September 12, 2025 • 47 mins
What happens when life gives you a second chance? Clarence Vaughn's story is nothing short of extraordinary—a powerful testament to how faith, community support, and personal determination can transform even the most challenging beginnings into a life of purpose and service.
Expelled from high school after missing 86% of the school year with a shocking 0.7 GPA, Clarence could have become another statistic. Instead, he is now serving as Director for the Office of Access and Community Connections at the University of Tennessee's Haslam College of Business, Clarence has come full circle. He creates opportunities for young people just like his former self, including pre-collegiate summer programs that bring high school students to campus. His leadership philosophy is refreshingly grounded: "Small wins outweigh large victories," he advises, cautioning against the desire to leap from entry-level to CEO without experiencing the crucial steps between.
If you are looking for a Realtor, don't forget to call The Landes Team to help you buy and sell!
Yvonnca Landes
Realty Executives Associates
865.660.1186 or 588.3232
www.YvonncaSellsRealEstate.com
Adrienne Landes
Realty Executives Associates
865.659-6860 or 588.3232
Click here: https://linktr.ee/talkintnwithyvonnca
Turning Knox Rental (Event Rental Services): www.turningknoxrental.com
Landes Home Collection Online Store: www.landeshomecollection.com
For promotion inquires please contact Yvonnca Landes. 865-660-1186
All Copy Rights are owned Yvonnca Landes and the Landes Brand ©. To gain legal access contact David Landes 865.660.6860 or theappraisalfirm@charter.net
Produced and engineered by: Adrienne Landes
Thank you for listening! Follow us on social media! https://linktr.ee/talkintnwithyvonnca
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Check us out to hear the latest on life in the
volunteer state.
Yvonca and her guests discusseverything from life, love and
business with a Tennessee flair.
It's a Tennessee thing, alwaysrelatable, always relevant and
always a good time.
This is Talkin' Tennessee, andnow your host, yvonca.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This episode is brought to you by the Landis
team, your go-to real estatefamily in East Tennessee.
If you are looking to buy orsell, we are the ones you should
call.
Give us a call at 865-660-1186or check out our website at
YvoncaSellsRealEstatecom.
That's YonneCa Y-V-O-N-N-C-ASalesRealEstatecom.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Welcome back to Talking Tennessee with Yvonne Ca
.
I am your host and I am herewith a dear friend named
Clarence Vaughn.
And welcome to TalkingTennessee.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
It's my honor.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Well, let me just say this everybody, this is a
person that I have alwayswatched him from afar and just
been admired by all the thingshe does in our community and
I've never seen you pat yourselfon the back.
I've always seen you alwaystalk about other people and what
(01:21):
they're doing in the communityand you always pitch in, but you
are always so humble on how youmove, and so to me that just
stuck out to me.
So I saw Clarence at an eventand it just aligned.
I was like, can you come on thepodcast?
And you said yes, are you gladyou came?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
I'm so excited to be here and also I think it's
important to tell your story andwe talked about that off record
, offline because your story canmotivate others but, also, it's
bigger than you.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
It is bigger than you .
Your story is to be told for areason it is for a reason, and I
think I tell people you know,even in the spiritual realm it's
like a test comes with atestimony and a testimony is not
quiet.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
A testimony is something that you're supposed
to share, to help uplift others,and I think your story is
compelling and I want to be theone to tell it.
So who is Clarence Vaughn inthe professional world?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
So Clarence Vaughn in the professional world has worn
many hats.
So I started off my career inbanking here in the city, so
previously worked for WellsFargo Bank, also SunTrust Bank,
now Truist as a branch managerin the downtown Broadway area.
Then had opportunity to work forour past mayor, mayor O'Hara
and Madeline O'Hara was really ashero to me in regards to being
(02:44):
a mentor worked under AbishReid for community relations and
then after that role I servedas the director for the Police
Advisory Review Committee afterAbish and did a lot of work with
the community our policedepartment, then Chief Roush,
now Director Roush for theTennessee Bureau of
Investigation, and worked withmany community leaders to really
improve the safety of ourcommunity but also communication
(03:06):
and having that dialogue.
From there I came here at theUniversity of Tennessee where I
now serve as the director forthe Office of Access and
Community Connections, here atthe Haslam College of Business,
where I work to support ourfaculty, our staff, our students
, really to do what it saysaccess, to be accessible to
everyone here in the state,really here in the country, in
the globe, those seekingeducational opportunities, those
(03:28):
seeking opportunities toimprove themselves when it comes
to adding those credentials ordisconnect with the university
or the college, also for ourfaculty and staff as well.
We do a lot of development froma professional standpoint,
supporting conferences, thingsof that nature, so we really
have a lot of touch points.
The point I love the most iscommunity connections as well.
Still being engaged with thecommunity right and being an
(03:49):
advocate for many that's outthere that may not have the
resources.
We can provide the resources tohelp them reach their potential
the true potential and theirgoals.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
So what made you want to make that career shift and
come to the Haslam School ofBusiness?
Was it a goal of yours or wasit a certain thing that happened
that made you want to come?
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Well, I'm a man of faith, so I'll say everything is
happening not by happenstance.
I mean, god puts people in yourlife and opportunities in your
life for a reason and I got tohonestly, he would probably get
me for this, but Dr Ty V SmallTy Ve, has been almost like a
big brother to me, even thoughwe're a couple of years apart.
We basically had a conversation.
We talked about opportunitieshere at the university.
(04:31):
He said you should considerthat and I thought about it more
because I've been blessed andfortunate to do a lot of things
in this community, not formyself, to help others.
I'm a servant.
My mother is a retired socialworker.
She was a case manager for 34years.
My dad worked for the sheriff'sdepartment for 40 years, but he
was a drug counselor.
So I come from a servant family,so I've always served and I had
(04:53):
a chance to serve from thefinancial side, financial
literacy for our community, hada chance to serve when it comes
to community relations, whichtouches workforce development,
education, readiness Then tobring that here to university
really like it's all comingtogether, it's all synchronous
and it's tied together becauseI'm able to do that for our
students, faculty staff, like Isaid again, but still support
(05:13):
our community members as well,so that I prayed about it,
thought about it and gave theopportunity to where I was
selected as a finalist and alsothen selected to be service
director after Dr Small, andit's been nothing but a reward
for me to be able to give backin that capacity.
We truly believe that volunteerspirit is really something we
(05:33):
only believe in, but we practiceit and we showcase it and
that's one thing.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
I know that when you cut his arm, you see orange, not
red.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Well, I'm a Rattler, I'm a Rattler.
You see a Rattler, do you?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
see a little orange and green.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
You see a little orange and some green.
My home is Florida A&MUniversity, Proud Rattler Fam.
You gave me an opportunitywhere no university would have
given me an opportunity,especially the student that I
was coming and I was notprepared.
But it gave me an opportunityand also another orange and blue
.
I graduated from Syracuse withmy master's degree, but the
foundation started with FloridaA&M University, which I still
have a very close affiliationwith today.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Well, let's go back to Clarence Bond the kid, the
young man fighting his way.
Tell me your story.
This story is compelling to meand it sticks with me because so
many young people need to hearthat redemption is alive and
(06:28):
well.
Can you please tell us thatstory?
Speaker 4 (06:30):
Yeah, so I'm a preacher's kid preacher's kid on
both sides.
So my dad's dad was a minister.
My dad was a minister.
He passed about nine years ago.
My mom's dad was a minister aswell, so I grew up Kojic, church
of God and Christ.
Kojic is very very strict, let'ssay that's the best way I could
say it when it comes toattending and the type of attire
(06:52):
you wear and the way that yougreet one another.
But I grew up in South Florida,so Fort Lauderdale, florida,
during the 80s and 90s, whichwas, I tell people, like Atlanta
times 10.
They think Atlanta, like Miamiback in the 80s and 90s, was,
you know, just the popular placeto be.
It was hot, it was everythingwas really about the Miami Beach
area.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I was in Miami a lot.
Yeah, I was in Miami a lot.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Yeah, so it was the place to be.
It was a lot of people movingin.
They also had people movingfrom different countries Cuba,
different places like that.
But while I grew up I mean thebiggest thing we were trying to
emulate what we saw in ourcommunity, right.
So I was blessed to have rolemodels in my family, but still
being young and kind ofrebellious, going against the
grain, as they say most PKs do,I had that experience where I
(07:38):
was chasing something thatwasn't me and chasing something
that wasn't a role model thatGod set in my life.
And the role models for us thenwere those who were driving
expensive cars, some illegalpurposes and trying to glorify
that lifestyle, and for me thatwas something that I know most
people around me kind of justfell into.
(07:58):
So from my high schoolexperience, I was actually
expelled from high school.
So from middle school, Go back.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
I was actually expelled from high school, so
from middle school.
Go back.
Wait a minute, go back.
You were expelled, expelled andyou're sitting on staff at the
Haslam School of Business.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Y'all let that sink in, for anybody that thinks that
they cannot make it listen tothis story.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
So expelled from high school, and it wasn't for the
reason you think of.
Oh, you're fighting every day,oh, you're doing this.
I missed 86 percent of theschool year.
I never forget that numberbecause I was sitting there and
they said that my mom looked atme.
I was like I don't know howmany days I missed, I just
missed.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Did your mom know you were missing?
Speaker 4 (08:41):
No, so I was very, very, let's say undercover
secret agent.
You got dressed Well.
I'll say this my high schoolwas almost two blocks from the
beach, so you can almost smellthe beach, but I'm not making it
excusable to anyone out therethis?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
is my story.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
But it's two blocks from the beach.
This is during the 90s, whereMiami and Miami music started
becoming popular the dress, sothat was something that we
sought out.
So I would go to school, bewith my friends.
We're playing our day out, notour day about what classes we're
going to go to.
We're playing our day wherewe're going to.
We can go to this spot, andback in that time you had
truancy officers, so we knew thetr, we can get to the beach,
(09:25):
what time we go to.
So this was an everyday, so wehad it all planned out.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
It was a really fun process.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
So got expelled and it hurt because my cousins came
to the high school and this wasmy sophomore year, so I missed
again 86% of the school year andI never forget.
I have a printout still of itand I said about it today.
I have a printout still of itand I should have bought it.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
today I had a .7 GPA .7?
.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
I don't even know if it's possible to get to the .7.
Okay yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
But you missed 86%.
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
So from there, of course, parents upset, everybody
upset, everyone's like well,he's either going to end up in
jail or dead, basically writingme off.
My mom never did, though.
She said that I had a prayingmother.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
When people say praying mom and praying
grandmother, that's real Prayingmother.
It really is.
Keep going.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
I just said no matter what, you don't give up on
yourself, I'm not going to giveup on you, and God's going to
get the final say yes.
So we tried to go to schoolswithin the county because then
my parents figuring out ways I'mhigh schoolers, they had to get
me to school and transport meand everything else, so we
couldn't go to any school.
I'm from Broward County, so Icouldn't go to any school in my
county.
I tried to go to one school.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
That's why I used to hang out bro.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
So I had to go to a community center.
