Carlton McDaniel, a Navarro County native and a graduate of Corsicana High School, started attending Navarro College as a dual credit student. By May of 2019, Carlton graduated with an associate of science degree in General Studies before transferring to Texas Tech University. Carlton, a first-generation student, believes “Navarro College was the perfect choice for [his] goals and circumstances.” Given Carlton’s success a software engineer and graduate student, it is no surprise that Navarro College “provided an ideal environment for [Carlton] to grow both academically and personally.” 

During his time at Navarro College, Carlton balanced work, financial, and academic demands as full-time student whose priorities were perseverance, goal-setting, resilience, and most of all, “showing up” for both him and his community. Carlton was also a TRIO student, a program that provides advising, tutoring, and career-planning assistance for first-generation and underserved students. Carlton emphasizes the infinite potential any person has once they enroll at Navarro College:  

Navarro College had a profound impact on my life. The support and guidance I received from the faculty, staff, and organizations, like TRIO, made all the difference in my journey. As a first-generation college student, being part of TRIO provided me with invaluable resources and a network of people who helped me tackle challenges and supported me tremendously. Faculty members like Ms. Robin Dorety, Professor Beck, and Professor Swanson were instrumental in my growth — they went beyond their duties and truly invested in their students’ success. Their encouragement and commitment inspired me to challenge myself, think critically, and pursue my goals with resilience. 

Carlton received his bachelors in information technology with a concentration in application development from Texas Tech University. He also has three certifications, including AWS Solutions Architect Associate, AWS Cloud Practitioner , and SAFe Scrum Master. He is currently pursuing a master’s in information systems from Texas A&M University while working as an engineer for Lockheed Martin. He is a part of Lockheed Martin’s Engineering Leadership Development program, which allows him to rotate to different teams every 6-12 months, taking on more technical roles. Carlton explains that this venture has been pertinent to his technical expertise and leadership, and goes on to say that the experience “has been invaluable in shaping my career and broadening my skill set.”  

 

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