A Legacy Built on Family and Relationships: Venetta "Sha" '99 and Madyson Jean-Louis '24

Little did Venetta “Sha” Jean–Louis know when she was recruited by Embry-Riddle from the state of Alabama that almost 25 years later her daughter, Madyson, would follow in her footsteps. For Sha, being recruited by then Athletic Director Steve Ridder and recently hired Embry-Riddle’s women’s volleyball coach, Ellen Bible, whom she had known since junior volleyball days, made all the difference in choosing ERAU – it felt like a family.

Joining the team in fall 1996, Sha helped lay the foundation for ERAU volleyball during her 3-year tenure. She excelled as an athlete at ERAU -- three-time first team All-Conference selection, a three-time NAIA All-Southeast Region honoree and finished her athletic career as program leader in kills, blocks, points, and attack percentage. In January 2019, she was inducted into the ERAU Hall of Fame for volleyball.

Off the court, Sha initially pursued a computer science degree. After talking with fellow teammates and College of Business Advisor Dottie Crawford, she determined that there were better options for a person who loved being around people and instead pursued a business degree in aviation management.

Sha’s success as a volleyball player carried over into her career. As a go-getter who keeps her mind open to jobs that align with her interests, she has worked in both the commercial aviation and insurance industries for American Eagle, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Brown & Brown and Allstate. Two years ago, she returned to American Airlines and now works in corporate real estate within the corporate affairs division and says this is where she will finish her career.

Near the end of her first stint at American, Sha married her husband, Reginald, and had two daughters -- Madyson, who joined ERAU fall 2020 and is a member of the women’s basketball team, and Kennedy, who is in high school and is an avid volleyball player like her mother. Madyson, following her mother’s example, played both volleyball and basketball as a youth, but unlike her mom, felt her strengths were with basketball. Growing up, Madyson visited the ERAU campus in Daytona Beach with her mom frequently.

When it came time for her to select a college to attend, Madyson already knew it would be ERAU and it was a slam dunk as she was recruited to play basketball and had family in the Orlando area. She also knew that she wanted to major in business. Fortunate enough to visit her mother’s varied workplaces through the years, she was attracted experiencing how people interact in business settings and even her exposure to Excel spreadsheets!

Madyson says that her transition to college life was easy since she already knew many people on campus because of her mom and their visits to Daytona. To her, it felt like a family and her family grew as she met her teammates, classmates, faculty and staff. It was a bonus that many of her mom’s friends are on campus and are available if Madyson needs them.

Sha’s experience of going to college was a little different. She had never been away from home or her parents for an extended period of time and college life was a marked transition. For her, having someone she knew, like Coach Bible, was very helpful. She shared that Ridder was extremely welcoming and the campus was very family oriented.

This mother-daughter duo have a lot in common. They both thrive in the athletic arena, perseverance is a constant in all aspects of their lives and resiliency is a common thread between them. What they did not anticipate was that in Madyson’s first year at ERAU she has had three of the same faculty as her mom - almost 24 years later.

Sha shared, “When you feel like times are tough and you feel like giving up, remember what you are there for, what your goals are and never give up on yourself. Everything is out there for you to experience in life. It is important to believe in yourself. Hard times make you a better person; don’t underestimate your capabilities.” She added that for her, she would remember the many people that had supported her and put money and effort toward making her successful, and that it was important for her not to give up.

Sha is always reminding Madyson: a world of opportunity awaits, be open and not narrow-minded, and take advantage of everything college and life have to offer.

Beginning her college life 6 months into the pandemic has definitely been a defining characteristic for Madyson. While there are no basketball games, as those are on hold to keep athletes safe, she has been training hard, putting in more reps and training more individually with teammates and with the team as a whole. She is looking forward to the fall and in anticipation of having an extra year of eligibility, she is already planning to take advantage of the extra year at ERAU to get an accelerated MBA.

Madyson said, “I would tell students who also have parents who are ERAU athlete alumni, be here to do it well, if not better, but do it your way by paving a path on and off the court.” She added that she does not feel any pressure to live up to standards that anyone else puts on her. This is evident in that Madyson hopes one day to work for Delta Air Lines in aviation management, even though it is a top competitor of American. 

Madyson noted that her sister Kennedy, who is in high school and is an avid volleyball player, has also taken an interest in attending ERAU and becoming a part of the volleyball team like their mother. We hope she sets her sights to soar in the O’Maley College of Business, too! Truly an Eagle Family team!