Bennett College for Women June 5, 2012 First Alumna Appointed to Lead Bennett College Dr. Esther Terry '61 is the interim president of Bennett College, making her the first alumna to ever lead the College. Terry was appointed to this position by the Board of Trustees after the resignation of Dr. Julianne Malveaux, 15th president of the College. "Her knowledge and her admiration of Bennett College is one that only an alum can have. I expect Dr. Terry to do a phenomenal job because she is just so invested in this College," said Charles Barrentine, chair of the board of trustees at Bennett College. Dr. Terry's dedication spans more than 50 years, back to a time when the College was steeped in traditionalism and was considered an asset to the Civil Rights Movement. "I know what Bennett was then, what it is now, and I have a good idea of what it can be in the future. Bennett is a growing college, destined to be a first-rate performer on the world stage," she says. Dr. Terry's appointment as interim president follows her three year stint as the College's provost and vice president for academic affairs. During those three years, she is credited for having led in the redesigning of the General Education Curriculum, and for establishing an Honors Program that in its first year saw one of Bennett's students become a finalist as a Rhodes Scholar. Her strong emphasis on strengthening the College's offerings in mathematics and the sciences that undergird the STEM professions and on encouraging faculty to advocate and support student interest in those professions led her to apply to the National Organization of Delta Sigma Theta for a two-year $200,000.00 grant that allowed the College to appoint Dr. Arlene Maclin, a noted physicist, to a two year endowed chair. Dr. Maclin acted as an advisor to the provost in developing strategies for the improvement of the college's science curriculum. Graduation rates as well as graduate school matriculation have increased under her tenure as provost. As interim president, in addition to the day-to-day operations of the College, Dr. Terry also hopes to build stronger external relationships with the Triad community. "Bennett College has been an important part of Greensboro's history, and as we move forward in my interim presidency, I hope to address ways that we may meaningfully contribute to the community's future," she said. Sally Cone, philanthropist and board of trustee member, shared confidence in the interim president's mission. "I think Dr. Terry is going to reach out and embrace this community, and when the community has the opportunity to meet Dr. Terry, I'm sure they will respond in kind, she said. "I don't think the board could have chosen more wisely." The National Alumnae Association President and Bennett trustee, Dr. Lisa Johnson '81 described why she and other alums are supportive of the board's decision. "The Alumnae are pleased and honored to have one of our own as our interim president," she said. "Dr. Terry matriculated at Bennett when it was known as the 'Vassar of the South.' It is wonderful to have someone at the helm who embraces our traditions and will strategically incorporate them into the vision for Bennett College in the future." Joyce Dixon '56, board of trustee member, echoed the enthusiasm of the Bennett alumnae. "She is just a magnet of support from her Bennett sisters, and I for one am so excited to witness what will come from her interim presidency. I am delighted not only because she is a Bennett Belle but also because she is just so very qualified to assume this position." Prior to joining Bennett as its provost, Dr. Terry dedicated nearly four decades as a faculty member and administrator at UMass Amherst. At Amherst, she was a founding member of the department of Afro-American Studies and had an unprecedented 19-year tenure as its Chair; she established that department's graduate program which offers the M.A. and PhD degrees and which is universally cited for the quality of its graduates; she served as the University's Associate Chancellor, Associate Provost for Faculty Relations, and as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life. At UMass, she was named Distinguished Graduate by the English Department, Distinguished Alumni by the alumni association and nominated as Distinguished Teacher by her students. Dr. Terry was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus to note the end of her UMass career. In addition to her B.A. degree in English from Bennett College, Terry holds a M.A. degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the PhD degree from the University of Massachusetts. Her 1966 marriage to Eugene Terry (who also held a PhD in English) ended in his death in 2008. Their one son, Dr. Jules Michael Terry, is a linguist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.