Pamela Tolson

RALEIGH, NC - The Office of Marketing and Communications at Saint Augustine's University (SAU) has appointed Pamela Tolson as its new Director of Communications. Tolson comes to SAU from Florida A&M University where she served as Director of Media Relations.She was responsible for the overall direction, coordination and evaluation of media relations.  She also served as a key contact for media development and produced news and feature coverage of faculty, staff and students, events and activities.

During her tenure at FAMU, Tolson assisted in the university in being awarded an Award of Excellence from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), District III for its strategic plan to reverse the trend of negative news coverage.

Some of Tolson's other previous positions include serving as a senior communications specialist at North Carolina Central University and assistant director of university relations and marketing at Elizabeth City State University.

An alumna of ECSU, Tolson received her bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in news media. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Wicker

DURHAM, NC - Dr. Evelyn Wicker has written one of a few existing full-length books about the history of a Negro/Black hospital-based school of nursing titled Voices: Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing, Durham, NC 1903.

In engaging text and fascinating photographs, Wicker has captured a school and an era largely forgotten to modern readers. Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing in Durham, NC, operated from 1903-1972 educating hundreds of Negro/Black female nurses in the Jim Crow era. The book sheds light on the emergence of hospitals in the 20th century, early nursing education and practice, the roles of women in the health care professions and the dignity of Negro/Black professionals as they navigated their way through racism and segregation to uplift their communities.

Voices: Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing captures the origin of a Negro/Black diploma school of nursing in the early 20th century segregated south. It offers a composite picture of the school as it developed and produced outstanding nurses who have reached unparalleled heights in all areas across the health care spectrum both locally and internationally. This book describes the challenges of the school, the joys and struggles of the students. It also offers a snapshot of the lives of some of the graduates through their stories. The challenges faced by these Negro/Black women in nursing school and in their careers as registered nurses can be a source of strength and encouragement for young men and women contemplating careers that offer opportunity, satisfaction and service to humankind.

Dr. Evelyn Pearl Booker Wicker, RN, BSN, MPH, Ed.D., a 1963 Lincoln graduate, currently serves on the faculty at Wake Technical Community College as a clinical nurse educator teaching nursing students, many who have become registered nurses. After graduating from Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing, she continued her education, attaining a bachelor of science degree at North Carolina Central University in 1972, a master's of public health degree at the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C., and a doctorate of adult education at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., in 1995.

She has had an illustrious career spanning 50 years, from staff nurse, head nurse/nurse manager, supervisor, director of nursing, director of career development in human resources and nurse consultant. A trailblazer at DukeUniversityHospital and MedicalCenter, she has also been involved in numerous community and professional nursing activities and organizations. She has received numerous honors and recognitions, including the Alumnus of the Year from the NCCU Department of Nursing Alumni Association and was privileged to become a Johnson & Johnson Wharton Fellow in the Executive Nurse Leadership Program at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. For more information about Voices: Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing, contact Dr. Evelyn Wicker at (919) 552-2791 or (919) 306-4157, or e-mail

evekbwicker@aol.com.

Fuse-Hall

CHAPEL HILL, NC - Dr. Rosalind Fuse-Hall, President of Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, will deliver the 21st Annual Stone Memorial Lecture on October 24th at 7 pm at the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History.   

The annual lecture honors the late Dr. Sonja Haynes Stone, a UNC professor and Center advocate. The year's program is part of the center's 25th Anniversary celebration and is co-sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and co-hosted by Theta Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. The lecture is free and open to the public.

In addition to Fuse-Hall's address, the program will include remarks from newly installed Chancellors Dr. Carol Folt of UNC at Chapel Hill and Dr. Debra Saunders-White of North Carolina Central University, the first time all three women will appear together since assuming their positions.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Fuse-Hall grew up in Fayetteville, N.C. on the campus of Fayetteville State College, where her father was a faculty member.Rosalind Fuse-Hall has nearly 25 years of experience in higher education, most of that time in senior management positions. Prior to her appointment as President of Bennett College, she served as the Chief of Staff at Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, working with FAMU Board of Trustees, President James H. Ammons and the University's Leadership Team.  She has also served as the Interim Executive Director of Title III programs at FAMU, managing $10 million dollars in special programs to enhance institutional strengths and student outcomes.

