Former student-athlete, Mister KSU gaining knowledge to advocate for others

Former student-athlete, Mister KSU gaining knowledge to advocate for others

Posted on August 26, 2022

Cameron Galloway ’21 is taking on a new position as the community outreach coordinator with Louisville Metro’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN). Among his responsibilities will be working with youth, community leaders, faith-based leaders, and business leaders to spread a narrative of violence prevention and connect citizens to resources and opportunities with OSHN. He will also review grant applications and evaluate the program to ensure compliance once received.

“I have always wanted to be able to go out in the community and gain knowledge that I can share with others that do not have access,” Galloway shared. “My life’s success is based on the principle of how many people I can touch and provide some level of positivity in their life. What better way to give back than to be in the community and work firsthand with our at-risk population; understand their needs; and, be able to advocate for them and provide resources to help.”

The Paducah, Kentucky native says his alma mater provided countless opportunities for the success he is now experiencing.

“Kentucky State University allowed me the opportunity to connect with individuals, faculty and staff, and gain mentors that instilled the confidence I needed to further believe in myself. Kentucky State gave me a family away from home that allowed me to feel supported and always encouraged to achieve more,” Galloway expressed, adding that, “KSU also put me in positions to advocate for students while serving in various roles on campus such as co-president of the Student Athletic Advisory Board (SAAC), being a student ambassador for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and serving as the 27th Mister Kentucky State University. I gained experience in all of these positions speaking and advocating in order to position others for success as well.”

While at Kentucky State, Galloway was a track and field and cross country athlete, all-academic honors, charter member of Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Leadership Society, a member of Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society, a Sports of Social Justice Civic Leader, a 2020-21 Newman Civic Fellow, and honored by the Institute for Sports & Social Justice among other involvements and recognitions.

Galloway graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work with a minor in criminal justice. He will be attending the University of Louisville Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science to pursue a master’s degree in social work while being accepted into the advanced standing program.

Long-term, Galloway wants to open an at-risk center for excellence.

“This center will offer a diverse set of instructions and resources starting with mentoring. I was personally blessed with a mentor my freshman year of high school while attending a foster care Christmas party. Ever since then, I have made it my personal mission to mentor others.” The center will also help individuals earn their GED and provide life skills training such as cooking, emotional coping skills, and financial literacy. “ I would also like to run a Student Support Services/TRIO program on a college campus to help other first generation students feel empowered that they can do anything they want in life.”

Galloway wants to ensure success for all those he reaches.

“Success looks different in everyone’s eyes, but I want to ensure that I’m challenging individuals to accomplish what they view as success. I’ll also be pushing them beyond that point as well because we are capable of doing far more than we personally can comprehend. It just takes that one person to instill that confidence in us that we can truly take that leap of faith and accomplish more than we ever envisioned because one person believed and was there to show them the way.”