Carna R. Cureton ’94 loves helping people and solving problems. When speaking with her, you are struck by her warm demeanor; she’s clearly someone who doesn't hesitate to dive right in and say yes. It’s no surprise, then, that she is this year’s recipient of UD’s Special Service Award, an award presented to alumni who have performed a special service or displayed exceptional diligence on behalf of the University of Dayton.
For Cureton, service is a continuum — not a one-off volunteer project, but a way of living. It began more directly on campus when her classmate Daria Graham ’94, ’98, ’00 became associate director of what is now the Multi-Ethnic Education and Engagement Center (MEC), and Cureton asked how she could help. She started by donating to MEC’s book fund for students who couldn't afford course materials. Three decades later, she's still showing up — writing congratulatory notes to graduating seniors, hosting alumni meetups in Detroit and welcoming the next generation of Black alumni into the UD community.
A career in human resources has given her the perfect stage to keep serving others — and have some fun while she's at it.
“Everyone is very nice at UD and we know how to accomplish goals,” she said. “I think it doesn't always have to be a struggle when we’re working. I like to say, how can we bring some energy and bring life and bring fun into the organization? A lot of that I learned at UD.”
Cureton came to UD via a National Cash Register scholarship in 1990, arriving on campus from Flint, Michigan. She started as an accounting major and interned at NCR through the scholarship, then switched to marketing and interned at State Farm, graduating in 1994 with a degree in business administration. Her husband, Warren Cureton ’93, was one of the very first people she met on campus, on move in day while walking around the student neighborhood.
“When I fast-forward from that time, it’s absolutely insane,” she said. “Warren and I are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary this year.”
After graduating, Cureton spent five years in claims at State Farm before pursuing her MBA at Cleveland State University. While attending the National Black MBA Association conference, Cureton interviewed with Ford and landed her first human resources role, kicking off a career that has taken her across North America and around the world. She has held HR roles at Visteon, Minth and most recently FORVIA, where she currently serves as talent and organizational development director for North America.
One of the highlights of her career was overseeing HR across multiple plants in Mexico for a global manufacturer, dealing with a multicultural workforce that included the U.S., Mexico, China and Germany to get a new facility up and running on time.
“That really helped show what can happen when you work together to solve a problem,” she said. “And that is something I learned at UD.”
Her connection to UD has never wavered. Cureton is a UD Flyer Champion, advocating for the university with prospective students, and previously served on the UD Human Rights Center Advisory Council. She serves as the chair to UD’s Black Alumni Group and works on the UD Black Alumni Reunion Committee, and along with her husband has hosted Black alumni meetups in Detroit that bring together graduates from the 1960s to the 2010s. Each year, she writes congratulatory notes to graduating seniors, personally welcoming them into the alumni community and encouraging them to stay connected.
For Cureton, the work of building that community, especially for Black alumni, is personal.
“It is always good to understand that you are not alone,” she said. “You are part of a bigger community, and that community [UD] is always here for you. To be able to welcome people in, to help them visualize what success can look like — that is what it is about.”
Her father attended the UD scholarship interview with her all those years ago and told her afterward, because he was so impressed with UD, that he thought it was the right school for her and would pay to send her there. He has been a Flyer fan ever since.
And Cureton has been giving back ever since.