FAMU Made: Da’Mari Clayton Builds Confidence, Community and a Future in Engineering
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — When Da’Mari Clayton arrived at Florida A&M University from his small hometown
of Live Oak, Florida, he carried more than luggage; he carried doubt.
Growing up in Suwannee County, Clayton often found himself searching for representation
and proof that bigger opportunities existed. Graduating from a school where not many
looked like him, he said attending an HBCU felt like the right next step.
“One of the reasons why I wanted to go to an HBCU was because I wanted to be around more people like myself and have more of a community around me,” Clayton said. “It’s not much there, and it’s not a lot of Black people as well.”
That search led him to FAMU.
Da’Mari Clayton reviews engineering plans on-site, reflecting his hands-on experience
and growing expertise in the field. (Photo Courtesy: Da’Mari Clayton)
Friends from high school introduced him to the HBCU experience, and he knew he wanted to be part of a place where he could grow into himself.
Still, his journey did not begin with certainty.
Clayton entered FAMU through the Access Summer Bridge Program after standardized test
scores kept him from full admission. He admits confidence was something he struggled
with long before college.
“I’m a horrible test taker,” he said with a laugh. “I didn’t do as well on the ACT
and SAT, so [I wasn’t admitted through the traditional pathway]. But I took those
classes, passed with straight A’s, and I was like, ‘You know what? Maybe I can do
this.’”
That “maybe” became momentum.
Clayton chose electrical engineering because of both passion and legacy. Though his
grandfather passed away when he was young, stories about his ability to build and
create things stayed with him. Combined with Clayton’s love for math and science,
engineering became the path.
“I started to see I was actually good at something,” Clayton said. “I used to tell
people I was going to be an engineer, and they used to look at me crazy. But I was
like, ‘You know what? Why not?’”
Da’Mari Clayton poses on campus in his graduation regalia, marking the culmination
of his journey at Florida A&M University. (Photo Courtesy: Da’Mari Clayton)
One of the biggest challenges came with Calculus II, a course known for challenging
even the strongest engineering students. Clayton did not pass on the first attempt.
“I thought I would have to change my major,” he said. “But when I took it again, I
did way better than what was expected. From that point, I started to [grow more confident]
in myself.”
That experience taught him one of his biggest lessons.
“To be an engineering student, you really don’t have to have everything together,”
he said. “It’s trial and error. If I can do it, you can definitely do it.”
While many students focus on internships, Clayton found his breakthrough through research.
During his sophomore year, while working at Chick-fil-A, he met postdoctoral researcher Tariq Dickens, Ph.D., who introduced him to research opportunities in industrial and manufacturing engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
“He literally told me to quit my job at Chick-fil-A and come work for him,” Clayton said. “And I took it because I was like, this is something I’ve been looking for.”
For nearly three years, Clayton has conducted research focused on creating materials
resistant to radiation exposure in space, work designed to help protect astronauts
and spacecraft.
That experience changed everything.
Originally, Clayton planned to earn his bachelor’s degree and head straight into the
workforce. Now, he is preparing for graduate school and has already been accepted
into Florida State University.
“I was going to get my bachelor’s and go,” he said. “But research changed my mindset.
About even going to grad school."
Da’Mari Clayton engages with local K-12 students during a hands-on engineering demonstration,
showcasing his passion for mentorship and STEM education through the Engineering Ambassadors
program. (Photo Courtesy: Da’Mari Clayton)
Outside the classroom, Clayton found another kind of growth — confidence.
Through Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity and Engineering Ambassadors,
he built friendships, leadership skills and learned how to use his voice.
Engineering Ambassadors especially helped him work through one of his biggest insecurities:
public speaking.
“I have a stutter, and it always messed with my confidence,” he said. “Engineering
Ambassadors really helped me with that because I had to be more confident with how
I spoke to people.”
Da’Mari Clayton poses at the CAMX Conference, representing his research and growing
presence in the engineering field. (Photo Courtesy: Da’Mari Clayton)
He also learned that being an engineer requires protecting your peace.
“Engineers struggle a lot with mental health sometimes because we stick to the work
and not thinking of ourselves,” he said. “I’m in a season now where I’m learning to
be better toward myself.”
From setbacks and self-doubt to research, leadership and graduate school acceptance,
every challenge helped shape him.
“I’ve seen my best self and my worst self here in these past five years,” he said.
“But that’s character development. You learn from it, and you do better.”
As he prepares to cross the commencement stage, Clayton knows one thing for certain:
FAMU gave him more than a degree.
For Clayton, the experience became proof — proof that confidence can be built, that setbacks do not define failure and that the most unexpected moments can shape your path.
“I don’t think I would be the person I am today without FAMU,” Clayton said. “What I love most is the community. We come from all parts of the world, and we come together.”