It's called Holland Del AdelCommunity Center and I was
fortunate to get into HollandDillard Delk Community Center.
The last year they wereoffering a diploma program.
The year I came, the year afterme, they only offered GED
programs.
So if I came one year later, oreven really a couple months
later, I wouldn't be sitting infront of you because I would
have had a GED.
So I got in the last cohortthat were able to get the
(11:01):
diploma.
So you go into a classroom andbasically the teacher walks in,
drops a stack almost like aphone book on your desk and
leaves.
You have to go through each ofthose pages.
That's your curriculum and yourwork.
You have your coursework youhave to do for the whole school
year and you go page by page andyou're sitting there in your
desk.
Never forget this.
You got a pregnant woman hereon your right.
(11:22):
Never forget this.
Somebody came in.
I heard shackles.
I'm like what is this?
What's going on?
Turn around.
Somebody with their paroleofficer handcuffed them to the
desk and said I'll be back hereat the lunchtime to pick you up.
I'll be here after school isover and sat them right directly
behind me and I'm like, wow,where am I at?
So and again, the grace of God.
(11:43):
So I was behind almost twoyears academically.
So, by the grace of God, I saidyou know what, this is not for
me.
And a couple of incidentshappened where I knew this is
not like I said.
People I went into I was the onethat was able to you know not
(12:08):
be impacted by the environmentthat I was in, so work through
two years I caught up in oneyear of two years of work to
catch up and graduate from HondaLittle Duck Community Center.
Of course we didn't have agraduation ceremony to kind of
mail you your diploma and I'mspeaking for the sake of time
but then I then got acceptedinto Tallahassee Community
College.
I couldn't go to.
My dream school was FAMU.
(12:29):
The reason FAMU was my dreamschool because my father was a
charter member of the 100 BlackMen in Broward County.
They had a program called theBlack Male College Explorer
Program and I always said wewere like the Bay-based kids, so
you have Upward.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Bound on campus.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
You have all the you know the academic students on
campus.
We would like to be a base kid.
We would like to at-risk youth.
That would give an opportunityto go to college campus.
But that changed my life.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Because a lot of times when you're going through
something in life, it feels likeyou're the only one.
No matter whatever it is, youfeel like you're the only one,
so keep going.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Yeah, and I mean that too is we came from the same
and we was from all differentbackgrounds, all different
racist backgrounds or whateverhave you, but we all were
considered to be at risk and tosee them thrive and move into
those opportunities.
Famu was my only choice, sothat's why I went to Tallahassee
Community College, because Iwas going to transfer to FAMU
after two years, because thatwas the only school that I
(13:23):
wanted to go to had, because Iwas going to transfer to FAMU
after two years, because thatwas the only school that I
wanted to go to had to start offwith all remedial courses Ended
up graduating from TallahasseeCommunity College of Honors.
I bet you that was humbling.
It was.
I mean you starting because Iwas so far behind Then with the
Florida A&M, graduated withhonors, Was able to go to
Syracuse and also graduate withhonors.
So not to say that to pat myselfto show that, not tell people
(13:45):
well, it's resilience, but alsoyou have to also believe in
yourself, have a plan, but yougot to have a village around you
.
That's why I say family first,and family to me is only my
blood family.
I have mentors that werespeaking life into me.
That's why I'm really gratefulfor the work that I do now,
because it can be one word orone conversation you have with a
student or someone that canreally literally talk them off
(14:05):
the ledge from quitting fromwhatever they may be, and it
changes the trajectory of theirlives.
And that happened to me.
I had many people that spokelife into me and said, no,
you're capable of doing this.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
And you have to surround yourself with people
that are going to speak lifeinto you.
No-transcript to Knoxville andyou think, oh, that's just 20,
30 minutes, but that was mywhole life, you know, and so I
(14:40):
really had to figure it out.
You know, my mom and dad wasgoing through the divorce, you
know.
But I had to figure out me andfigure out.
What I wanted to do, you know,and so I do agree with you is
surrounding yourself withmentors and people that will
speak life in you and just puttime in you.
If you think about the peopleback when you were truly messing
(15:01):
up, you know they were doingthe same thing you were doing.
They want to speak life in you,but you had to change your
surroundings.
So what was that?
What did it feel like once yougot to family?
So you finally got to theschool that you wanted to be at,
to the school that you wantedto be at.
Did you feel like, oh, I'm here, or did it drive you more?
What was that blend that youhad that made you go to the next
(15:25):
level?
Speaker 4 (15:26):
It definitely drove me more, for one main reason I
met the love of my life, so Imet my wife.
It was from a freshman year, itwas actually second.
Who's your last name?
Sarita Vaughn.
So I have Sarita.
Vaughn.
I have three girls, so I wouldsay, pray for me 15, 11, and
five.
My 15-year-old is Nia,11-year-old is Jada, and
five-year-old is Zion.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
She's got a beautiful wife and a beautiful family and
they're very close-knit.
So I love that, but keep going.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Yeah, so she's always been again.
It's funny because when you goaway from home, especially when
you go to school and you're atthe university, you're really on
your own.
You got to everything that yourparents and grandparents,
uncles, instilled in you.
You got to bring those tofruition Right and they're tried
in many different occasions.
So you got to make sure thatyou stay steadfast.
But she was someone that I thinkwe iron sharpens iron, you know
(16:13):
, and having somebody there foryou to, iron sharpens iron.
So we both were student leaderson campus.
We both kind of sharpen eachother and challenge each other
in a good way to say, hey, okay,what's next what you got going
on, hey, what we doing here, andI think that helped me a lot
throughout that person for youthat said okay, we're not doing
(16:35):
this, you need to do this, thisdoesn't fit what we're trying to
accomplish and I believe, whenit comes to couples, I think
couples need to evolve together,because if only one is evolving
, then there's resentment there,but if both are evolving, I
(16:55):
think you can build so manythings.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
And it sounds like that she was your builder.
She helped you build, brick bybrick.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
And literally saved my life.
I had a good friend of mine whowas a family member I didn't
know at the time we wereactually related through
marriage and he unfortunatelylost his life due to an
unfortunate incident and me andhim were together like every day
.
I would have been in thatsituation with him if it not
been for having my wife say youknow what, not tonight.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
You need to stay here .
Speaker 4 (17:24):
So I'll never forget that.
I mean, he unfortunately losthis-.
So basically she intervened,intervened and allowed me to not
be in that atmosphere and thatsituation, so that helped.
I mean I honestly wouldn't behere talking to you today.
That's another situation whereyou got to have the right people
around you to speak life butalso sometimes say hold on.
That's need to reconsider that.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
And the big one, your four walls.
I truly believe.
My father taught up at theUniversity of Tennessee for 30
years.
Shout out to John Landis, Ilove him.
But the one thing that hetaught me in marriage because
they've been married 60 someyears and been a great, you know
representative representationof marriage in an example for
(18:07):
good marriage.
You know, not perfect, but goodmarriage.
And one thing he taught me wasyour four walls.
Your four walls is what mattersand you have to consider the
people that's in your four walls.
Your four walls is what mattersand you have to consider the
people that's in your four wallsand what's outside.
Your four walls can't matter asmuch as what's inside, and it
sounds like your wife helped youto figure out your four walls.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Her and family.
I had cousins on campus, mycousin Kevin on campus.
We all look up to my cousinKevin.
He was the first to kind ofreally knock down a lot of walls
that we did.
We all grew up together.
So my uncles, my aunts, my momand that family.
You know my family is verytight knit.
We're Bahamian too, okay, sothat Bahamian blood in us.
We are really tight knit.
So having that and all thatsupport helped navigate
(18:52):
situations where some people Iknow who don't have that support
will fall in those pitfallsbecause they don't have that
type of support.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
So what would you say to young people that is wanting
to be a leader, but they feeloverwhelmed because half of
their friends are on that pathand the other half is not?
What would you tell a youngperson that is trying to figure
out and find their way in thattype situation?
Because it seems like you werebeing pulled in two different
(19:17):
directions and I would like theviewers to understand that this
is what you suggest.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
Well, I think you got to go back to the core.
For me, I went back to the coreof who I truly am, who I was,
and you find out who you are,who your parents say you are,
who your community say you are.
And that's why we got to bereally careful what we say to
our young people, even those whomay not be on the straight and
narrow, Because if we can speaklife, the same thing we can
speak death.
So I say, go back to your core,Know that you're not alone, but
(19:46):
also you're here for a purpose.
You know whether you're abeliever or not, everybody has a
purpose in life to do something, to continue the work that was
done before you.
I never forget.
Kendra Lamar said a lyric and hesaid to continue the work that
was done before you.
I'll never forget.
Kendra Lamar said a lyric andshe said I am the reason the
ancestors sent me.
And when he said that, it hitme to my core because I'm like
we're here, because there's workunfinished.
So I'll tell you, young people,there's work unfinished in your
(20:07):
life, that your family'scounting on you.
You may not think people arewatching, but they are watching
you and you have a purpose onyour life, but dig deep into
what that purpose is and findyour core and know that people
are going to drive and push.
You got some that's going totry to push you off the rails
too, but some are going to tryto keep you on the rails and
give you a clear path to whereyou need to be.
So go back to your core, stickto what your purpose is, but dig
(20:29):
deep, you know, as far as whatyou have to offer, Everybody has
something to offer.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Find out what those skillsets are.
What would you say to youngpeople about overcoming setbacks
?
Because it seems like thatyou've had some setbacks but you
basically pivoted and made surethat you didn't make the same
mistake.
What would you tell youngpeople about?
Hey, you're going to have somesetbacks, but you got to get up
and dust yourself off.
What would you tell?
Speaker 4 (20:54):
them.
I can't hear nothing about mygrandma.
I'm sick and tired of beingsick and tired.
And I say that because you gothrough situations you're like,
man, I'm going to get it rightthe next time.
Oh, I'm going to get it rightthe next time.
You get tired of saying thatI'm going to get it right the
next time, or I that you got todo right the first time.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Yeah, I think a lot of young people don't realize
that, that it's okay to do theright thing the first time you
know, and I I do speakingengagement and I tell people
that because and one younggentleman came up to me, I said
that he goes.
I never thought of that and Isaid it's okay to do it right
the first time.
I said you have less heartache.
(21:39):
And he said I just neverthought about it that way.
So tell me this In yourposition, how do you encourage
young people to celebrate theirsmall wins?
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Because we're in a world that we see big wins Okay
and the older you get, hopefullyyou get wiser, and all that
kind of things but as a youngperson, you're trying to find
your way and your win may not beas big as Clarence Vaughn is
today.
What would you tell a youngperson about celebrating their
(22:13):
small wins?
Speaker 4 (22:14):
I would say and I say this all the time I say small
wins outweigh large victories.
Because of small wins you'relearning through the process.
So I share this with ourstudents all the time.
They want to go, and many wantto.
We go from entry level to CEOvery fast.
I say that's fine if you do,but think about when situations
come and you go down from CEO tothe next level.
You don't want to drop all theway down the ladder back to
(22:36):
where you started unless youhave small wins.
Almost like climbing a ladder.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
I need you to say that one more time.
