Hope Dealer: A Student’s Journey From Homelessness And Addiction To College And Advocacy

Frederick Shegog is a man who knows all too well about the struggles of this world. In his early twenties, he watched his future dreams fade away as substance abuse and mental illness took over his life. The next decade of his life would be a rough one, but not only would he come out better from it- he would change his life to helping others overcome as well.

In 2018 Frederick founded his own motivational-speaking company The Message LLC. He started this company because he wanted to make a difference in the world; he wanted to “sell hope for a living.” He has come so far from rock bottom where he once found his self-living, and he enjoys knowing that this is only the beginning. Even with the COVID-19 shutdown, Freddy continues to reach out and help where he can through virtual meetings and conferences to help motivate and comfort those struggling. In these past few years, Freddy had found himself with so many achievements and honors that he would have never even imagined when he was living on the streets. With all of this, Freddy remains humble and gracious, saying he “is thankful for the opportunity to help others who are still struggling find success also.”
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Here are just a few universities, conferences, and organizations where Freddy has been the keynote speaker, both virtual and in-person:

• Achieving the Dream
• Clarion University
• Saint Joseph's University
  
• The Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education
• Delaware County Community College
• Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society 

• Alliance For Addiction Payment Reform
• Mississippi State University
  
• University of California Riverside School of Medicine
• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
• Mastery Charter School

• Montogomery County Community College
• San Fransico County Behavioral Health Services
  
• Everett Community College
  
• Monomoy Regional High School
  
• Penn State Harrisburg
  
• Behavioral Health Innovators, Inc
  
• Louisiana State University in Shreveport
  
• Rochester Community and Technical College
  
• National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development
  
• Emporia State University
  
• Lehigh Carbon Community College
  
• Ivy Tech Community College
  
• Minnesota State Community and Technical College
  
• Penncrest High School
  
• Bridgeton Public Schools
  
• West Chester University
  
• Recovery Centers of America 
  
• The Pennsylvania Association of County Drug and Alcohol Administrators 
  
• Camden County Technical High School
  

Associates Degree in the Communications Arts/High Honors 3.71
All-State Pennsylvania Academic Team
Omicron Delta Kappa
Voted as a Philadelphia Region's Black Men Icon
Summa Cum Laude Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication Studies