Works to Bring Out the Best in Himself & OthersDonovan McLemore ’22

It’s fitting that Donovan McLemore ’22 would go to college in a place nicknamed Grind City for its gritty determination and unshakable spirit—two qualities that Donovan brings to his life as a student and entrepreneur. Much like his decision to attend McLean School beginning in Grade 10, Donovan chose the University of Memphis to challenge himself in an environment with extraordinary community and opportunity.

“I’ve always believed you have to go outside your comfort zone to meet your full potential,” he says. Originally from Gaithersburg, “I’d never really been away from Maryland, so being this far from home was hard at first, but soon I started to experience the growth in real-time.”

In the second semester of his first year at the University of Memphis, where he studies business and marketing, Donovan launched Grind City Hoops, a podcast featuring high school, college, and even professional basketball players. “I missed playing on a team,” he says of the sport he’d played his whole life and hoped to play in college, but the pandemic interrupted his high school career, limiting his exposure.

“Basketball was everything to me,” he says. “Grind City Hoops is a way to still feel connected to the game and also give visibility to players like myself who maybe didn’t have the chance to be recognized and considered for scholarships and other opportunities because of where they’re from or where they go to school. I want my brand to be less about what’s popular and more about the people.”

Mission accomplished: what started as a passion project is now a national platform for emerging and established talent. “Grind City Hoops is like my child,” Donovan muses, “it’s grown into something I could have never imagined.”

But as the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and, says Donovan, this is no different. “Grind City is a lot bigger than just me,” he says, “it’s a community.” Donovan is quick to add that his McLean experience influenced how he went about building his brand. “McLean is more than a school, and it’s like a family. For something to work and be great, you have to want to succeed and also want those around you to succeed. I think that’s what separated McLean from other schools I looked at. They wanted me as much as I wanted them, and we had a shared goal.”

This quest for fellowship and a supportive community continues to be a major motivator for Donovan. At the University of Memphis, he’s been an active member of Empowered Men of Color, an organization dedicated to promoting greater awareness and understanding of issues facing minority males, as well as developing role models and mentors. He also volunteers with Tiger Leadership, working with middle schoolers in the community.

With all this, it’s hard to believe Donovan has time for much else. But thanks to skills he honed over the years—“most athletes are good at time management because they have to be,” he notes—Donovan has packed even more into his two short years of college, including adding a real estate minor and landing a competitive summer internship with Marriott International. As one of about 150 students selected from a pool of thousands, says Donovan, “It’s an honor, and I’m thrilled about the opportunity to learn and make an impact.”

Another thing he’s excited about: is being featured on season 12 of Amazon Prime’s “The College Tour,” a show highlighting the perks of college life for some of the best and brightest at universities around the world. Donovan’s is one of 10 student stories for the University of Memphis episode, set to air later this year.

“Friends in high school would associate me with one thing: basketball,” he says, “but in college, I’m associated with so much more.” Whether it’s building the Grind City brand, building awareness of talented athletes, or building connections with others in his community, Donovan is all about being the best he can be and supporting others in doing the same. “It’s kind of the McLean way,” he says. “Yes, you get the work done, but it’s deeper than that. It’s about creating authenticity in your relationships with people you can count on who can also count on you.”