Sometimes Go ahead.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
But sometimes, and some students or some people in
general, want to go from entrylevel to CEO so fast.
I want to be the head persondoing things, which is great,
and that does happen at times.
It does, but in life also.
Life is a pendulum shift.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
It is.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
When it's swift.
The other way, you have to dropdown.
What steps do you have that youcan walk down, if you?
Speaker 3 (23:09):
started from zero level to 1,000, let's say that
level you don't experience level1, 2, 3, 4, 5, all the way up,
and you have to pay your dues Ithink you have to.
I think you have you understandthat paying your dues is not
bowing down, it's just workingtowards something till God says
increase.
When God says increase, theincrease comes and then you're
(23:31):
going to celebrate it more.
But if you never pay your dues,you're never going to be able
to say you know, when you get inthat CEO position I earn.
That Earning a position is somuch greater than if it's just
handed to you because you willalways wonder should I be there,
should I not be there?
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Imposter syndrome and everything else.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Exactly.
And so tell me, when it comesto practicing habits good habits
, bad habits what would you tellyoung people?
How to persevere through theseasons.
It's uncertain.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Well, I think the biggest thing is who are you
listening to?
Who is in your corner?
I call it my personal board ofdirectors, so I actually talk
about this on campus.
These are people that you trustwith your why.
First, identify what your whyis.
And you want to build positivehabits to get to your why.
First, identify what your whyis.
You want to build positivehabits to get to your why.
My why in life is to be amotivation to others, provide
(24:24):
said light into dark spaces andactually played this song at my
father's funeral.
They called him the lily in thevalley because he was a drug
counselor.
He caught people in the valleyin the darkest parts of their
life and brought light to themright.
So, that's my passion.
What habits am I building tohelp me strengthen that as far
as my why?
So I tell young people, thehabits you build is going to
(24:46):
either make you what you are, oralso make you what you're not.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
That is true.
You just knew my next question,Because my question is how has
your family influenced yourvalues and leadership?
Would you like to add more tothat?
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Yeah, my family is key.
It's just the reason I'msitting here.
Of course, was it for my mother, I wouldn't be here anyway.
But my family, my moms, myuncles, my aunts, my cousins, we
speak life into each other.
Of course, any family they have, you know, division every now
and then, but we always comeback to the middle.
And for my matriarchs, you know, in our key, my grandfather and
(25:19):
my grandmother, nana and Dada.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Francina and.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
William Martin.
They instilled in us theimportance of family and making
sure we have those.
They were the leaders that wesaw.
My grandfather dropped out ofmiddle school I think actually
elementary school Didn't finishelementary school but owned two
businesses a furniture store inBrooklyn, new York, and also a
fish store down in Miami, and itwas probably the most, probably
the smartest person I've knownin my life.
(25:43):
I mean, he can know the bottomexcuse me, the Bible, verbatim
almost.
And he just really wasintelligent and he taught my
uncle accounting.
And then my uncle became, andstill today is very successful
accounting by working in thefish market.
My grandmother took all of my,my mom's siblings there's five
of them.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
He worked in a fish market and he's an accountant.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Yeah, so he did all the books, all the books, and
everything else when the familyyou've come from.
Yes, and then my, her siblings,my mom said worked with my
grandmother and getting extrahours at the mental hospital
where she worked at.
So they worked there as highschool students and also in
college students.
So we talked about if I have,we all have.
But also you have to buildyourself up.
I can't have you in a nest forlong.
You got to get out of this nestand fly you do, but I'm going
(26:23):
to equip you with what you need.
So that's my leadershipprinciple when I think about
family.
I'm old to pay it forward, butI got to strengthen my wings so
I can make sure I carry myresponsibility.
I always pray, pray that Godbless me to be a blessing, but
bless me so I can take care ofmy household.
I got three girls.
My wife bless me so I can feedus, clothe us, you know, give us
shelter, but also that way Ican be a blessing to others as
(26:46):
well.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
So let me ask you this and this is a new question
for Talkin' Tennessee because somany people go on boards, so
many people go on committees.
So many people go on committees, but there's a board within
your personal life.
If you had to pick a board tohelp you with your personal life
, who would be the three peoplethat you would say?
(27:08):
These three people sit on myboard and this is who I would
turn to name those three people.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
I'm glad you it's probably more people, but name
three people.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
That's tough.
Is that a good question?
Speaker 4 (27:19):
It's a good question, but I actually asked that
question too here, but I phrasedit differently.
So I'll say on that board itcan't be a spouse, okay, it
can't be a partner, and for thisI'm going to say I'm not going
to lie, because there's so manypeople that's influenced,
especially in this community.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
I think about Reverend, if he doesn't name you
, don't get mad.
I'm the one telling three.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
No.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
He would have been probably about 20.
I think about many.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
I mean I got to say who's my current mentor.
Alvin Nance is my mentor sinceI've been in banking.
He's been my mentor.
He said if you stay inKnoxville, you invest in the
community, I invest in you.
We meet regularly, Of course,my pastor, Pastor Arnold.
I look at him as a spiritualfather.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Reverend.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
Harold Middlebrook it's so many people.
One.
That's the late Tank Strickland.
We worked a lot together.
He taught me the ropes when itcomes to MLK Commission.
He's named a legend.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
The leadership support.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
So I can go on and on , and I don't want to forget
anybody, but this community.
One thing I love aboutKnoxville even the Bob, the late
Bob Bookers and even AvonRollins and many people who are
true servant leaders, and theyare humble about their approach
but have so much experience andthings that they can bring and
(28:36):
all you have to do is sit upunder them and they will give
you the knowledge and get youwhat you need.
But they will call you to thetable to say, hey, now you got
to pay it forward to the nextperson, and you gotta have that.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
So let me say this you you spoke about Dr Tavis-
Can't forget also Mama Nichols,Miss Phyllis.
Nichols.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
But it's so many people I know I'm forgetting
some names but it's so manypeople and I know that that's a
good question.
That's a tough one too.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
I'm like that's so many people.
Cause there's so many people?
I go on and on and on.
Yes, there's so many AbbessReed.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
I can keep going on and on.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Abbess Reed on the podcast and when.
I tell you, the spirit of herjust really and truly fed my
spirit you know that type thing.
So let me say, is you weretalking about it previously,
about Dr Tybee Smalls and whathe's done in your life and how
(29:29):
he's been a big brother to you.
Tell me, you know, if you couldsay one thing that Tybee Smalls
has done for you, what would itbe that really sticks out?
And I'm just picking himbecause you said he was like a
big brother to you.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
Yeah, yeah, I would say opening the door for me to
be here and even having mymindset to say that not only can
I be here here, being at theUniversity of Tennessee Haslam
College of Business, but also Ihave something to add value.
And you think about mybackground, right?
So my background coming fromhigh school dropout, going to a
community center to get mydiploma, then going to
(30:06):
Tallahassee Community College,FAMU, Syracuse and also I'm here
leading programs with theassistance of my teammates,
programs that got me interestedin college, Pre-collegiate
programs where students come oncampus like I did at FAMU.
I get to turn that table back,so it really comes full circle.
So I think that he gave me theopportunity to see that
(30:26):
opportunity as something Ishould thrive and strive to be.
I had to, of course, apply, gothrough the process.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
I think that's probably one of the biggest
things you had to put in thework, but he still opened the
door.
And the reason why I was askingyou that I'm glad that you
answered it that way because inthis world, in certain positions
, in certain different areas,some people feel like it can
only be one person.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
Yeah, I think that's a great point.
I mean, it can't only be oneperson, because I was always
told to whom much is given, muchis required and you have to pay
it for it.
And I'll say have to.
It is you have to becauseyou're given opportunity.
I always remember some peoplewould say you're just keeping
the seat warm for the personnext to you or after you to come
into that seat and keep thatseat going.
So I'm just here to keep theseat warm.
We have to keep the door openbecause we always talk about
(31:15):
what is the succession plan.
I think in many communitiessuccession plans, you have
people, who that's the personalways, and that person moves or
goes different places andthat's a void for the community.
We owe it to our community andourselves to really consider
succession plans.
Who am I grooming?
Who am I molding?
So if I'm not here or I move orsomething changes in life, I'm
(31:36):
not able to do what I'm able todo.
This could continue to be abenefit and a blessing to our
community, that's where youwould step in Exactly, Exactly
and honestly for example.
Take strictly that.
For me yes.
You know, he was over the MLKLeadership Awards luncheon for
many, many years, so I would situnder him and we would just
talk about life most times, andthen we'd talk a little bit
about the luncheon.
(31:57):
But he gave me the ropes ofours.
Here's what you do, here's whoyou contact, here's how you sell
the tables, here's how you dothis.
And I still use the sameformula.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Really.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
Same process and thanks to Tank, you know God
rest his soul.
It never fails and, honestly,god is in the mix, obviously
because it's something that hasa purpose.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
But having that fellowship To help us execute
our plans.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
That type thing.
So let me ask you aboutcollaboration.
Can you give an example of atime when you collaborated with
someone that you felt like itwas a must?
We needed to collaborate forthe greater good.
Can you think of anything?
Speaker 4 (32:33):
Yeah, I can think of a couple of things.
I have to go back to the work Iwas able to do under Mayor
O'Hara and working with AvisReed and Tasha Harris and Bishop
Kevin Perry.
We collaborated as a team in aunit to help the city of
Knoxville when it comes to, youknow, they with Tasha and Kevin,
with the Save Our Sonsinitiative under Mayor O'Hara's
leadership, my work with Park,and it all flowed together
(32:57):
because the bottom line was itwas communities that were
hurting and we still havecommunities hurting but, it's
more than just one button.
It can be food disparities, itcan be wages and employment, it
can be access to transportationso we're able to collaborate.
Still was not the end.
All be all but make impacts inthe community, to say that, if
we and also show others.
(33:18):
If we come together, a lot canbe done.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
So I think that's one example, you don't have to be
from the same walks of life tocome together.
I think more you need tounderstand and listen more.
If you just listen and try yourbest to humble your heart to
understand where they're comingfrom, Hopefully they'll
understand where you're comingfrom and you can come together
(33:43):
to collaborate for the greatergood.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Do you agree with that?
I agree with that 100 percent.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
What role does the community at the University of
Tennessee play in buildingbridges and creating access?
What do you think that bringsthe university and the school of
business together?
Speaker 4 (34:01):
I think a lot of it is through a couple of things.
So our pre-collegiate programswe have summer programs where we
have high school students fromused to be just in the state.
Now we have them all over thecountry.
They're here in the summer forresidential programs.
They stay on campus.
They get to experience whatit's like to be a student and
honestly I'm not making this up,but it's life-changing for
these students.
Just the feedback we get fromthe parents they say my student
(34:25):
has changed since they've beenwith you only for 10 days for
some programs, six days forothers.
So I think it starts at the rootand we talk about being a good
steward and also being a goodcommunity stakeholder.
In a sense we're communitystakeholders because we're
looking at our future leaders aswell, how we can invest in them
.
These are free programs.
We offer four programs eachsummer the month of June and
July and they get a chance tomeet with faculty see the city
(34:46):
of Knoxville.
