Danyelle Hillman: Auburn's first African American cheerleader

When Auburn University marketing alumna Danyelle Hillman decided to try out for the Auburn University Cheerleading Team in 1995, she did not realize the lasting impact her role would have on the University. 30 years after becoming Auburn’s first African American female cheerleader, Hillman, now an instructional technology specialist for Muscle Shoals City Schools, reflects on how she has carried the spirit of Auburn with her throughout her career in business and education.

Hillman graduated from Auburn with a marketing degree in 1999, but she did not originally plan on attending the University. However, after her first steps on the Plains during orientation, Hillman “fell in love” with Auburn.

Raised as a church musician, Hillman quickly became involved in various off-campus church choirs, as well as the AU Gospel Choir. It was one Wednesday evening at an Gospel Choir rehearsal when she learned about cheer tryouts.

Some alumni had expressed concerns that although there were many football players who were minorities, the cheerleading squad was not reflective of a similar representation. Hillman was aware of a push for better representation on the cheer team, but she did not choose to try out for diversity alone, as she already had years of experience in cheerleading.

Hillman’s passion for cheer grew during her childhood, since she often frequented her older brothers’ football games and enjoyed watching the local cheerleaders. In the second grade, she began her cheerleading journey in her hometown, Russellville, Alabama.

“I cheered all the way through high school, and then I actually went to a community college and cheered at a community college before coming to Auburn,” Hillman said. “I thought, ‘I'm done with cheer, but why not let me just see what happens?’ And that's what I did.”

Tryouts spanned three days, with cuts made every evening, and the process included a cheer, a partner stunt and an interview. When Hillman discovered she made the cheer team on the third night during callouts at the amphitheater, it felt “unbelievable” that her name was called.

“I never thought about it [as] making history. It was, you know, something that I had always enjoyed doing, and this was just another step,” Hillman said. “When they called my name and my life just changed, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I cannot believe [it].’ I think some days that it's still surreal to me.”

Hillman loved supporting the Tigers in the stands, but she remembers being nervous for her first game as a cheerleader, which was a home game against Ole Miss. After the announcer boasted of an attendance of 83,000 fans, she admits feeling a “little sick” before she hit the field. Once she conquered her nerves, game days as a cheerleader became the highlight of her Auburn experience.

“The whole experience was great — very unforgettable, to say the least,” Hillman said.

The student community provided Hillman with acceptance and endless support during the cheer season. Although she did not know until later in life, she learned that her peers in the stands kept a microscopic and protective eye on Hillman while she cheered, watching to make sure she wasn’t dropped.

Growing up, Hillman’s inspiration was her mother, who worked full-time while completing her master’s degree. Today, Hillman inspires her own daughter, as she hopes to teach her daughter to be the “best person she can be” every day.

After graduation, Hillman worked in the business industry for six years. According to Hillman, she felt like she was missing important parts of her daughter’s life and was led by God to help students thrive in the professional world. Upon this realization, she chose to get her master’s degree in education with a focus in marketing and eventually earned a doctorate in education.

“I was a cheer coach for 15 years, and a lot of the things that I learned from being a cheerleader at Auburn, I instilled in all of my cheer squads. Preparing them for life was my ultimate goal.” Hillman said. “My marketing degree and the cheerleading experiences that I've had, both on and off the field, is what I carry with me, and that foundation that I got at Auburn has helped to get me to where I am today.”

Rooted in faith, family and her favorite poem, Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” Hillman encourages those feeling hesitant to try something new and to not let anything stand in their way.

“I love Auburn. I am Auburn, so I would not trade that experience for anything in the world,” Hillman said.