Meet Wade Manora, Jr. of University of North Georgia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wade Manora, Jr.

Wade, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My story really started once I left for college from Montgomery, Alabama. First African American to attend Auburn University as a Freshman in 2009 with making my mom and dad proud as my focus. I feel like everything I have done is to make them proud honestly. Like many who decide to work in higher education administration, I had a pivotal moment happen after four days of moving into Dunn Hall, a residence hall at Auburn University, and having so many thoughts about transferring because I felt so out of place. I didn’t feel smart enough and didn’t think I fit into my new environment that was the polar opposite from the high school that I attended which was roughly 99% African American. I remember sitting on the concourse that day as an engineering major staring up at Starbucks from the outside as someone who has never ordered from there before and an African American Male Administrator made me feel like I mattered. He walked me in and taught me how to order which ultimately changed my outlook on life. He told me about a few student organizations where I could find home and I found the perfect new home in the Harold A. Franklin Society, which was named after the 1st African American Male to attend Auburn University that focused on social, professional, academic, and personal development of underrepresented males. That is where my passion was unearthed and the first time that I felt seen as a Black Male happened. I even became a Big Brother Volunteer for Project Uplift to inspire the next generation even in my spare time. My mission was to give anyone younger than me something positive and something real to look at.

That semester I changed my major to Communication since Engineering was no longer in my heart and no longer an option due to my GPA. During the search to find out how to get where I wanted to in life and as I watched my advisors work magic with students, but in particular, worked magic on me, I figured out that graduate school to pursue a Masters in Higher Education Administration was my only way to happiness. I was hooked at that point. I took on more leadership roles and found myself being called a “role model” by other African American Males at Auburn University. I was really stunned by it honestly as the title was extremely heavy as I was just trying to figure life out while being me in the process. But interestingly enough, people just gravitated to it and it is something that I built a career on. I tell my students, “being you is the best thing you will ever do.”

Thankfully, I was able to finish undergrad with a 2.43 GPA and attend Auburn University’s Graduate School as a Graduate Assistant with a tuition waiver and stipend. Looking back it, my family was trying to bring it together with my milestone and for my sister who graduated high school in the same month. However, my happiness was short-lived as my father passed away a month after graduation. This really rocked my world, but all I could think about was my sister needing support as she was going to start college soon and the many students that looked up to me praying that I would be a light to help guide them through what graduate school looks like. For a time, my name was “Grad School” by many of the African American undergraduate students. They were so proud, and it kept me going whether they know it or not. Ultimately, I was able to finish with a 3.78 in Master of Education in Higher Education Administration.

I found myself being on my way in life and professionally but facing a few obstacles that I didn’t like professionally as a Higher Education Administrator. I started to notice that me being the youngest in the room came with a price that oftentimes was minimizing. I just remember telling myself that, ” I will beat them at their own game.” I started to gain more professional experience and education to create my own little space outside of the status quo. I went on to complete a Graduate Certificate in Program Evaluation from Georgia State University and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of Georgia. Now, this is where things get interesting! The mentality of making my mom and dad proud while giving African American Male Students something to strive towards prompted me to seek out a terminal degree. I applied for so many and got rejected from all except 1 at the University of Georgia Doctor of Education in Learning, Leadership, and Organization Development and a Graduate Certificate in Educational Law and Policy after purposely missing the interview due to fear of rejection and them calling me to reschedule.

I currently get to do the work that I love as the Assistant Director of Multicultural Student Affairs at the University of North Georgia and a 2nd-year doctoral student. I feel like I’m at a place to do the work that changed my life many years ago in Starbucks at Auburn University. Creating many new homes like the one I found refuge in is what it is all about for me because I want everyone that I interact with to have a Starbucks story like the one that I have. Advocating for minority students is of most importance to me and where I am at now allows me to support those students the most in places where their voices are not always expressed.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, not at all! A large chunk of undergrad consisted of 3 jobs at one time while being a full-time student and student leader on campus. I also didn’t have the best self-care regiment. I would allow situations and outside stressors wreck my world. I was watching my mental health deteriorate before my eyes and it was nothing that I knew to do about it except retreat within myself until I got the strength to go to therapy to really work on the things that kept me hostage for so many years. I had so much to say but didn’t know how to get it out. I also struggled with feeling like I wasn’t enough for those who have supported me. It really boiled down to my desire to make my mom and dad proud. I want(ed) them to look at me and feel good about the many sacrifices that they made for me, which kept me reaching for things instead of living in the moment a little more. Lastly, I had to learn to love my age and own the fact that my age isn’t MY issue. As you can see, a lot of self-work went into the mental battles that I have faced over the years.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the University of North Georgia – Office of Multicultural Student Affairs story. Tell us more about it.
My business is all about helping college students develop their cultural competencies around the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This is a rather large topic, but it fits neatly under my passion to help grow the next generation of everyday change-making people to be better for one another. I specialize in educating but educating in a way that diversity, equity, and inclusion topics become ideals that are not shunned. Many don’t participate in these forms of education and dialogues because of the perceived notion that they are ideals that don’t have anything to do with them. Contrary to that, we all can learn more on being more than tolerant, but loving, respectful, and inclusive no matter the race, gender, color, religion, orientation, expression, identity, or any other demographic.

Ultimately, this is what sets me apart. Combined with my ability to genuinely establish a relationship with the people that I speak to, I have found that I gained much success in this line of work while not one time compromising my individuality and personhood.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I wouldn’t really say that it was luck that played a role in my life and business, but I will contribute it to a motto that I live by and the millions of prayers that my mom and village sent up for me on my behalf. I make sure that I treat everyone the way I would want to be treated. I believe that how you treat people is a reflection of how far you will go and that you will always get back what you send out. So with that in mind, I have made it my mission to do my best to treat everyone with respect, love, and fairness.

Additionally, I also believe in always asking and striving as a part of an old African American Proverb… A Closed Mouth Won’t Get Fed! People are more willing to help if they know that something exists. When I learned that at 19, I promised myself that a no is not the end of it all. You just have to find another door or window to walk through.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wademanorajr.weebly.com/
• Email: wade.mjr@gmail.com

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