For Lamont Dodson, Chief of Safety and Security for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), education has always been both a professional tool and a personal mission. A proud graduate of Cleveland Central Catholic High School, Dodson began his career at CMSD as a part-time security officer in 1996. Over nearly three decades, he steadily rose through the ranks: Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Deputy Chief, before being named Chief in 2022.

But Dodson’s growth wasn’t limited to his CMSD career ladder. In 2016, he enrolled in Cleveland State University’s (CSU) LeanOhio Boot Camp Camo Belt course, where he first connected with Rob Ziol, Director of CSU’s Center for Public and Nonprofit Management within the Levin College of Public Affairs and Education. That encounter led him to the Ohio Certified Public Manager® (OCPM) program, a decision Dodson calls “life-changing.”

“The OCPM program is a perfect fit. You just can’t find that level of leadership training,” Dodson said. Dodson not only completed both the Leadership and Public Management Academies but also helped streamline CMSD’s building permit process by developing an electronic form system, eliminating piles of paperwork.

Inspired, Dodson earned his first degree in 2022, an Associate of Science in Security Administration from Cuyahoga Community College — followed by an Associate of Arts in 2024. Now 59, he’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public safety at CSU, with graduation on the horizon in 2026 or 2027.

“Being at CSU and so close to earning my bachelor’s degree is a dream of mine,” he said. “It sends a positive message to co-workers, family, and the young people I mentor: you’re never too old to learn.”

Dodson has extended that philosophy to his team, sending 25 of his own staff members through OCPM. For him, it’s about multiplying opportunity. “The cost of the program is covered for my employees. They also get college credit to pursue their bachelor’s degree. It’s a tremendous opportunity.”

Looking back, Dodson credits OCPM with reigniting his drive to finish what he started. “I 100 percent believe that had I not taken the Leadership Academy and Public Management Academy, I wouldn’t have gone forward with completing my first degree. It reignited my learning spirit.”

Now, with degrees earned, more in progress, and a role as a mentor and role model, Dodson is determined to keep moving forward. “I’m making my parents in Heaven proud because they always wanted me to get my education,” he said. “I can now take my degrees in the City of Cleveland, or anywhere God places me.”