Meet Our Scholars
Donnavan Dillon
University of Kansas
Political Science
He/Him/His
Flagship
Alfred A. Cave Scholarship
Donnavan was born and raised in the wonderful town of Lawrence, KS. Throughout his youth Donnavan was often the shy or soft-spoken kid who never fit in with a crowd. He struggled a lot with fitting in due to his complexion, interests, and overall differences from his peers. After entering high school Donnavan decided it was time to break out of his shell and make the most of his experiences both in and out of school. After joining student council, becoming a three-sport athlete, and getting heavily involved in politics and advocacy he not only came to terms with his personal identity but found his place in his community at large. His experiences in those years solidified community, advocacy, and action as a part of Donnavan’s guiding principles. In his time in high school Donnavan has put in countless hours to successfully address issues within his district, ranging from an equitable dress code, mental health, and no tolerance bullying policy, to campus wide gender-neutral bathrooms. Inspired by his own struggles, Donnavan has worked tirelessly in and out of Kansas to make our country a better place for everyone no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity, or race. Some of his main areas of focus in community organizing and politics are LGBTQ+ rights and protections, healthcare, and minority rights issues that are important to his various identities. Donnavan is attending the University of Kansas where he hopes to center minority voices to better address inequity across campus for many demographics. After KU, Donnavan plans to travel to abroad, elect minority candidates across the country into all offices, and one day return to Kansas to serve the community that shaped him.