Prior to her arrival in Tallahassee, Fuse-Hall worked with then Chancellor Ammons at North Carolina Central University, serving in a similar role. She worked on two special initiatives that brought nearly $44 million to the University. Fuse-Hall has worked for the University of North Carolina system as the Corporate Secretary to the Board of Governors, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and at St. Lawrence University, as the Director of Minority Affairs. She is a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and Rutgers School of Law.

The Sonja Haynes Stone Memorial Lecture is the center's signature program and features African-American women whose work, scholarship and service epitomize the spirit of Dr. Stone. Previous lecturers have included Angela Davis, Congresswoman Eva Clayton, Kathleen Cleaver, Pearl Cleage, and Alfre Woodard.

For more information, visit www.unc.edu/depts/stonecenter or call 919-962-9001

White House Highlights Anita Brown-Graham as an Open Government and Civic Hacking "Champion of Change"

Brown-Graham

WASHINGTON, DC - Recently the White House honored Anita Brown-Graham as an open government and civic hacking "Champion of Change." The Champions honored have made a tremendous positive impact by building high-tech tools to help health workers and disaster-response crews better serve communities; piloting innovative programs to involve traditionally disengaged communities in local governance; using new technologies to enhance government transparency and collaboration; and more.

The White House Champions of Change program was created as part of President Obama's Winning the Future Initiative. Through this program, the White House highlights individuals, businesses, and organizations whose extraordinary stories and accomplishments positively impact our communities.

Anita Brown-Graham is Director of the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) at NC State University (Raleigh), a think-and-do tank focused on tackling big issues that affect North Carolina's future growth and prosperity. From energy, to fiscal modernization, to improving our systems of higher education, IEI takes the lead in convening state leaders in business, higher education and government to address these issues in a comprehensive, long-term way to prepare the state for future challenges and opportunities.

(L -R) Carver & Riley

RALEIGH, NC - Shaw University's Counseling Center received a $500,000 domestic violence grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women the University announced. The Center was awarded the "Resources, Intervention, Services and Education (RISE)" grant as part of a consortium with Bennett College and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T).

"This grant is a wonderful opportunity for our Counseling Center to increase its domestic violence prevention programming and services for our University community," said Shaw President Dr. Dorothy Cowser Yancy. "We thank the Department of Justice for funding this important work and we look forward to collaborating with our grant partners Bennett College and NC A&T in implementing these new service programs."

The Shaw Counseling Center, staffed by Director Jerelene Carver and Counselor Latisha Riley, will use the grant funds to implement intervention and education programs for incoming students and University faculty, staff and campus safety units. Awarded for three years, the grant will focus on reducing domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking on college campuses as well as encourage adoption of comprehensive and coordinated responses to these crimes. Additionally, outreach programming, training and resources will be provided for victim safety, offender accountability and prevention.

Each campus will partner with community-based nonprofit victim advocacy organizations and local criminal justice or civil legal agencies to develop protocols and policies that will treat violence against women as a serious offense as well as offer victim service programs.

L-R: Linda L. Hester, Pi Chapter President and Norris Burton, Education Award Recipient

DURHAM, NC - Pi Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. sponsored its 6th Annual Scholarship Luncheon at the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge located on Main Street in Durham this summer. The purpose of this annual event is to raise funds to provide scholarships to deserving nursing students.

The mistress of ceremonies for the program was Foretta Davis, Programs and Projects Committee Chairperson. Norris Burton was presented the Education Award for her outstanding contributions to promote the educational pursuits of young people by Linda L. Hester, Pi Chapter President. A fashion show was also sponsored by Dorothy Allen, owner of Allen's Variety located in Durham.

L- R: Dr. Torain, Professor, NCCU Nursing Department, Shaerinoa Jones, Pi Chapter Scholarship Recipient, Betty Reed, Chair, Pi Chapter Awards/ Scholarship Committee and Dr. Betty Dennis, Chair, NCCU Nursing Dept.

The current officers of Pi Chapter are: Foretta Davis, President; Jouel Cooper, Secretary; Wyvonia Perry, Treasurer; Veronica Eubanks, Financial Secretary; Riley Walters, Dean of Membership; Norris Burton, Beta Sponsor; Betty Reed, Historian; Jueldenn Ford, Chaplain and Linda L. Hester, Immediate Past President. The other current members are: Alberta Allen, Elmontenal Allens, Kelli Armwood, Ruthene Bellamy, Mary Burriss, Hettye Laverne Clement, Eula Cole, Mary Dempson, Dr. Betty Dennis, Geneva Fearrington, Vanessa Foust, Ernest Grant, Carolyn Henderson, Roberta Amey Hill, Beulah Hollowell, Marion Miles, Joyce Prince, Sylvia Richardson, Linda Rouse, Tina Scott and Edna William.

