Nicole Beverly has always looked to her mother and older sister for guidance.

Both are wise, confident women who are dedicated to achieving their goals – traits that Beverly admires. Through them, she learned that she could truly do anything.

Motivated by the tenacity of both women and a desire to help children, Beverly chose to pursue a degree in elementary and special education when she enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University in the fall of 2009.

Now a senior with an unyielding passion for teaching and a steadfast commitment to helping others, Beverly seeks to encourage and inspire youth of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

“As a young woman, having a strong, amazing mom and dedicated older sister gave me the desire to be a positive influence in the lives of young children and teens,” she said.

But Beverly, of Weddington, N.C., knows such a tall order doesn’t come easy. That’s why with plenty of focus and an eagerness to give back, she began laying the foundation for her career early on.

Since her sophomore year, the 21-year-old has been a mentor with Big Brother Big Sister of Greater Greensboro. She also has volunteered with the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club and with Girls Inc. of Guilford County, working as a mentor to help young girls build confidence and self-esteem.

“These girls have motivated me to be a mentor, a big sister and someone they look up to,” Beverly said. “It’s also really shown me how to use my life experiences and the bond I share with my sisters to help these young girls become the young ladies they want to be, no matter what obstacles might get in the way.”

Beverly’s devotion to hard work extends beyond her work with youth. She also is president of the Theta Tau Chapter of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. Under her leadership, the group adopted two classrooms at Hampton Elementary School in Greensboro, and has since donated more than 300 classroom supplies.

She also serves as secretary of the N.C. A&T Student Council for Exceptional Children chapter, she is a member of the Student North Carolina Association of Educators, and through a summer internship with Freedom School Partners in Charlotte, N.C., she helped students improve literacy and build positive attitudes towards reading and learning. In addition, she has had internships with Archer Elementary School and Noble Academy, and she has worked at Lindley Habilitation Services helping persons with special needs.

Beverly looks forward to first being an educator, then to ultimately launch her own non-profit geared to empowering women and teens to reach their goals, to develop a recreation center for young children and teens, and to develop schools for students with special needs.

“I believe there are so many teachers who really care about and support their students’ academic and life goals,” she said. “I want to be the best educator that I can be, so that my students learn from me, and I learn from them.”