Meet identical twin brothers and proud Navarro College alumns – Darion and Varion Walton!

Raised by a single parent in Jewett, Texas, a small town about 100 miles south of their birthplace, Dallas, the siblings were used to doing things together. Upon graduating from Leon High School, it was no surprise that they decided to enroll at Navarro College because of the location and small classroom sizes.

On shared experiences and reflection, the brothers talk about how Navarro College impacted their lives during college.

“Navarro equipped us with the skills needed in order to become successful. The support from faculty members, the love from friends and the opportunities to be involved, all instilled a sense of community into the both of us. While attending Navarro we were involved in Trio Student Support Services, Opening Doors to Success, Navarro College Honors Program (Varion – President Spring 2012), Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society, Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, and Marching and Concert Bands. We worked as Resident Advisors, Student Ambassadors, and Tutors. We were also active in the Student Government Association, Baptist Student Ministries, Intramural Sports (Volleyball Champions 2012), Chosen Gospel Ministries and volunteer organizations. Navarro taught us how capable we were. Being pushed into the deep end of independence on a college campus can be a trying time, but adversity breeds success. We learned that individuals do not know what they are capable of until they are tested, and you will often times surprise yourself with hidden talents and abilities. Navarro also taught us about ourselves and allowed us the opportunity to explore what we enjoyed. Rather than seeing this as a hurdle, we considered the opportunity as a time to discover our own individualities.”

As Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Walton Inspires, 501c3, a non-profit organization they founded in 2015, the brothers have dedicated over 10 years of experience as tutors, mentors, and advisors at the Grade School, Community College, and University levels.

Darion is a hybrid educator in Dallas County. He serves as a Certified Teacher and Internship Coordinator for the Academy of Information Technology for Dallas Independent School District, Adjunct Faculty Member for Dallas County Community College District and Master Trainer in Educational Mobile Computing for Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Varion received his License in Skilled Nursing Administration in 2016. He has served in various roles including Assistant Administrator, Interim Administrator, Business Office Manager and Director of Business Services. He now serves as a liaison for clients planning to enter Skilled Nursing Facilities. His experience includes four years in Health Care Management and over six years in non-profit/business administration.

Driven by their desire to help others, they decided to devote their careers to service. As first generation, low-income students themselves, the twins strive to show next-generation students that anyone can succeed when they apply themselves and rise above negative influences. As an educator, Darion knows that achieving the mantle of “great” requires a passion for the profession beyond anything tied to financial reward or recognition.

“After all, teaching is tough work that requires plenty of diligence, long hours, and ongoing education”, Darion said.

He (Darion) is motivated by the idea that teachers have real and unique positioning inside and outside of the classroom to improve students’ lives.

While Varion holds a considerable amount of knowledge regarding Skilled Nursing Administrative procedures and shared that “it has been my lifelong passion to provide resident-centered care and improve the way that we take care of our elderly”.

 

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