“There were several individuals at Meridian that molded the path for me. At the top of the list was Miss Cynthia Thomas, my math teacher. I dedicated a lot of my valedictorian speech to her and her effort,” says Cleon.

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He adds, “I’m a physicist, so math is critical. She was a really good inspiration and a really good teacher. But she also sat down and had real conversations with me about life. She could see me evolving. She had conversations with me, and I still appreciate that.”

 

While Miss Cynthia reached Cleon at the right time, in the right way, through their conversations, Cleon also credits his family and his community for their influence. He takes an it-takes-a-village mentality to his youth and what he classifies as the little connections that nudged his path.

 

He likely wouldn’t have ended up a physicist if it wasn’t for a friend of a friend of his parents, who opened the door to Alabama A&M University. Cleon attended a summerlong program for high school students between his junior and senior years. This opportunity ultimately helped him choose a university and a major.

 

Cleon grins when admitting that a small act of academic rebelliousness led him to physics, a subject he discovered during his summer in Huntsville, Alabama. “As a young person who wanted to find my way, many folks who saw my potential suggested I go into engineering. At this point, I didn’t want to listen to what everyone else was saying. So, I decided I’m going into physics,” says Cleon.

 

He continues by emphasizing, “At every point, there was an opportunity I was able to seize. It wasn’t because I was so grand. Or I was so smart. People weren’t knocking down doors to grab me. I was always doing what I needed to do. But a little connection always helped me reach the next point.”

 

Cleon attended Alabama A&M on a full scholarship and graduated in 1998. From there, he earned his master’s degree from Fisk University and his doctorate from Florida A&M. He shares that his college experience allowed him to expand his view by providing access to aspects of the world he couldn’t witness growing up in Mounds.

 

Cleon completed a dissertation on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, which focused on a Mars space rover. He has spent the past twenty-plus years building expertise on the subject, teaching at multiple universities, and building several prototypes. But while Cleon laughs and admits that some may consider him a nerd, he also shares he still sees himself as the same dude he was while attending high school in Mounds.

 

“I liked pencils. I liked calculators. I still do. But I also enjoy sports and just hanging out and playing video games. I treated academic achievements with the same fervor as I did sports. I wanted to win. But I wanted to win academically, as well.”