April 30, 2019
Julius Johnson became a CPE student in 2008. He grew up in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and selected CPE because it afforded him the opportunity to have someone outside of his family help guide him throughout his pursuit to college. Now an alumnus of the program, Julius has taken on the role of a CPE mentor to support a young man who was once in his shoes. Julius believes relationships are universal and needed to navigate through life. Learn more about Julius in the interview below:
Q. What’s one memorable moment you have of you and your mentor?
A. A memorable moment that my mentor and I had happened when I was a sophomore in high school. I remember mentioning to him over the phone that I was struggling on my high school basketball team and I grew very frustrated. Terrence invited me to his house, threw some food on the grill, and we sat down and just talked for hours. Although this might sound like a simple gesture, that was a great memory for me because it showed that he genuinely cared about what was going on in my life and was willing to listen.
Q. How did your mentor help you with the college application process?
A. Terrence helped me with the college application process by giving me the pros and cons of every school I was interested in. This gave me clarity when I applied because I was able to make an educated decision on what school truly fit my values.
Q. What college did you go to and what career path did you choose?
A. Howard University was the college that I ultimately chose for undergrad, and I gained many invaluable experiences during my four years there. I also went on to receive my MBA at the University of South Florida studying Sport and Entertainment Management. Currently I work in the sports industry for the Washington Wizards in their Business Operations department.
Q. In what ways has CPE impacted your life?
A. CPE has taught me the value of networking, academics, and mentorship. I have met so many genuine people being associated with this organization and every day I am thankful they took a chance on me when I was 14 years old. They helped me become a better student, a better colleague, and overall a better man.
Q. What do you enjoy doing with your free time?
A. I am a very simple person. In my down time I like hang out with my friends and family, play basketball, or watch reruns of Martin/Fresh Prince.
Q. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
A. The best advice I’ve ever received is the quote – “your worst enemy is idle time.” This resonates with me because often it is easy get caught up in complacency which causes us to remain stagnant. However, if we remain active with our time in pursuit of our goals, that is when blessings start to appear.