Darrial Reynolds has been teaching core classes in political science at South Texas College for 21 years. Most students at the Starr County Campus over the past two decades have taken at least two of his courses. His teaching style is engaging and it inspires the students to try to take advantage of their educational opportunities. Like him, many of his students are first-generation students that have to overcome hurdles to succeed in higher education.

Reynolds lived in Talladega, Alabama until the age of 15 while attending a segregated school system until the 6th grade. He moved to Chicago at age 15 and completed his senior year of high school without graduating due to his fear of swimming, which was part of the physical education requirement. He moved to

Cleveland, Ohio at age 18 to work at gasoline stations and the Midland Ross Steel Products factory. He returned to Talladega to live with his grandparents at age 21 to work on the family farm and work as a janitor for the county government.

He earned his GED at age 22 and started his freshmen year at age 24 at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (1988) at age 28. At that time he  decided that he had a passion to become a college professor and a desire to go from living in university student housing to living in faculty housing. He went on to Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho to earn his Master of Health Education (1991), Doctor of Arts in Political Science (1997), and Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education (1999).

He started teaching at South Texas College in 2000 on the Starr County Campus. He supports programs like Ascender, Early College, and Co-Requisite that help first-generation students thrive. He tells the first-generation students that since they have disadvantages, it is their job as a college student to read, write, and study in ways that prove they are serious about what they are trying to do. One of the most important skills that he teaches his first-generation students is how to read closely and think critically. He asks them to re-read and rewrite the textbook in a way that puts it in their own words to show that they understand it. He also asks students to take advantage of opportunities such as financial aid and the Ascender Program.

Since he loves his job as a college professor, it is so easy for him to be motivated to teach and try to bring learning objectives alive and make them relevant to the students. He feels the pride in reaching core learning objectives and transforming students. South Texas College has given him the opportunity to work at being the best student mentor and college professor that he can be now and in the future.