Those maybe from MemphisNashville majority are from
Tennessee, but Memphis Nashville, chattanooga, different places
and we invest in them.
The investment in return is tocome to University of Tennessee
and hopefully aspire to get adegree in business, and then we
in our office there's a wall.
We have pictures, started, ofcourse, by Dr Small early on
(35:06):
with the programs.
Now we've grown those programsand they can go back and see
themselves 10, 15, 20 years ago.
Well, 15 and 16 haven't been 20years yet.
And that to me, I think, is akey investment because you know
you put your money where yourmouth is and our money is going
towards not only money, butmoney in the sense of resources
and investment of time,collateral into the future.
(35:29):
And the future, I think, isdefinitely our young people,
even starting from middle school, as we have middle school
programs.
So starting there, I think weare definitely a great community
stakeholder to help supportcommunity initiatives.
We'll be looking at the mostimportant and also all important
, but you think about our youngpeople.
They're going to be the onesdoing these roles when it's 20,
30 years from now right and it'sour time to either retire and
(35:49):
go to the beach or go back to.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Miami, go back to Miami Beach and get ready to
hang out again down in BrowardCounty.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
So we have to put that investment.
So I think we do it there.
We do it in many other ways.
We support, of course, like Isaid, MLK Commission.
We now do the luncheon here oncampus at the Student Union
Amazing so having that you haveover almost 600 plus people come
into fellowship, where in manycases and years ago people
didn't feel comfortable comingto the university.
They didn't feel like it wastheir university and I think
(36:15):
even through our leadership fromcampus wide and also academic
colleges and people we have oncampus, now it's opened doors to
everyone to feel like thiscampus is for them and they
belong here as well.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
All the things that I have been honored to get that
stuck out more than anything,because Martin Luther King, all
that he's done, you know hislegacy, and then all that the
commission has done for thecommunity, that to me was like
(36:55):
wow, you know, they really seeme, you know.
So I want to thank you for evenconsidering me, because when I
got the nomination I was likeyou know what?
God, have your way If I get it,great If I don't.
And so when I found out I wasaccepted, I was like that was
like one of those moments.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
But big kudos to people like Chairwoman Deborah
Porter yes, Many others, Ofcourse Reverend Renee Kessler,
who served before myself Iserved this past year as well
and many, many others I served.
Reverend Middlebrook, who was afounder of the commission and
many others.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
These are some great people.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
So these people were still invested.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
They're still working .
Still working, all of you arestill working.
So tell me, with your faith,how is your faith through
leadership, your leadershipjourney, how can you say well,
this is how my faith isintertwined with my leadership.
Speaker 4 (37:45):
A couple of things I think for me is that I always
say it's bigger than myself.
I don't get caught up in title.
That's just not who I am.
I wasn't raised to be that way.
But I'm charged to do a workand I believe that the work that
I'm doing, no matter what thework is, is that it's God-driven
and it's for a reason andeverything happens for divine
intervention.
So that leads me, as a leader,to make sure that one, I'm
(38:08):
compassionate, but also stick tothe fact that we have a job to
do.
You know we have work toaccomplish, to get done.
You can be compassionate.
Some people are like, oh, wecan just roll over this person.
Like to get done.
You can be compassionate topeople oh, we can just roll over
this person.
Like, no hold on Compassionate.
But also we have to be drivenon what our goals are and what
we have to get done.
Another thing, too, is that it'sokay, we make mistakes, we all
fail.
I'm speaking for myself.
But what do you learn from thatright?
(38:30):
Do you continue to make thesame mistake or do you learn
from oh wow, I can do itdifferent this time.
Now I can have more impact.
So I use different things thatI may have as learning lessons,
but also knowing that the endgoal is what impact am I making?
Am I in line with what Ibelieve God has called me to be
both, you know, personally,professionally, spiritually,
because I believe personally itall intertwines because, if one
(38:53):
is falling, it affects the other.
So I believe it all intertwines.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
So how has your role at the business school, how has
it made an impact on your life?
Speaker 4 (39:04):
It's impacted me greatly, honestly with our deans
group, that we have here ourleadership here at the
university, our faculty andstaff within the college, our
students but, more importantlyfor namesake, the Haslam family.
I mean who more philanthropic,who more a servant leader and
truly give back to the community, not with just worries but also
just by being actively involved.
(39:25):
I mean, mr Haslam himself isgreatly involved in many things.
I'm even having a chance forour students to have luncheons
with him through support, beingscholarship recipients.
So I would say it impacted me alot to show me that again, like
I'll say this again, it'sbigger than me.
You know what are you doing tomake an impact to those in your
community.
What are you leaving?
What legacy are you leavingbehind?
(39:46):
It doesn't define your legacy,but what legacy are you leaving
behind for others to learn fromand use as an example?
So I think the Hazard familyhas definitely created a legacy
that's continuing to flow indifferent families community,
but they definitely started alegacy here in this community
with this college and, moreimportantly, the work that I get
to do here.
It makes an impact because I'mable to help others.
(40:06):
I'm able to help my own family.
I had two nephews in my summerprograms and now they're going
to college and doing greatthings.
So that helps me tremendouslybecause I'm able to give back
rights to my own immediatefamily, but also students that I
see in the community.
So it's definitely been a bigrole.
But for me it's still biggerthan that when, in a sense, we
talk about, like I said again,I'm a God-fearing man, so I know
(40:26):
that God opens doors for areason, so I want to make sure
I'm a good steward in this rolewhile I'm here at this time.
And being a good steward ismaking sure that we follow the
footsteps of, like I said, thoselike the Haslam family, the
leadership we have here, thefaculty staff, our deans group,
who truly are volunteers to thecore and also servant leaders.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
And I think that they've made plans for so many
years to come.
The Haslam family.
They give so much and I'm nottalking about just in money, I'm
just talking about their time.
You know, I spoke off cameraabout our first orientation for
Leadership, Knoxville.
Mr Haslam came and his wife andhim just sharing.
He just stopped in the middleof it and was like, OK, you know
(41:07):
, yes, I started at LeadershipKnoxville, but let me tell you
what my wife started and whatreally what she taught him in
just leadership and how to be aservant leader in a different
way and how to be hands on evenmore.
And it was just a great speechand I left inspired because I'm
(41:28):
like he's in his 90s and he isstill giving back, he's still
doing things you know to makethis community better.
Do you have a favoritescripture that you lean?
Speaker 4 (41:38):
on Not so much a scripture Every night, and since
I've been.
Actually, I was saved when Iwas five years old.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
Five years old.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Watching TVN with my mother in the living room and
gave my life to Christ and fromthat point was a prayer warrior
at six for my church.
But I say that to say everynight.
I believe in prayer, but everynight since I've been that age
I've always said the Lord'sPrayer.
You know, our Father, which artin heaven, hallowed be thy name
.
And I said that with my kidsand now they know it verbatim.
So I think for me thatconstantly one it resets my day.
It does.
Because what we do here on earthis a pact in heaven, as God
(42:15):
would like it to be, but also weserve.
We're called to be witnesses.
We are.
We're called to be witnesses.
We're also called to be aliving example of God working
through us.
So I believe in thattremendously.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
We're supposed to be the walk, not the talk.
Speaker 4 (42:27):
And we still fall short.
We fall short, but I think, andGod said, we were going's a
repetition.
Also, I want to start in myfamily's life, and then my
daughters now do every night,before they go to bed, they say
their prayers, we sing a songand then kiss another good night
and they have two songs.
One is this Little Light ofMine, because Ziya's name means
(42:48):
light, and Jada will sing isLord, prepare Me to Be a
Sanctuary, is her song.
Speaker 3 (42:59):
So can you tell me something that's behind the
scenes, that God has done foryou, that it just you're like
God, you didn't forget me.
Oh, I can, I mean we can allcount the ways.
There's many.
Is there something that youcould?
Speaker 4 (43:09):
say I would say one in relation to what we're
discussing.
So I remember I was terminatedfrom a role here in town and you
know, new baby, first baby, washere and we, you know God's
always provided, so we neverreally struggled.
But I was like whoa, time isgetting it's six months now and
I remember calling everybody Ithought I should call and doing
(43:31):
everything I thought I should do.
And my devotion is music.
I love old gospel music, likeJohn P Key, reverend James
Cleveland, shirley Caesar.
I love the old, old gospel.
That's kind of my thing.
So I had music playing and atone point I just stopped and I
went to my deck.
I left my hands up.
I looked up I said God, it'sout of my control, I give it to
(43:55):
you.
And that was on a Saturdaynight.
That Monday I had six joboffers.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
Really, and that still gives me chills because I
understand prayer and Adriennesaid to me she says, mom, when
you pray.
She said your prayers arefaster than Amazon Prime.
And I'm like stop saying thatit's not Amazon Prime.
But I just believe in prayer andI love talking to God and just
telling him how I feel.
You know I talk to him like I'mtalking to you.
(44:21):
God, this is not a good day.
Or God this is a good day, butit could be better.
Tell me, what do I need to doto make that day better?
You know that type of thing andwho can I help and put a smile
on their face?
That type of thing.
And I can imagine, you know,losing a job and then you having
a family and young children andyou're feeling like, okay, I've
let them down.
That type thing you know, butyou seek God.
Speaker 4 (44:44):
Yeah, and so I mean I literally I felt I threw up, I
said I give up, it's out of mycontrol, you just got to
surrender, you got that's right.
Speaker 3 (44:55):
So what is next?
The last question is what isnext for Clarence Vaughn, and
what's the next thing that yousay at the school?
We're going to do this andwe're going to make it shine.
Speaker 4 (45:07):
I would say the next thing is continue to be a light
for those in darkness.
Like I was saying earlier, onesong that was played at my
father's funeral was a lily inthe valley, and then somebody
called him a lily in the valleybecause he caught people in
their darkest moments, um,people who were just going
through difficulties in life, orin their lightest moment, and
being the light that shines.
So I think I'm my goal is, god,allow me to continue to be the
(45:28):
light that shines, provideopportunities to our students,
faculty staff, community, um be,uh, advocate in spaces where I
need to advocate for others, yes, and also shed light on things
that may be, you know,troublesome or difficult for
communities and speak on that.
When you're in spaces and givean opportunity to meet, you have
to speak on that and share thatand bring truth to light.
So I think that's what I'mplanning to continue to do.
(45:51):
As far as who knows what thefuture holds.
Again, I have three kids.
I got an elementary school, amiddle school age and then a
high school age.
So my goal is, of course, tomake sure I get them prepared to
continue to transition throughthe academic side of life and
continue just this love, lovelife, love others and continue
to work that God called me to dountil it's the next phase in
(46:11):
life.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
So we'll see what that may be.
Speaker 4 (46:13):
I'm not sure.
I hope there's no time soon.
I'm here for a little bitlonger than that.
Speaker 3 (46:18):
Love the abundance that's over you.
I'll tell you this that yourspirit, you can tell you love
the Lord and you can tell thatyou want to make a difference.
You know what it was like whenyou were failing at something
and you knew.
