Because her parents both worked the night shift, Carol Davis spent much of her childhood with her grandmother, Patricia Merritt. One of “Granny” Merritt’s greatest passions in life was education, and she always pushed Davis to do her best in school and to take as many honors courses as possible. Another of her granny’s biggest passions was cheering on the sports teams for her hometown university.

“My granny was the biggest Wolfpack fan you will ever meet,” Davis said. “She watched games all the time, and she had a 1983 ‘Cardiac Pack’ Coke can at her house that had been in her china cabinet since I was little. It still hasn’t been opened.”

Despite Merritt’s fandom, none of her seven children, 13 grandchildren nor dozens of great-grandchildren graduated from NC State. That will change when Davis receives her master’s degree from the College of Education this Friday, May 2, which would have been Merritt’s 82nd birthday. When Davis walks across the stage, she will be wearing a graduation cap decorated with photos of her granny as well as other relatives who inspired her along her educational journey. 

“My granny used to say, from the moment you’re born, you’re learning,” Davis recalled. “You’re learning how to adapt, you’re learning how to respond to situations and you’re learning how to help people.”

Those words have guided Davis in her personal and professional life. In her role as a crime prevention officer with the University Police Department, she develops and leads various trainings, outreach events and orientation sessions for new students and employees. She also has assisted with hiring and recruitment for the department.

“I love seeing the lightbulb go off when I’m interacting with someone or teaching them a new skill,” Davis said. “There’s no better feeling than seeing someone walk away with a new skill or perspective that they can use in their life or work.”

Real-World Applications

For Davis, the pursuit of her master’s degree was driven by a desire for practical application. With bachelor’s degrees in history and religion from Wake Forest University already under her belt — a path that initially led her to consider divinity school before the pregnancy of her oldest daughter, Esther — she sought a program that would directly enhance her work. 

“I never wanted to get a master’s just to get a master’s — I wanted something that I would actually use,” she said. “To me, learning is an everyday thing and learning is continuous. However, if I want to take the time to read books, study and turn in assignments, I want that time to be meaningful to me, and the best way that it can be meaningful is for it to be a program that I can utilize in my job.” 

It’s thinking about who you are serving and how to better serve them, instead of just meeting them on their worst day and hopefully not making it even worse.

Davis has already applied some of her new skills to her job, working with colleagues to evaluate trainings currently available to the campus community and updating others for a more encompassing, practical experience. Additionally, her capstone project delved deep into the crucial realm of leadership development within law enforcement. She examined a wide range of leadership styles — from the structured approach of the military to the empathetic model of servant leadership — and advocated for a philosophy that centers on understanding and serving the community.

“It’s about thinking about who you are serving and how to better serve them,” Davis said, “instead of just meeting them on their worst day and hopefully not making it even worse.”

A Family Effort

Balancing a demanding full-time job and the responsibilities of raising children while pursuing a master’s degree was, in Davis’ words, “all gas, no brakes.” Yet, she wasn’t alone in her academic pursuits. The weekend after her NC State graduation, her son Ezekiel will graduate from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; another son, Damis, will receive his high school diploma in June; and her daughter Esther will earn her associate’s degree from Wake Technical Community College in December. 

“Everybody has kind of been doing their own thing and staying busy, so the only one I really had to deal with was Jelia, my 4-year-old — she’s the boss,” Davis said with a laugh while acknowledging the unwavering support of her husband and parents.

The journey wasn’t without its challenges. Last fall brought the profound losses of not just her grandmother, but also her aunt, Rochelle Rodgers, with whom she was very close. Davis had contemplated taking a break from classes, but her eldest son, Ezekiel, convinced her to push through.

“I’ll always remember, he sent me a text right before the holidays saying, ‘Mom, I’m so glad you didn’t sit out a semester because now we can graduate together.’ That’s special for me because at my undergraduate graduation, he was just learning how to walk. … It was just kind of nice to see, as a parent, your work and what you pour into your kids coming back 100-fold for him to encourage me.”