For Daryl Beville, confidence didn’t come from having all the answers early – it came from having the right people around her while she figured them out.
A graduate of Cleveland School of the Arts, Daryl joined College Now’s Top Scholars during the upperclassmen years of high school, when college felt possible but still overwhelming. Through monthly meetings, College Now advisors helped her break the process down step by step -from personality assessments and school research to test prep, application essays and FAFSA completion.
“It made college feel attainable,” Daryl shared. “We walked through everything together – the Common App, essays, financial aid – so it wasn’t this far-off idea. It was a real plan.”
Just as important as logistics was the sense of community. Surrounded by peers going through the same milestones, Daryl found reassurance in shared experiences – comparing college offers, discussing majors and celebrating acceptances together. That collective journey culminated in the Top Scholars banquet, where students’ hard work was publicly recognized.
“That celebration meant a lot,” she said. “It really felt like a culmination of everything we had worked toward.”
Through a partnership with Cleveland School of the Arts, Daryl earned a full scholarship to Skidmore College, where she was drawn to the school’s liberal arts environment, small class sizes and strong support systems. As someone who described herself as shy, the personalized attention made a significant difference. The breadth of coursework allowed her to explore multiple disciplines – blending her background in dance with a growing interest in business.
College Now’s support didn’t end at graduation. Through the Mentoring Program, Daryl was paired with a mentor who shared a deeply meaningful connection: both were mothers balancing parenting and education. Daryl became a mother during her junior year of high school, and navigating college out of state while raising a child brought a unique set of challenges.
“Having a mentor who understood that reality was huge,” she said. “She was a cheerleader, a sounding board and an anchor back home.”
Academically, Daryl discovered her passion for accounting during her first year of college. While she initially considered economics, she found clarity in accounting’s structure and precision. “It just worked with my brain,” she explained. “The theory, the equations – it was black and white.”
She went on to earn her master’s degree in accounting from Wake Forest University and become a CPA. Today, Daryl is an Associate Director at Radian Generation, where she has been promoted twice and leads a team of her own.
“All the experience and grinding early in my career have come together,” she said. “I’m at a point where I understand my value, how I contribute and where I want to grow.”
That sense of clarity is something Daryl now hopes to pass on. A former mentee herself, she has returned to College Now as a mentor, supporting a current junior in the program.
“I want [my mentee] to leave college with confidence in her abilities,” Daryl said. “Especially when you’re from a marginalized community, self-esteem can be challenged. I want her to recognize her value and not let one negative experience derail her goals.”
Now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Daryl enjoys the city’s accessibility, strong sense of community and abundance of family-friendly activities. Looking ahead, she’s excited to deepen her involvement in volunteer leadership – including serving on College Now’s Alumni Advisory Council and engaging with CPA organizations.
For students still finding their way, Daryl offers simple but powerful advice: “You don’t have to have all the answers. Try things. Pay attention to what you enjoy. Talk to your advisors and professors. And make connections everywhere you go – you never know which ones will matter later.”
Daryl’s own journey is proof of that truth – and of the lasting impact that community and mentorship can have when they show up at exactly the right time.