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Don Theodore Headshot

Source: Augustus Roberts

Brought to you by Cricket.

The kids are more than alright. Meet Don Theodore, a junior at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Cricket HBCU Campus Ambassador. Since joining Cricket’s Campus Ambassador Program in 2022, Don has been building on his talent for marketing and desire to support his community. As an accomplished young photographer and videographer, Don uses his lens to connect with his campus community.

Since he picked up his first camera in 2020 when COVID first hit, he’s built up his body of work and is now a paid digital media creator for his school’s Campus Activities Board. We got the chance to speak with Don about his HBCU experience and how the Cricket Campus Ambassador Program has helped him grow. 

What aspects of being part of the HBCU community do you value most?

The family-oriented environment, the way that we could communicate with each other, our peers, even our staff and teachers. Being involved in a Greek fraternity organization, Phi Beta Sigma, also played a big part for me. The pillars we stand on are brotherhood, scholarship and service. I became more social and got into community service. We’ve been doing a lot of outreach programs and engaging with the community. It brought me into a space where I feel like I can make a positive impact on those around me. My sister was the person that introduced me to the HBCU community and the vibe that it brings to your experience in college. That’s where it all started. That was the vibe I wanted to have.

What are you studying at school right now?

I’m studying Mechanical Engineering. It was a childhood dream. I was raised in a traditional Haitian household, so there are really only three professions – doctor, lawyer and engineer. So growing up, I decided to invest myself in one of the three. But by opening myself to the world [through the Cricket Campus Ambassador Program], I see that there are more professions that can open doors and help me achieve the same career goals. 

How did you become involved in Cricket’s Campus Ambassador Program? What is your favorite part about being a Campus Ambassador?

They reached out and invited me to apply. Going into the program, seeing how they work with us and how they actually care for what they’re saying, I became more invested in actually being part of the brand and helping the brand build for itself and also for myself. I took my first flight with the program. The trip was a Cricket-sponsored activation in Atlanta. We met with the Cricket team and did a lot of content-creating. We learned what we need to do to succeed in the program. It was my first time away from home, on my own, so it made me more independent. It brought me into a space where I’m actually producing for myself. It made me see that there’s a lot more out there. A lot of the stuff I do now is because of Cricket. 

Tell us about a memorable experience from the program thus far.

We just had the Celebration Bowl. It was a big game. They had Jackson State there and a lot of notable names – Deion Sanders, Travis Hunter, George Sanders. I’m a big sports guy, so I follow those people. Even seeing the NFL commissioner there and getting a chance to speak with him, it was a great environment for me. It was my first time doing something of that capacity and being in that environment. It was a great experience, it opened a lot of doors for me. The execs at Cricket, they also advocate for us. They’re actually putting the work in to see growth in the program.

Where do you see the program taking you in the future?

I’m hoping that this program leads me into a bigger field of marketing and being an advocate for other people and brands, so I can do more for myself and other people. My main goal is to do something impactful for the community – wherever I’m at, in any way. It doesn’t matter if it’s photography, if it’s marketing, engineering – it could be anything.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.