86% of the time you didn't showup, and the biggest thing I
(46:40):
would say at the end of this isshow up for yourself.
At the end of the day, nobodycan show up for you like you can
show up for yourself.
I thank you for sitting downwith me.
The door is always open.
You know, I would love to haveyou on a panel discussion.
This is Clarence Vaughn.
Bye, guys.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
Thanks for listening to Talkin' Tennessee with Yvonca
.
Watch out for our weeklyepisodes from the First Family
of Real Estate and check us outon the web
wwwyvoncasalesrealestatecom.
See our videos on Yvonca'sYouTube channel or find us on
Facebook under Yvonca Landis andTwitter at Yvonca Landis, and
(47:24):
don't forget to tell a friendabout us.
Until next time.
Yvonca signing off.
Check us out to hear the latest on life in the
volunteer state.
Yvonca and her guests discusseverything from life, love and
business with a Tennessee flair.
It's a Tennessee thing, alwaysrelatable, always relevant and
always a good time.
This is Talkin' Tennessee, andnow your host, yvonca.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This episode is brought to you by the Landis
team, your go-to real estatefamily in East Tennessee.
If you are looking to buy orsell, we are the ones you should
call.
Give us a call at 865-660-1186or check out our website at
YvoncaSellsRealEstatecom.
That's YonneCa Y-V-O-N-N-C-ASalesRealEstatecom.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Welcome back to Talking Tennessee with Yvonne Ca
.
I am your host and I am herewith a dear friend named
Clarence Vaughn.
And welcome to TalkingTennessee.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
It's my honor.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Well, let me just say this everybody, this is a
person that I have alwayswatched him from afar and just
been admired by all the thingshe does in our community and
I've never seen you pat yourselfon the back.
I've always seen you alwaystalk about other people and what
(01:21):
they're doing in the communityand you always pitch in, but you
are always so humble on how youmove, and so to me that just
stuck out to me.
So I saw Clarence at an eventand it just aligned.
I was like, can you come on thepodcast?
And you said yes, are you gladyou came?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
I'm so excited to be here and also I think it's
important to tell your story andwe talked about that off record
, offline because your story canmotivate others but, also, it's
bigger than you.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
It is bigger than you .
Your story is to be told for areason it is for a reason, and I
think I tell people you know,even in the spiritual realm it's
like a test comes with atestimony and a testimony is not
quiet.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
A testimony is something that you're supposed
to share, to help uplift others,and I think your story is
compelling and I want to be theone to tell it.
So who is Clarence Vaughn inthe professional world?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
So Clarence Vaughn in the professional world has worn
many hats.
So I started off my career inbanking here in the city, so
previously worked for WellsFargo Bank, also SunTrust Bank,
now Truist as a branch managerin the downtown Broadway area.
Then had opportunity to work forour past mayor, mayor O'Hara
and Madeline O'Hara was really ashero to me in regards to being
(02:44):
a mentor worked under AbishReid for community relations and
then after that role I servedas the director for the Police
Advisory Review Committee afterAbish and did a lot of work with
the community our policedepartment, then Chief Roush,
now Director Roush for theTennessee Bureau of
Investigation, and worked withmany community leaders to really
improve the safety of ourcommunity but also communication
(03:06):
and having that dialogue.
From there I came here at theUniversity of Tennessee where I
now serve as the director forthe Office of Access and
Community Connections, here atthe Haslam College of Business,
where I work to support ourfaculty, our staff, our students
, really to do what it saysaccess, to be accessible to
everyone here in the state,really here in the country, in
the globe, those seekingeducational opportunities, those
(03:28):
seeking opportunities toimprove themselves when it comes
to adding those credentials ordisconnect with the university
or the college, also for ourfaculty and staff as well.
We do a lot of development froma professional standpoint,
supporting conferences, thingsof that nature, so we really
have a lot of touch points.
The point I love the most iscommunity connections as well.
Still being engaged with thecommunity right and being an
(03:49):
advocate for many that's outthere that may not have the
resources.
We can provide the resources tohelp them reach their potential
the true potential and theirgoals.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
So what made you want to make that career shift and
come to the Haslam School ofBusiness?
Was it a goal of yours or wasit a certain thing that happened
that made you want to come?
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Well, I'm a man of faith, so I'll say everything is
happening not by happenstance.
I mean, god puts people in yourlife and opportunities in your
life for a reason and I got tohonestly, he would probably get
me for this, but Dr Ty V SmallTy Ve, has been almost like a
big brother to me, even thoughwe're a couple of years apart.
We basically had a conversation.
We talked about opportunitieshere at the university.
(04:31):
He said you should considerthat and I thought about it more
because I've been blessed andfortunate to do a lot of things
in this community, not formyself, to help others.
I'm a servant.
My mother is a retired socialworker.
She was a case manager for 34years.
My dad worked for the sheriff'sdepartment for 40 years, but he
was a drug counselor.
So I come from a servant family,so I've always served and I had
(04:53):
a chance to serve from thefinancial side, financial
literacy for our community, hada chance to serve when it comes
to community relations, whichtouches workforce development,
education, readiness Then tobring that here to university
really like it's all comingtogether, it's all synchronous
and it's tied together becauseI'm able to do that for our
students, faculty staff, like Isaid again, but still support
(05:13):
our community members as well,so that I prayed about it,
thought about it and gave theopportunity to where I was
selected as a finalist and alsothen selected to be service
director after Dr Small, andit's been nothing but a reward
for me to be able to give backin that capacity.
We truly believe that volunteerspirit is really something we
(05:33):
only believe in, but we practiceit and we showcase it and
that's one thing.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
I know that when you cut his arm, you see orange, not
red.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Well, I'm a Rattler, I'm a Rattler.
You see a Rattler, do you?
Speaker 1 (05:43):
see a little orange and green.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
You see a little orange and some green.
My home is Florida A&MUniversity, Proud Rattler Fam.
You gave me an opportunitywhere no university would have
given me an opportunity,especially the student that I
was coming and I was notprepared.
But it gave me an opportunityand also another orange and blue
.
I graduated from Syracuse withmy master's degree, but the
foundation started with FloridaA&M University, which I still
have a very close affiliationwith today.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Well, let's go back to Clarence Bond the kid, the
young man fighting his way.
Tell me your story.
This story is compelling to meand it sticks with me because so
many young people need to hearthat redemption is alive and
(06:28):
well.
Can you please tell us thatstory?
Speaker 4 (06:30):
Yeah, so I'm a preacher's kid preacher's kid on
both sides.
So my dad's dad was a minister.
My dad was a minister.
He passed about nine years ago.
My mom's dad was a minister aswell, so I grew up Kojic, church
of God and Christ.
Kojic is very very strict, let'ssay that's the best way I could
say it when it comes toattending and the type of attire
(06:52):
you wear and the way that yougreet one another.
But I grew up in South Florida,so Fort Lauderdale, florida,
during the 80s and 90s, whichwas, I tell people, like Atlanta
times 10.
They think Atlanta, like Miamiback in the 80s and 90s, was,
you know, just the popular placeto be.
It was hot, it was everythingwas really about the Miami Beach
area.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I was in Miami a lot.
Yeah, I was in Miami a lot.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Yeah, so it was the place to be.
It was a lot of people movingin.
They also had people movingfrom different countries Cuba,
different places like that.
But while I grew up I mean thebiggest thing we were trying to
emulate what we saw in ourcommunity, right.
So I was blessed to have rolemodels in my family, but still
being young and kind ofrebellious, going against the
grain, as they say most PKs do,I had that experience where I
(07:38):
was chasing something thatwasn't me and chasing something
that wasn't a role model thatGod set in my life.
And the role models for us thenwere those who were driving
expensive cars, some illegalpurposes and trying to glorify
that lifestyle, and for me thatwas something that I know most
people around me kind of justfell into.
(07:58):
So from my high schoolexperience, I was actually
expelled from high school.
So from middle school, Go back.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
I was actually expelled from high school, so
from middle school.
Go back.
Wait a minute, go back.
You were expelled, expelled andyou're sitting on staff at the
Haslam School of Business.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Y'all let that sink in, for anybody that thinks that
they cannot make it listen tothis story.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
So expelled from high school, and it wasn't for the
reason you think of.
Oh, you're fighting every day,oh, you're doing this.
I missed 86 percent of theschool year.
I never forget that numberbecause I was sitting there and
they said that my mom looked atme.
I was like I don't know howmany days I missed, I just
missed.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Did your mom know you were missing?
Speaker 4 (08:41):
No, so I was very, very, let's say undercover
secret agent.
You got dressed Well.
I'll say this my high schoolwas almost two blocks from the
beach, so you can almost smellthe beach, but I'm not making it
excusable to anyone out therethis?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
is my story.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
But it's two blocks from the beach.
This is during the 90s, whereMiami and Miami music started
becoming popular the dress, sothat was something that we
sought out.
So I would go to school, bewith my friends.
We're playing our day out, notour day about what classes we're
going to go to.
We're playing our day wherewe're going to.
We can go to this spot, andback in that time you had
truancy officers, so we knew thetr, we can get to the beach,
(09:25):
what time we go to.
So this was an everyday, so wehad it all planned out.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
It was a really fun process.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
So got expelled and it hurt because my cousins came
to the high school and this wasmy sophomore year, so I missed
again 86% of the school year andI never forget.
I have a printout still of itand I said about it today.
I have a printout still of itand I should have bought it.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
today I had a .7 GPA .7?
.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
I don't even know if it's possible to get to the .7.
Okay yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
But you missed 86%.
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
So from there, of course, parents upset, everybody
upset, everyone's like well,he's either going to end up in
jail or dead, basically writingme off.
My mom never did, though.
She said that I had a prayingmother.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
When people say praying mom and praying
grandmother, that's real Prayingmother.
It really is.
Keep going.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
I just said no matter what, you don't give up on
yourself, I'm not going to giveup on you, and God's going to
get the final say yes.
So we tried to go to schoolswithin the county because then
my parents figuring out ways I'mhigh schoolers, they had to get
me to school and transport meand everything else, so we
couldn't go to any school.
I'm from Broward County, so Icouldn't go to any school in my
county.
I tried to go to one school.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
That's why I used to hang out bro.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
So I had to go to a community center.
It's called Holland Del AdelCommunity Center and I was
fortunate to get into HollandDillard Delk Community Center.
The last year they wereoffering a diploma program.
The year I came, the year afterme, they only offered GED
programs.
So if I came one year later, oreven really a couple months
later, I wouldn't be sitting infront of you because I would
have had a GED.
So I got in the last cohortthat were able to get the
(11:01):
diploma.
So you go into a classroom andbasically the teacher walks in,
drops a stack almost like aphone book on your desk and
leaves.
You have to go through each ofthose pages.
That's your curriculum and yourwork.
You have your coursework youhave to do for the whole school
year and you go page by page andyou're sitting there in your
desk.
Never forget this.
You got a pregnant woman hereon your right.
(11:22):
Never forget this.
Somebody came in.
I heard shackles.
I'm like what is this?
What's going on?
Turn around.
Somebody with their paroleofficer handcuffed them to the
desk and said I'll be back hereat the lunchtime to pick you up.
