ATLANTA -- On Saturdays, he dons Panther Blue and White, but other days, Georgia State's Dartez Jacobs is equally proud to wear his red collared shirt.
His blue and white No. 26 jersey identifies him as a senior safety for the Panthers, and the red polo represents his volunteer efforts as a "Mogul in Training" with Usher's New Look, a foundation founded by the popular entertainer.
Usher's New Look describes its mission as "to develop global youth leaders by equipping them with the necessary tools to shape their futures, solve their challenges and build stronger communities."
The Moguls in Training (MIT) component in which Jacobs participates is a "personal and professional development platform for college-aged students to garner essential life and business skills and practice leadership through mentoring youth."
"We are taking kids from high schools in disadvantaged areas in the Atlanta Metro area who are exceptional students and want to get ahead," explained Jacobs, who works with students at Pebblebrook High School. "We actually go to the school and spend time with them and teach them. We talk about problem solving and setting goals and reaching them. Some kids are shy so we try to break them out of their shell and get them into their career field."
Jacobs says that for what he gives to these young people, he receives so much more.
"It’s humbling because the kids actually listen to you and look up to you and listen to your experiences," he said. "I didn’t have that opportunity when I was in high school, and I wish I could have because I would have had so many more options.
"It’s cool because I never saw myself doing something like this so quickly and I’m already an MIT," he continued. "It’s a good feeling knowing you can go into a school and get the response I get from the kids. They’re asking questions and interacting with me."
Gavin McGuire, Chief Operating Officer of Usher's New Look, says of Jacobs, "He's such an amazing young leader. He has been a stalwart in mentoring and motivating young people who will go on to be first-generation college students but who rarely have access to college students.
"He is really an outstanding representative for Georgia State University," McGuire added.
An Atlantan who attended Centennial High School, Jacobs joined the GSU program in 2014 after two seasons at College of the Canyons junior college in California. He is a backup at safety as well as a starter on special teams.
He will graduate this month with a degree in sociology, but he hopes to pursue a second degree in graphic design, a program that he began in junior college.
"I might get into animation. I want to be a creative director for Cartoon Network," Jacobs said.
He is already helping to create a stronger community.
