Through motivation and his multiple talents at Florida A&M, Darshae Spells has become the epitome of a stellar student.
This sophomore from Tampa continues to change the game with his collegiate and personal endeavors. Following his late aunt’s influence to come to FAMU Spells has managed to maintain his work as abiology pre-med candidate and entertainment career.
Spells has endured two personal tragedies while in college, losing his aunt to cancer in October and a grandmother in January of this year. Two deaths within three months took a toll on him but he found motivation despite devastation.
“I never let it affect my drive or performance though. If anything, it motivated me to work harder to ensure I make them proud. I began to really practice the things I’ve learned from them and changed how I live my daily life,” Spells said.
Spells’ aunt, Tekoah Hammonds, has had a significant impact on his life but says she cannot take all the credit as his late aunt impacted him the most. Never did Hammond doubt the strength of her nephew, even after he contemplated transferring to a different college.
“After his first year I noticed a change in him. I saw a new-found pride in his community, heritage and affiliation with his school. He’s matured tremendously. He grew to be more responsible, woke, and an independent entrepreneur,” said Hammonds.
Spells hopes to open his own practice that specializes in dermatology and cosmetic surgery. Although he takes on a heavy workload as a student he has also found his passion for acting, modeling, and photography.
Spells started modeling his freshmen year and March of 2019 he purchased his first camera. Since then he has built his photography business. Along with his growing business he has also made special appearances as a recurring background actor on a few television shows including “Black Lighting,” “The Resident” and “Dynasty.”
Kenya Woodbery, one of Spells’ closest friends, has seen him take charge of his artistic abilities and turn them into a work of art. She has seen him go through obstacles but always saw him keeping his head up despite unfortunate events.
“He gets past his obstacles by staying grounded and moving forward in the most logical and practical ways he knows how; without letting his emotions overwhelm him,” Woodberry said.