Front Row, L-R: Foretta Davis, Dr. Robbin Harmon, Alberta Allen, Pi Chapter Charter Member, Norris Burton and Linda L. Hester; Second Row, L-R: Ruthene Bellamy, Mary Dempson, Hettye Laverne Clement, Vanessa Foust, Linda Rouse, Edna Williams, Sylvia Richardson and Geneva Fearrington ; Third Row, L-R: Roberta Amey Hill, Jouel Cooper, Gloria McNeil, Mary Burris, Betty Reed, Riley Walters and Veronica Eubanks.

RTP, NC - Close to 400 people attended the afternoon program on June 1st that put a spotlight on The Links, Inc. - Triangle Park Chapter's (TPC) public service activities in Durham, Orange and WakeCounties and beyond - activities on which TPC members have amassed a total of more than 4,800 service hours during the past year. 

The Links, Incorporated, founded in 1946, is a volunteer service organization of over 12,000 professional women of color in 274 chapters across 42 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.  The organization is committed to enriching and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

TPC recognized and presented monetary contributions to five community organizations with which they partnered throughout the year:

National Trends and Services

TPC focused on voter education and conducted a successful voter registration drive that registered over 1,500 people in three counties.   TPC recognized the North Carolina Chapter of the NAACP for leading the fight for voter rights, equality, justice and fairness.  Rev. Dr. William Barber, State President of the NAACP, accepted the award.

(L -R)Ruth Kennedy, TPC Luncheon Co-chair; Gladys Burnette, TPC National Trends Facet Chair; Rev. Dr. William Barber, NAACP State President; Marguerite Peebles, TPC President

The Arts

TPC implemented a new initiative focused on developing the talents of young people and exposing them to various forms of artistic expression.  TPC recognized Global Scholars Academy, partner for the first phase of the Chapter's TPC Academy of Arts and Humanities.  Global Scholars Academy School Leader, Ms. Agatha Brown, accepted the award.

(L -R) Charletta Hines, TPC Arts Facet Chair; Agatha Brown, Global Scholars Academy School Leader; Marguerite Peebles, TPC President

International Trends and Services

TPC impacted female students' access to education in a remote village of Kenya.  Many of the  girls in the village miss school because they lack the supplies to manage their monthly cycles and, as a result of their absences, are ill prepared to take the tests required to continue their education beyond the 8th grade.  TPC collected supplies and assembled personal hygiene kits for the girls. TPC recognized World Overcomers International Missions (WOCC), the organization with which it partnered to have the kits delivered to KinyogoriPrimary School in Limuru, Kenya.  Ms. Gabrielle Wooten, representative from WOCC, accepted the award. 

(L -R) Stilwyn Perry-Brown, TPC International Trends Facet Chair; Gabrielle Wooten, World Overcomers International Missions; Marguerite Peebles, TPC President

 Health and Human Services

TPC is committed to eliminating food instability in the community.  TPC members volunteered weekly and, over the school year, filled 1,650 backpacks with nutritious food for distribution to elementary school children who might otherwise go hungry over the weekend.  TPC recognized the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, its partner in the Backpack Program.  Ms. Earline Middleton, Vice President of Agency Services and Programs at the Food Bank, and Mr. James McAllister of the Durham Branch of the Food Bank, accepted the award.

(L -R) Veronica Ray Perry, TPC Health and Human Services Facet Chair; Earline Middleton, Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina Vice President; James McAllister, Durham Branch, Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina; Marguerite Peebles, TPC President

Services to Youth

TPC members, over the past five years, awarded over 1,300 refurbished computers to students who do not have computers in the home in Durham, Orange, Wake, Sampson and Cumberland counties.  TPC recognized Kramden Institute, its partner in the Computer Award Program.  Mr. Mark Dibner, Founder of Kramden Institute, accepted the award; he was joined by Ms. Arrica Dubose, Principal at Fayetteville Street Elementary School where many of the students have been awarded computers under this program.

(L -R) Ruth Reid-Coleman, TPC Services to Youth Facet Chair; Arrica Dubose, Fayetteville Street Elementary School Principal; Mark Dibner, Kramden Institute Founder; Marguerite Peebles, TPC President

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated, founded in 1946, is a volunteer service organization of over 12,000 professional women of color in 274 chapters across 42 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.  The organization is committed to enriching and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.