulty. No kind of life is worth leading if it is always an easy life.” I love reading quotes, and that one has always stuck with me because of how true it has been in my life. Failure is never the goal. Therefore, it should never be what stops you from excelling in your life. Your effort is never wasted, no matter what the results look like. All that matters is what occurs on the inside. Lift each other, encourage each other, and keep sight of your goals. No matter how hard and far away it may seem.

 

What would you say to a high school student about choosing ASU to further their education? ASU is a great place to meet a multitude of individuals from all walks of life. You may meet your best friend or maybe even your other half. RAMily is a true family. Even if we don’t always like each other, we still love each other all the same. The community that you join is one that you’ll always be a part of. Also, never ever like Fort Valley, it’s a requirement for attending our fine institution. ASU will forever and always be the REAL gold and blue!