Luvenia Ervin

Luvenia Ervin will be the first person on her father's side to graduate from college. She has been in recovery for three years and counting, and "wants to give back."

Luvenia's daughter and grandchildren were innocent victims of gun violence in Philadelphia. "They survived, but the driver of the van – my daughter's best friend - passed away. My daughter suffers emotionally, physically, and mentally from it. That was a huge battle that I had to overcome, but I continued to do what needed to be done. It wasn't easy, but I did it."

Luvenia advises students to be determined and confident in their choice of what to study. "Make sure it's something that you want to do – not what someone else wants you to do."

After graduating from Delaware Tech, Luvenia plans to transfer to Wilmington University. She hopes to have a successful career in the drug and alcohol counseling field where she can continue to give back.