As a 2022 graduate of Ramsay High School, Daniel Stanley was blessed with many options for college. He was offered band scholarships to several out-of-state historically black colleges. Just on the strength of his academic achievements, he was accepted at two of his other top choices, the University of Alabama and Georgia State.
He ruled out some options when he decided he did not want to devote so much of his college years to playing the trumpet. But when it came to Georgia State and Alabama, he had a dilemma. Located in a state that has overtaken California as the nation’s top producer of motion pictures, Georgia State offered advantages in film, his chosen career field.
But the University of Alabama had its own advantages. For one thing, Roll Tide; Daniel is an Alabama fan. But first and foremost, Birmingham Promise offered him four years of tuition-free college — assuming he attended a public institution here in the state of Alabama.
Daniel recognized it as a stunningly good deal – in fact, almost too good to be true.
“They were saying they could pay my tuition, but I didn’t really believe it. That seems like a lot to offer for every graduate of Birmingham City Schools,” he said. “But lo and behold, here we are now, and I’m truly grateful for everything they’ve done for me.”
Freedom to focus on career-related experience
Not only is he entering his senior year and looking forward to graduating with no debt, he also has built a solid bank of career-related work experiences to bolster his degree in creative media.
Some of it started even before college. When he was just 12, Daniel’s dad asked him to help out with the church media at Tabernacle Church of God in Christ near Bessemer. Gregory Stanley had no way to know that his son’s church work would lead to a career path.
Over the years, and especially during the COVID pandemic, his father’s church elevated its media technology, and Daniel’s responsibilities and skills continued to grow. He has continued his church work while in college, leading the media work at Bethel COGIC in Northport.
Another opportunity came via a professor who “was always appreciative of my work and what I do with film sets.” She turned Daniel on to a chance to be a volunteer camera operator and technical director at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. Now, he is the guy switching cameras and capturing cool views of the performance that show up on the screens during concerts. “I was nervous because I’d never done anything like that,” he said.
Yet another opportunity came along when Jason Meadows, the outgoing president of the Birmingham Board of Education, hired Daniel to create a video about Birmingham City Schools. Along the way, Daniel has seized other opportunities to work with film crews in various capacities – almost too many to juggle. He built not only a resume but also career connections that he hopes will last a lifetime.
“Opportunities like that have come suddenly, and it’s through those connections where I’m able to learn more from people I meet, like the guy who handles media for Birmingham City Schools,” Daniel said. “Opportunities like that, I will never take for granted.”
Advice to students: ‘Definitely apply for Birmingham Promise’
He has continued to excel academically as virtually a straight-A student, and Birmingham Promise programs have helped round out his education. He appreciated the check-ins with Birmingham Promise success coaches who not only were concerned with his academic progress but also with his mental and physical health. Optional Birmingham Promise programs guided him on topics such as financial literacy and building a resume.
His degree in creative media gives him career opportunities beyond creating and editing video, including skills graphics design, special effects, and sound. Daniel is willing to take on challenges of any kind. “I would like to work anywhere I can financially be stable with,” he said.
Graduating from college without debt gives him the kind of options in a career that he enjoyed when he was choosing a college. That’s something he encourages students still in Birmingham City Schools to consider.
“If any high-schoolers out there have any doubts about Birmingham Promise, they should consult their parents or Birmingham Promise; it’s really worth it,” Daniel said. “Going to college in-state is already cheaper than going out of state, and they should definitely apply to Birmingham Promise. It will definitely be beneficial to their college career.”
