David E. Harrison: A Legacy, Faith, Education, Mentorship and Service

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Coach Tim Brown sits down with David E. Harrison—Marine veteran, deacon, mentor, and longtime leader at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business—to explore how small daily disciplines can compound into a legacy that others call significant. From captaining Valdosta football and wrestling by spirit rather than size, to calling cadence in the Marine Corps, to raising more than $7.5 million for student scholarships and programs, David shows what it looks like to turn access into outcomes.

We walk through his adoption and two-family upbringing, the father whose third-grade education paired with foreman-level wisdom, and the habits that shaped a life of service: shine the shoes, pay the bills, open the office on time, and encourage people until they believe they can run all day. David shares how faith and brotherhood at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church inform his leadership, and how mentors like Dr. Frank Hale Jr. and Dr. William E. Nelson opened doors, demanded excellence, and modeled how to build systems that last. Along the way, he offers practical guidance on setting high goals, stewarding limited resources, and transforming success into significance.

You’ll hear about gardens on Hudson Street, the art of saving seeds, and why planting where you stand can feed a community for years. We also dig into capturing family history before it fades, trusting allies who don’t look like you, and keeping purpose fresh as new classes arrive with new needs. If you’re serious about legacy, access, equity, mentorship, and faith-driven leadership, this conversation will give you both a blueprint and a push to act today.

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