I'll be here after school isover and sat them right directly
behind me and I'm like, wow,where am I at?
So and again, the grace of God.
(11:43):
So I was behind almost twoyears academically.
So, by the grace of God, I saidyou know what, this is not for
me.
And a couple of incidentshappened where I knew this is
not like I said.
People I went into I was the onethat was able to you know not
(12:08):
be impacted by the environmentthat I was in, so work through
two years I caught up in oneyear of two years of work to
catch up and graduate from HondaLittle Duck Community Center.
Of course we didn't have agraduation ceremony to kind of
mail you your diploma and I'mspeaking for the sake of time
but then I then got acceptedinto Tallahassee Community
College.
I couldn't go to.
My dream school was FAMU.
(12:29):
The reason FAMU was my dreamschool because my father was a
charter member of the 100 BlackMen in Broward County.
They had a program called theBlack Male College Explorer
Program and I always said wewere like the Bay-based kids, so
you have Upward.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Bound on campus.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
You have all the you know the academic students on
campus.
We would like to be a base kid.
We would like to at-risk youth.
That would give an opportunityto go to college campus.
But that changed my life.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Because a lot of times when you're going through
something in life, it feels likeyou're the only one.
No matter whatever it is, youfeel like you're the only one,
so keep going.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Yeah, and I mean that too is we came from the same
and we was from all differentbackgrounds, all different
racist backgrounds or whateverhave you, but we all were
considered to be at risk and tosee them thrive and move into
those opportunities.
Famu was my only choice, sothat's why I went to Tallahassee
Community College, because Iwas going to transfer to FAMU
after two years, because thatwas the only school that I
(13:23):
wanted to go to had, because Iwas going to transfer to FAMU
after two years, because thatwas the only school that I
wanted to go to had to start offwith all remedial courses Ended
up graduating from TallahasseeCommunity College of Honors.
I bet you that was humbling.
It was.
I mean you starting because Iwas so far behind Then with the
Florida A&M, graduated withhonors, Was able to go to
Syracuse and also graduate withhonors.
So not to say that to pat myselfto show that, not tell people
(13:45):
well, it's resilience, but alsoyou have to also believe in
yourself, have a plan, but yougot to have a village around you
.
That's why I say family first,and family to me is only my
blood family.
I have mentors that werespeaking life into me.
That's why I'm really gratefulfor the work that I do now,
because it can be one word orone conversation you have with a
student or someone that canreally literally talk them off
(14:05):
the ledge from quitting fromwhatever they may be, and it
changes the trajectory of theirlives.
And that happened to me.
I had many people that spokelife into me and said, no,
you're capable of doing this.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
And you have to surround yourself with people
that are going to speak lifeinto you.
No-transcript to Knoxville andyou think, oh, that's just 20,
30 minutes, but that was mywhole life, you know, and so I
(14:40):
really had to figure it out.
You know, my mom and dad wasgoing through the divorce, you
know.
But I had to figure out me andfigure out.
What I wanted to do, you know,and so I do agree with you is
surrounding yourself withmentors and people that will
speak life in you and just puttime in you.
If you think about the peopleback when you were truly messing
(15:01):
up, you know they were doingthe same thing you were doing.
They want to speak life in you,but you had to change your
surroundings.
So what was that?
What did it feel like once yougot to family?
So you finally got to theschool that you wanted to be at,
to the school that you wantedto be at.
Did you feel like, oh, I'm here, or did it drive you more?
What was that blend that youhad that made you go to the next
(15:25):
level?
Speaker 4 (15:26):
It definitely drove me more, for one main reason I
met the love of my life, so Imet my wife.
It was from a freshman year, itwas actually second.
Who's your last name?
Sarita Vaughn.
So I have Sarita.
Vaughn.
I have three girls, so I wouldsay, pray for me 15, 11, and
five.
My 15-year-old is Nia,11-year-old is Jada, and
five-year-old is Zion.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
She's got a beautiful wife and a beautiful family and
they're very close-knit.
So I love that, but keep going.
Speaker 4 (15:51):
Yeah, so she's always been again.
It's funny because when you goaway from home, especially when
you go to school and you're atthe university, you're really on
your own.
You got to everything that yourparents and grandparents,
uncles, instilled in you.
You got to bring those tofruition Right and they're tried
in many different occasions.
So you got to make sure thatyou stay steadfast.
But she was someone that I thinkwe iron sharpens iron, you know
(16:13):
, and having somebody there foryou to, iron sharpens iron.
So we both were student leaderson campus.
We both kind of sharpen eachother and challenge each other
in a good way to say, hey, okay,what's next what you got going
on, hey, what we doing here, andI think that helped me a lot
throughout that person for youthat said okay, we're not doing
(16:35):
this, you need to do this, thisdoesn't fit what we're trying to
accomplish and I believe, whenit comes to couples, I think
couples need to evolve together,because if only one is evolving
, then there's resentment there,but if both are evolving, I
(16:55):
think you can build so manythings.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
And it sounds like that she was your builder.
She helped you build, brick bybrick.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
And literally saved my life.
I had a good friend of mine whowas a family member I didn't
know at the time we wereactually related through
marriage and he unfortunatelylost his life due to an
unfortunate incident and me andhim were together like every day
.
I would have been in thatsituation with him if it not
been for having my wife say youknow what, not tonight.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
You need to stay here .
Speaker 4 (17:24):
So I'll never forget that.
I mean, he unfortunately losthis-.
So basically she intervened,intervened and allowed me to not
be in that atmosphere and thatsituation, so that helped.
I mean I honestly wouldn't behere talking to you today.
That's another situation whereyou got to have the right people
around you to speak life butalso sometimes say hold on.
That's need to reconsider that.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
And the big one, your four walls.
I truly believe.
My father taught up at theUniversity of Tennessee for 30
years.
Shout out to John Landis, Ilove him.
But the one thing that hetaught me in marriage because
they've been married 60 someyears and been a great, you know
representative representationof marriage in an example for
(18:07):
good marriage.
You know, not perfect, but goodmarriage.
And one thing he taught me wasyour four walls.
Your four walls is what mattersand you have to consider the
people that's in your four walls.
Your four walls is what mattersand you have to consider the
people that's in your four wallsand what's outside.
Your four walls can't matter asmuch as what's inside, and it
sounds like your wife helped youto figure out your four walls.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Her and family.
I had cousins on campus, mycousin Kevin on campus.
We all look up to my cousinKevin.
He was the first to kind ofreally knock down a lot of walls
that we did.
We all grew up together.
So my uncles, my aunts, my momand that family.
You know my family is verytight knit.
We're Bahamian too, okay, sothat Bahamian blood in us.
We are really tight knit.
So having that and all thatsupport helped navigate
(18:52):
situations where some people Iknow who don't have that support
will fall in those pitfallsbecause they don't have that
type of support.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
So what would you say to young people that is wanting
to be a leader, but they feeloverwhelmed because half of
their friends are on that pathand the other half is not?
What would you tell a youngperson that is trying to figure
out and find their way in thattype situation?
Because it seems like you werebeing pulled in two different
(19:17):
directions and I would like theviewers to understand that this
is what you suggest.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
Well, I think you got to go back to the core.
For me, I went back to the coreof who I truly am, who I was,
and you find out who you are,who your parents say you are,
who your community say you are.
And that's why we got to bereally careful what we say to
our young people, even those whomay not be on the straight and
narrow, Because if we can speaklife, the same thing we can
speak death.
So I say, go back to your core,Know that you're not alone, but
(19:46):
also you're here for a purpose.
You know whether you're abeliever or not, everybody has a
purpose in life to do something, to continue the work that was
done before you.
I never forget.
Kendra Lamar said a lyric and hesaid to continue the work that
was done before you.
I'll never forget.
Kendra Lamar said a lyric andshe said I am the reason the
ancestors sent me.
And when he said that, it hitme to my core because I'm like
we're here, because there's workunfinished.
So I'll tell you, young people,there's work unfinished in your
(20:07):
life, that your family'scounting on you.
You may not think people arewatching, but they are watching
you and you have a purpose onyour life, but dig deep into
what that purpose is and findyour core and know that people
are going to drive and push.
You got some that's going totry to push you off the rails
too, but some are going to tryto keep you on the rails and
give you a clear path to whereyou need to be.
So go back to your core, stickto what your purpose is, but dig
(20:29):
deep, you know, as far as whatyou have to offer, Everybody has
something to offer.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
Find out what those skillsets are.
What would you say to youngpeople about overcoming setbacks
?
Because it seems like thatyou've had some setbacks but you
basically pivoted and made surethat you didn't make the same
mistake.
What would you tell youngpeople about?
Hey, you're going to have somesetbacks, but you got to get up
and dust yourself off.
What would you tell?
Speaker 4 (20:54):
them.
I can't hear nothing about mygrandma.
I'm sick and tired of beingsick and tired.
And I say that because you gothrough situations you're like,
man, I'm going to get it rightthe next time.
Oh, I'm going to get it rightthe next time.
You get tired of saying thatI'm going to get it right the
next time, or I that you got todo right the first time.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Yeah, I think a lot of young people don't realize
that, that it's okay to do theright thing the first time you
know, and I I do speakingengagement and I tell people
that because and one younggentleman came up to me, I said
that he goes.
I never thought of that and Isaid it's okay to do it right
the first time.
I said you have less heartache.
(21:39):
And he said I just neverthought about it that way.
So tell me this In yourposition, how do you encourage
young people to celebrate theirsmall wins?
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Because we're in a world that we see big wins Okay
and the older you get, hopefullyyou get wiser, and all that
kind of things but as a youngperson, you're trying to find
your way and your win may not beas big as Clarence Vaughn is
today.
What would you tell a youngperson about celebrating their
(22:13):
small wins?
Speaker 4 (22:14):
I would say and I say this all the time I say small
wins outweigh large victories.
Because of small wins you'relearning through the process.
So I share this with ourstudents all the time.
They want to go, and many wantto.
We go from entry level to CEOvery fast.
I say that's fine if you do,but think about when situations
come and you go down from CEO tothe next level.
You don't want to drop all theway down the ladder back to
(22:36):
where you started unless youhave small wins.
Almost like climbing a ladder.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
I need you to say that one more time.
Sometimes Go ahead.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
But sometimes, and some students or some people in
general, want to go from entrylevel to CEO so fast.
I want to be the head persondoing things, which is great,
and that does happen at times.
It does, but in life also.
Life is a pendulum shift.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
It is.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
When it's swift.
The other way, you have to dropdown.
What steps do you have that youcan walk down, if you?
Speaker 3 (23:09):
started from zero level to 1,000, let's say that
level you don't experience level1, 2, 3, 4, 5, all the way up,
and you have to pay your dues Ithink you have to.
I think you have you understandthat paying your dues is not
bowing down, it's just workingtowards something till God says
increase.
When God says increase, theincrease comes and then you're
(23:31):
going to celebrate it more.
But if you never pay your dues,you're never going to be able
to say you know, when you get inthat CEO position I earn.
