30 Under 30- Colby Morrison

Words by Cooper Kirkpatrick | Image by Al Blanton

Colby Morrison discovered early that he wanted to help people in ways that were both practical and deeply personal. During his time as a student at Curry High School, he joined Peer Helpers,a student organization focused on tutoring, anti-bullying, suicide prevention, and mental health support. Through that work, he began to realize he wanted to serve others on a larger scale.

“My parents always urged me to be like a doctor or a lawyer, something that requires a lot of brainpower,” Colby says. “I knew I wanted to both help people and utilize my brainpower without performing surgeries.”

That mindset eventually led him to pursue a degree in Business Management at The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where he is continuing to build a path that combines leadership, service, and real-world impact.

At UAB, Colby is part of Serve 205, a volunteer organization run by college students that connects UAB with nonprofits and community needs across Birmingham. The work ranges from logistical support to helping those facing hunger and homelessness, all with the goal of giving back in tangible ways.

That same desire to invest in others also appears in his work with Big Brothers Big Sisters, where he mobilizes high school students, helping them begin investing in their own communities through one-on-one mentorship, building confidence, strengthening academic skills, and recognizing the potential in local middle and elementary school students.

At the heart of Colby’s service is a belief that negative mindsets and generational patterns do not have to be permanent. He hopes to be part of helping people see that change is possible.

“There are things that can change and things that will be changed, it’s just a matter of who changes it,” he says.

To Colby, making a difference starts with showing up and choosing to be a part of the change. 78