CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — The Lehigh Valley My Brother’s Keeper initiative presented the second annual African American Educational Excellence Awards on Feb. 23 at the Lehigh County Government Center Public Hearing Room. In honor of Black History Month, African-American educators and students who have demonstrated a commitment to educational mentoring and academic achievement were recognized.
Tina Q. Richardson, chancellor of Penn State Lehigh Valley, was honored with the Lifetime Commitment Award sponsored by the African American Business Leaders Council. Charles Everett, council president, presented the award. Richardson was nominated and selected for the honor because she has demonstrated a prolonged commitment to education and mentoring of students.
Richardson joined the Penn State family as chancellor of Penn State Lehigh Valley in July. Previously, she was a faculty member at Lehigh University for 20 years. At Lehigh, Richardson was director of the counseling psychology program and a special assistant to the provost for a National Science Foundation-funded leadership initiative for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She most recently was an associate dean at Drexel University, where she provided leadership on academic program development and evaluation, faculty professional development, and the promotion and tenure process. Her extensive leadership experience in education includes a fellowship with the American Council on Education; directing the Higher Education Resource Services Summer Leadership Institute at Bryn Mawr College; leading various study abroad and global citizenship programs; serving as a fellow of the State University of New York Global Center for Collaborative Online International Learning initiative; serving as a Fulbright Hayes Scholar in Ghana, West Africa; and leading short programs abroad for K-16 educators. Richardson earned her bachelor’s in psychology and master’s and doctorate in counseling psychology, all from the University of Maryland.
Outstanding Academic Achievement awards were presented to Aliaah Frances Boardley, a Dieruff High School senior; Jordan Smith, a 2015 Penn State Lehigh Valley graduate; Krista Smith, a Lincoln Leadership Academy senior; and Nathan Stuart, a William Allen High School senior, for their success both in the classroom and in the community. Jean Raymond-Hoffman, career services manager at Penn State Lehigh Valley, nominated Jordan Smith for being dedicated to achieving his goal of a college degree. Jordan began his degree at Northampton County Community College before transferring to Penn State Lehigh Valley. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Penn State Lehigh Valley last year.
"Only 4 percent of minority students in the Lehigh Valley take the SATs, for some reason. Either they don't feel prepared or feel motivated enough to even aim for college and make it a reality; this is a crisis everyone should be concerned about,” said David Jones, Lehigh County commissioner and executive director of the Lehigh Valley My Brother’s Keeper. “This event aims to honor Black History Month by highlighting the academic achievements and contributions of African-Americans.”
Jones hopes the accomplished awardees serve as role models for thousands of minority students in the Lehigh Valley to encourage them to follow in their footsteps and strive for educational excellence.
Partners of My Brother’s Keeper and sponsors of the event included the African American Business Leaders Council of the Chamber of Commerce, Allentown School District, City of Allentown, Community in Schools, Greater Shiloh Church, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Lehigh County, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the United Negro College Fund.