That Earning a position is somuch greater than if it's just
handed to you because you willalways wonder should I be there,
should I not be there?
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Imposter syndrome and everything else.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Exactly.
And so tell me, when it comesto practicing habits good habits
, bad habits what would you tellyoung people?
How to persevere through theseasons.
It's uncertain.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Well, I think the biggest thing is who are you
listening to?
Who is in your corner?
I call it my personal board ofdirectors, so I actually talk
about this on campus.
These are people that you trustwith your why.
First, identify what your whyis.
And you want to build positivehabits to get to your why.
First, identify what your whyis.
You want to build positivehabits to get to your why.
My why in life is to be amotivation to others, provide
(24:24):
said light into dark spaces andactually played this song at my
father's funeral.
They called him the lily in thevalley because he was a drug
counselor.
He caught people in the valleyin the darkest parts of their
life and brought light to themright.
So, that's my passion.
What habits am I building tohelp me strengthen that as far
as my why?
So I tell young people, thehabits you build is going to
(24:46):
either make you what you are, oralso make you what you're not.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
That is true.
You just knew my next question,Because my question is how has
your family influenced yourvalues and leadership?
Would you like to add more tothat?
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Yeah, my family is key.
It's just the reason I'msitting here.
Of course, was it for my mother, I wouldn't be here anyway.
But my family, my moms, myuncles, my aunts, my cousins, we
speak life into each other.
Of course, any family they have, you know, division every now
and then, but we always comeback to the middle.
And for my matriarchs, you know, in our key, my grandfather and
(25:19):
my grandmother, nana and Dada.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Francina and.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
William Martin.
They instilled in us theimportance of family and making
sure we have those.
They were the leaders that wesaw.
My grandfather dropped out ofmiddle school I think actually
elementary school Didn't finishelementary school but owned two
businesses a furniture store inBrooklyn, new York, and also a
fish store down in Miami, and itwas probably the most, probably
the smartest person I've knownin my life.
(25:43):
I mean, he can know the bottomexcuse me, the Bible, verbatim
almost.
And he just really wasintelligent and he taught my
uncle accounting.
And then my uncle became, andstill today is very successful
accounting by working in thefish market.
My grandmother took all of my,my mom's siblings there's five
of them.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
He worked in a fish market and he's an accountant.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Yeah, so he did all the books, all the books, and
everything else when the familyyou've come from.
Yes, and then my, her siblings,my mom said worked with my
grandmother and getting extrahours at the mental hospital
where she worked at.
So they worked there as highschool students and also in
college students.
So we talked about if I have,we all have.
But also you have to buildyourself up.
I can't have you in a nest forlong.
You got to get out of this nestand fly you do, but I'm going
(26:23):
to equip you with what you need.
So that's my leadershipprinciple when I think about
family.
I'm old to pay it forward, butI got to strengthen my wings so
I can make sure I carry myresponsibility.
I always pray, pray that Godbless me to be a blessing, but
bless me so I can take care ofmy household.
I got three girls.
My wife bless me so I can feedus, clothe us, you know, give us
shelter, but also that way Ican be a blessing to others as
(26:46):
well.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
So let me ask you this and this is a new question
for Talkin' Tennessee because somany people go on boards, so
many people go on committees.
So many people go on committees, but there's a board within
your personal life.
If you had to pick a board tohelp you with your personal life
, who would be the three peoplethat you would say?
(27:08):
These three people sit on myboard and this is who I would
turn to name those three people.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
I'm glad you it's probably more people, but name
three people.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
That's tough.
Is that a good question?
Speaker 4 (27:19):
It's a good question, but I actually asked that
question too here, but I phrasedit differently.
So I'll say on that board itcan't be a spouse, okay, it
can't be a partner, and for thisI'm going to say I'm not going
to lie, because there's so manypeople that's influenced,
especially in this community.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
I think about Reverend, if he doesn't name you
, don't get mad.
I'm the one telling three.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
No.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
He would have been probably about 20.
I think about many.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
I mean I got to say who's my current mentor.
Alvin Nance is my mentor sinceI've been in banking.
He's been my mentor.
He said if you stay inKnoxville, you invest in the
community, I invest in you.
We meet regularly, Of course,my pastor, Pastor Arnold.
I look at him as a spiritualfather.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Reverend.
Speaker 4 (28:03):
Harold Middlebrook it's so many people.
One.
That's the late Tank Strickland.
We worked a lot together.
He taught me the ropes when itcomes to MLK Commission.
He's named a legend.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
The leadership support.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
So I can go on and on , and I don't want to forget
anybody, but this community.
One thing I love aboutKnoxville even the Bob, the late
Bob Bookers and even AvonRollins and many people who are
true servant leaders, and theyare humble about their approach
but have so much experience andthings that they can bring and
(28:36):
all you have to do is sit upunder them and they will give
you the knowledge and get youwhat you need.
But they will call you to thetable to say, hey, now you got
to pay it forward to the nextperson, and you gotta have that.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
So let me say this you you spoke about Dr Tavis-
Can't forget also Mama Nichols,Miss Phyllis.
Nichols.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
But it's so many people I know I'm forgetting
some names but it's so manypeople and I know that that's a
good question.
That's a tough one too.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
I'm like that's so many people.
Cause there's so many people?
I go on and on and on.
Yes, there's so many AbbessReed.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
I can keep going on and on.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Abbess Reed on the podcast and when.
I tell you, the spirit of herjust really and truly fed my
spirit you know that type thing.
So let me say, is you weretalking about it previously,
about Dr Tybee Smalls and whathe's done in your life and how
(29:29):
he's been a big brother to you.
Tell me, you know, if you couldsay one thing that Tybee Smalls
has done for you, what would itbe that really sticks out?
And I'm just picking himbecause you said he was like a
big brother to you.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
Yeah, yeah, I would say opening the door for me to
be here and even having mymindset to say that not only can
I be here here, being at theUniversity of Tennessee Haslam
College of Business, but also Ihave something to add value.
And you think about mybackground, right?
So my background coming fromhigh school dropout, going to a
community center to get mydiploma, then going to
(30:06):
Tallahassee Community College,FAMU, Syracuse and also I'm here
leading programs with theassistance of my teammates,
programs that got me interestedin college, Pre-collegiate
programs where students come oncampus like I did at FAMU.
I get to turn that table back,so it really comes full circle.
So I think that he gave me theopportunity to see that
(30:26):
opportunity as something Ishould thrive and strive to be.
I had to, of course, apply, gothrough the process.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
I think that's probably one of the biggest
things you had to put in thework, but he still opened the
door.
And the reason why I was askingyou that I'm glad that you
answered it that way because inthis world, in certain positions
, in certain different areas,some people feel like it can
only be one person.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
Yeah, I think that's a great point.
I mean, it can't only be oneperson, because I was always
told to whom much is given, muchis required and you have to pay
it for it.
And I'll say have to.
It is you have to becauseyou're given opportunity.
I always remember some peoplewould say you're just keeping
the seat warm for the personnext to you or after you to come
into that seat and keep thatseat going.
So I'm just here to keep theseat warm.
We have to keep the door openbecause we always talk about
(31:15):
what is the succession plan.
I think in many communitiessuccession plans, you have
people, who that's the personalways, and that person moves or
goes different places andthat's a void for the community.
We owe it to our community andourselves to really consider
succession plans.
Who am I grooming?
Who am I molding?
So if I'm not here or I move orsomething changes in life, I'm
(31:36):
not able to do what I'm able todo.
This could continue to be abenefit and a blessing to our
community, that's where youwould step in Exactly, Exactly
and honestly for example.
Take strictly that.
For me yes.
You know, he was over the MLKLeadership Awards luncheon for
many, many years, so I would situnder him and we would just
talk about life most times, andthen we'd talk a little bit
about the luncheon.
(31:57):
But he gave me the ropes ofours.
Here's what you do, here's whoyou contact, here's how you sell
the tables, here's how you dothis.
And I still use the sameformula.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Really.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
Same process and thanks to Tank, you know God
rest his soul.
It never fails and, honestly,god is in the mix, obviously
because it's something that hasa purpose.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
But having that fellowship To help us execute
our plans.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
That type thing.
So let me ask you aboutcollaboration.
Can you give an example of atime when you collaborated with
someone that you felt like itwas a must?
We needed to collaborate forthe greater good.
Can you think of anything?
Speaker 4 (32:33):
Yeah, I can think of a couple of things.
I have to go back to the work Iwas able to do under Mayor
O'Hara and working with AvisReed and Tasha Harris and Bishop
Kevin Perry.
We collaborated as a team in aunit to help the city of
Knoxville when it comes to, youknow, they with Tasha and Kevin,
with the Save Our Sonsinitiative under Mayor O'Hara's
leadership, my work with Park,and it all flowed together
(32:57):
because the bottom line was itwas communities that were
hurting and we still havecommunities hurting but, it's
more than just one button.
It can be food disparities, itcan be wages and employment, it
can be access to transportationso we're able to collaborate.
Still was not the end.
All be all but make impacts inthe community, to say that, if
we and also show others.
(33:18):
If we come together, a lot canbe done.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
So I think that's one example, you don't have to be
from the same walks of life tocome together.
I think more you need tounderstand and listen more.
If you just listen and try yourbest to humble your heart to
understand where they're comingfrom, Hopefully they'll
understand where you're comingfrom and you can come together
(33:43):
to collaborate for the greatergood.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Do you agree with that?
I agree with that 100 percent.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
What role does the community at the University of
Tennessee play in buildingbridges and creating access?
What do you think that bringsthe university and the school of
business together?
Speaker 4 (34:01):
I think a lot of it is through a couple of things.
So our pre-collegiate programswe have summer programs where we
have high school students fromused to be just in the state.
Now we have them all over thecountry.
They're here in the summer forresidential programs.
They stay on campus.
They get to experience whatit's like to be a student and
honestly I'm not making this up,but it's life-changing for
these students.
Just the feedback we get fromthe parents they say my student
(34:25):
has changed since they've beenwith you only for 10 days for
some programs, six days forothers.
So I think it starts at the rootand we talk about being a good
steward and also being a goodcommunity stakeholder.
In a sense we're communitystakeholders because we're
looking at our future leaders aswell, how we can invest in them
.
These are free programs.
We offer four programs eachsummer the month of June and
July and they get a chance tomeet with faculty see the city
(34:46):
of Knoxville.
Those maybe from MemphisNashville majority are from
Tennessee, but Memphis Nashville, chattanooga, different places
and we invest in them.
The investment in return is tocome to University of Tennessee
and hopefully aspire to get adegree in business, and then we
in our office there's a wall.
We have pictures, started, ofcourse, by Dr Small early on
(35:06):
with the programs.
Now we've grown those programsand they can go back and see
themselves 10, 15, 20 years ago.
Well, 15 and 16 haven't been 20years yet.
And that to me, I think, is akey investment because you know
you put your money where yourmouth is and our money is going
towards not only money, butmoney in the sense of resources
and investment of time,collateral into the future.
(35:29):
And the future, I think, isdefinitely our young people,
even starting from middle school, as we have middle school
programs.
