David Herndon: Outstanding Graduate, School of Public Affairs

May 29, 2019

A proud United States Marine Corps veteran, David Herndon has committed his time as a public administration student at SDSU to learning how to facilitate change in the public sector and achieving academic excellence.

Herndon will graduate this year having accomplished his goals of maintaining a 4.0 GPA, being inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and graduating Summa Cum Laude despite facing family tragedy and undergoing complete knee replacement surgery during his time at SDSU.

“Things like this happen to people every day and I’m no different,” Herndon said. “My studies, dedication and determination to succeed help me to get through these difficult times.”

Herndon is currently completing an internship with the United States Department of Agriculture - Rural Development (USDA-RD) and has had the opportunity to work with students at SDSU’s Imperial Valley campus to teach them about the importance of nutrition and portion control. He also had the opportunity to attend the first Latino Farmer Symposium in Yuma, Arizona as part of his internship experience.

After graduation, Herndon hopes to find a career where he can help people and change their lives for the better. He is interested in working with disabled veterans and helping them to navigate their healthcare options and benefits.

“My hope for the future of my graduating class is that every one of us pursues our dreams no matter how big or small they may be,” Herndon said. “Some of us will go on to graduate school and others will hit the ground running to make changes within society. We can do or be anything we want to if we put our minds to it, apply ourselves, and just go for it.”

The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.

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