Future Leader, UA Little Rock Graduate Demonstrates Resilience
When Drayson Hill crosses the stage on Dec. 13 at UA Little Rock, it will be the culmination of years spent overcoming medical challenges, rebuilding confidence, and finding his way back to school to finish his degree. For the marketing director at Chick-fil-A on 7th Street and Broadway in Little Rock, the moment marks a full-circle return to the community that helped raise him — and a commitment to give back through the kind of leadership that makes people feel seen, supported, and valued.
Hill transferred to UA Little Rock in Spring 2020, but a year later, significant medical and personal challenges forced him to pause his studies. Instead of letting that setback define him, he focused on healing, rebuilding his confidence, and advancing in his career. He rose through leadership roles at Chick-fil-A while preparing to return to school to finish what he started.
“This degree helped me communicate in a clearer and more concise manner — professionally and personally,” Hill said. “It taught me to stand up for myself and others and to create a safer space where people can be themselves.”
Hill’s belief in the power of communication is shaped by his own early experiences. Born with learning, hearing, and speech disabilities, he once relied on others in everyday life. But his parents refused to let that be his future.
“My parents were told I’d never live independently,” he said. “Thankfully, they didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer and got me the help I needed. Music became a safe environment for me and helped me grow.”
That resilience carried him through his break from school and eventually back to UA Little Rock. Through the applied communication program, Hill found tools that strengthened not just his leadership style but also his understanding of how to build healthier, more collaborative environments.
One of the most influential concepts for him was Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM), a communication framework that teaches people how their words and interactions shape the “social worlds” they create with others. In practice, it emphasizes listening, shared understanding, and building patterns of communication that make relationships stronger and more respectful.
“CMM theory taught me how to create a better social world in my work and personal life,” he said. “It helped others see who I could be and what I could contribute.”
His growth caught the attention of Chick-fil-A Corporate, in Atlanta, Georgia, which invited him to prepare for the company’s Leadership Development Program, an opportunity that could lead to franchise ownership. Hill hopes to continue his journey by traveling, teaching future leaders, and eventually owning a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Arkansas.
Hill says, as someone who has “navigated school, work, and personal challenges,” he offers straightforward advice to students facing similar obstacles.
“Find people who push you to be your best,” he said. “I needed time away from school for peace and healing, but those people helped me come back. Once I felt stable again, I knew I could complete this.”
Now, as he earns his degree, Hill says he is most proud of completing his goal of simply returning and finishing.
“Getting this degree showcases my strength, determination, and happiness,” he said. “This program set me up in the best possible way to continue growing.”
After commencement, Hill plans to continue pursuing Chick-fil-A’s Leadership Development Program with the goal of becoming an owner-operator in Arkansas. And he already knows the kind of leader he intends to be.
“I want to show that people who’ve been labeled as less-than can make a positive difference,” he said. “I want to create spaces for growth, opportunity, and giving back to the community that helped raise me — Little Rock.”