So starting there, I think weare definitely a great community
stakeholder to help supportcommunity initiatives.
We'll be looking at the mostimportant and also all important
, but you think about our youngpeople.
They're going to be the onesdoing these roles when it's 20,
30 years from now right and it'sour time to either retire and
(35:49):
go to the beach or go back to.
Speaker 1 (35:51):
Miami, go back to Miami Beach and get ready to
hang out again down in BrowardCounty.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
So we have to put that investment.
So I think we do it there.
We do it in many other ways.
We support, of course, like Isaid, MLK Commission.
We now do the luncheon here oncampus at the Student Union
Amazing so having that you haveover almost 600 plus people come
into fellowship, where in manycases and years ago people
didn't feel comfortable comingto the university.
They didn't feel like it wastheir university and I think
(36:15):
even through our leadership fromcampus wide and also academic
colleges and people we have oncampus, now it's opened doors to
everyone to feel like thiscampus is for them and they
belong here as well.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
All the things that I have been honored to get that
stuck out more than anything,because Martin Luther King, all
that he's done, you know hislegacy, and then all that the
commission has done for thecommunity, that to me was like
(36:55):
wow, you know, they really seeme, you know.
So I want to thank you for evenconsidering me, because when I
got the nomination I was likeyou know what?
God, have your way If I get it,great If I don't.
And so when I found out I wasaccepted, I was like that was
like one of those moments.
Speaker 4 (37:11):
But big kudos to people like Chairwoman Deborah
Porter yes, Many others, Ofcourse Reverend Renee Kessler,
who served before myself Iserved this past year as well
and many, many others I served.
Reverend Middlebrook, who was afounder of the commission and
many others.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
These are some great people.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
So these people were still invested.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
They're still working .
Still working, all of you arestill working.
So tell me, with your faith,how is your faith through
leadership, your leadershipjourney, how can you say well,
this is how my faith isintertwined with my leadership.
Speaker 4 (37:45):
A couple of things I think for me is that I always
say it's bigger than myself.
I don't get caught up in title.
That's just not who I am.
I wasn't raised to be that way.
But I'm charged to do a workand I believe that the work that
I'm doing, no matter what thework is, is that it's God-driven
and it's for a reason andeverything happens for divine
intervention.
So that leads me, as a leader,to make sure that one, I'm
(38:08):
compassionate, but also stick tothe fact that we have a job to
do.
You know we have work toaccomplish, to get done.
You can be compassionate.
Some people are like, oh, wecan just roll over this person.
Like to get done.
You can be compassionate topeople oh, we can just roll over
this person.
Like, no hold on Compassionate.
But also we have to be drivenon what our goals are and what
we have to get done.
Another thing, too, is that it'sokay, we make mistakes, we all
fail.
I'm speaking for myself.
But what do you learn from thatright?
(38:30):
Do you continue to make thesame mistake or do you learn
from oh wow, I can do itdifferent this time.
Now I can have more impact.
So I use different things thatI may have as learning lessons,
but also knowing that the endgoal is what impact am I making?
Am I in line with what Ibelieve God has called me to be
both, you know, personally,professionally, spiritually,
because I believe personally itall intertwines because, if one
(38:53):
is falling, it affects the other.
So I believe it all intertwines.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
So how has your role at the business school, how has
it made an impact on your life?
Speaker 4 (39:04):
It's impacted me greatly, honestly with our deans
group, that we have here ourleadership here at the
university, our faculty andstaff within the college, our
students but, more importantlyfor namesake, the Haslam family.
I mean who more philanthropic,who more a servant leader and
truly give back to the community, not with just worries but also
just by being actively involved.
(39:25):
I mean, mr Haslam himself isgreatly involved in many things.
I'm even having a chance forour students to have luncheons
with him through support, beingscholarship recipients.
So I would say it impacted me alot to show me that again, like
I'll say this again, it'sbigger than me.
You know what are you doing tomake an impact to those in your
community.
What are you leaving?
What legacy are you leavingbehind?
(39:46):
It doesn't define your legacy,but what legacy are you leaving
behind for others to learn fromand use as an example?
So I think the Hazard familyhas definitely created a legacy
that's continuing to flow indifferent families community,
but they definitely started alegacy here in this community
with this college and, moreimportantly, the work that I get
to do here.
It makes an impact because I'mable to help others.
(40:06):
I'm able to help my own family.
I had two nephews in my summerprograms and now they're going
to college and doing greatthings.
So that helps me tremendouslybecause I'm able to give back
rights to my own immediatefamily, but also students that I
see in the community.
So it's definitely been a bigrole.
But for me it's still biggerthan that when, in a sense, we
talk about, like I said again,I'm a God-fearing man, so I know
(40:26):
that God opens doors for areason, so I want to make sure
I'm a good steward in this rolewhile I'm here at this time.
And being a good steward ismaking sure that we follow the
footsteps of, like I said, thoselike the Haslam family, the
leadership we have here, thefaculty staff, our deans group,
who truly are volunteers to thecore and also servant leaders.
Speaker 3 (40:44):
And I think that they've made plans for so many
years to come.
The Haslam family.
They give so much and I'm nottalking about just in money, I'm
just talking about their time.
You know, I spoke off cameraabout our first orientation for
Leadership, Knoxville.
Mr Haslam came and his wife andhim just sharing.
He just stopped in the middleof it and was like, OK, you know
(41:07):
, yes, I started at LeadershipKnoxville, but let me tell you
what my wife started and whatreally what she taught him in
just leadership and how to be aservant leader in a different
way and how to be hands on evenmore.
And it was just a great speechand I left inspired because I'm
(41:28):
like he's in his 90s and he isstill giving back, he's still
doing things you know to makethis community better.
Do you have a favoritescripture that you lean?
Speaker 4 (41:38):
on Not so much a scripture Every night, and since
I've been.
Actually, I was saved when Iwas five years old.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
Five years old.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Watching TVN with my mother in the living room and
gave my life to Christ and fromthat point was a prayer warrior
at six for my church.
But I say that to say everynight.
I believe in prayer, but everynight since I've been that age
I've always said the Lord'sPrayer.
You know, our Father, which artin heaven, hallowed be thy name
.
And I said that with my kidsand now they know it verbatim.
So I think for me thatconstantly one it resets my day.
It does.
Because what we do here on earthis a pact in heaven, as God
(42:15):
would like it to be, but also weserve.
We're called to be witnesses.
We are.
We're called to be witnesses.
We're also called to be aliving example of God working
through us.
So I believe in thattremendously.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
We're supposed to be the walk, not the talk.
Speaker 4 (42:27):
And we still fall short.
We fall short, but I think, andGod said, we were going's a
repetition.
Also, I want to start in myfamily's life, and then my
daughters now do every night,before they go to bed, they say
their prayers, we sing a songand then kiss another good night
and they have two songs.
One is this Little Light ofMine, because Ziya's name means
(42:48):
light, and Jada will sing isLord, prepare Me to Be a
Sanctuary, is her song.
Speaker 3 (42:59):
So can you tell me something that's behind the
scenes, that God has done foryou, that it just you're like
God, you didn't forget me.
Oh, I can, I mean we can allcount the ways.
There's many.
Is there something that youcould?
Speaker 4 (43:09):
say I would say one in relation to what we're
discussing.
So I remember I was terminatedfrom a role here in town and you
know, new baby, first baby, washere and we, you know God's
always provided, so we neverreally struggled.
But I was like whoa, time isgetting it's six months now and
I remember calling everybody Ithought I should call and doing
(43:31):
everything I thought I should do.
And my devotion is music.
I love old gospel music, likeJohn P Key, reverend James
Cleveland, shirley Caesar.
I love the old, old gospel.
That's kind of my thing.
So I had music playing and atone point I just stopped and I
went to my deck.
I left my hands up.
I looked up I said God, it'sout of my control, I give it to
(43:55):
you.
And that was on a Saturdaynight.
That Monday I had six joboffers.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
Really, and that still gives me chills because I
understand prayer and Adriennesaid to me she says, mom, when
you pray.
She said your prayers arefaster than Amazon Prime.
And I'm like stop saying thatit's not Amazon Prime.
But I just believe in prayer andI love talking to God and just
telling him how I feel.
You know I talk to him like I'mtalking to you.
(44:21):
God, this is not a good day.
Or God this is a good day, butit could be better.
Tell me, what do I need to doto make that day better?
You know that type of thing andwho can I help and put a smile
on their face?
That type of thing.
And I can imagine, you know,losing a job and then you having
a family and young children andyou're feeling like, okay, I've
let them down.
That type thing you know, butyou seek God.
Speaker 4 (44:44):
Yeah, and so I mean I literally I felt I threw up, I
said I give up, it's out of mycontrol, you just got to
surrender, you got that's right.
Speaker 3 (44:55):
So what is next?
The last question is what isnext for Clarence Vaughn, and
what's the next thing that yousay at the school?
We're going to do this andwe're going to make it shine.
Speaker 4 (45:07):
I would say the next thing is continue to be a light
for those in darkness.
Like I was saying earlier, onesong that was played at my
father's funeral was a lily inthe valley, and then somebody
called him a lily in the valleybecause he caught people in
their darkest moments, um,people who were just going
through difficulties in life, orin their lightest moment, and
being the light that shines.
So I think I'm my goal is, god,allow me to continue to be the
(45:28):
light that shines, provideopportunities to our students,
faculty staff, community, um be,uh, advocate in spaces where I
need to advocate for others, yes, and also shed light on things
that may be, you know,troublesome or difficult for
communities and speak on that.
When you're in spaces and givean opportunity to meet, you have
to speak on that and share thatand bring truth to light.
So I think that's what I'mplanning to continue to do.
(45:51):
As far as who knows what thefuture holds.
Again, I have three kids.
I got an elementary school, amiddle school age and then a
high school age.
So my goal is, of course, tomake sure I get them prepared to
continue to transition throughthe academic side of life and
continue just this love, lovelife, love others and continue
to work that God called me to dountil it's the next phase in
(46:11):
life.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
So we'll see what that may be.
Speaker 4 (46:13):
I'm not sure.
I hope there's no time soon.
I'm here for a little bitlonger than that.
Speaker 3 (46:18):
Love the abundance that's over you.
I'll tell you this that yourspirit, you can tell you love
the Lord and you can tell thatyou want to make a difference.
You know what it was like whenyou were failing at something
and you knew.
86% of the time you didn't showup, and the biggest thing I
(46:40):
would say at the end of this isshow up for yourself.
At the end of the day, nobodycan show up for you like you can
show up for yourself.
I thank you for sitting downwith me.
The door is always open.
You know, I would love to haveyou on a panel discussion.
This is Clarence Vaughn.
Bye, guys.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
Thanks for listening to Talkin' Tennessee with Yvonca
.
Watch out for our weeklyepisodes from the First Family
of Real Estate and check us outon the web
wwwyvoncasalesrealestatecom.
See our videos on Yvonca'sYouTube channel or find us on
Facebook under Yvonca Landis andTwitter at Yvonca Landis, and
(47:24):
don't forget to tell a friendabout us.
Until next time.
Yvonca signing off.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.