Notable Women Alcornites
In honor of Women’s History Month, Alcorn State University recognizes notable female alumni who have gone on to succeed in their respective fields.
- Myrlie Evers-Williams
- Judge Lillie Blackmon Sanders
- Dr. Voletta Williams
- Beulah Turner Robinson
- Dr. Joyce Bolden
- Dr. LaToya Myles
- Coach Shirley Walker
- Callie Johnson
- Betina Brandon
- Cinda Perryman Jackson
- Dr. Geraldine Young
- Dr. Tiffany M. Lloyd
- Karen Shedrick
- Dr. Tameka Winston
Judge Lillie Blackmon Sanders is a judge for the Sixth Judicial District of Mississippi, which serves Adams, Amite, Franklin, and Wilkinson counties. Sanders was the first female circuit judge in the state of Mississippi.
Dr. Voletta Williams serves as the chairperson for Alcorn’s Department of Biological Sciences. She was the first female, Mississippian, and African American to earn a Doctor of Philosophy as a Southern Regional Education Board Scholar.
Alcorn alumna Mrs. Beulah Turner Robinson in 1888 became the FIRST black woman in the history of the United States to graduate from a state supported college or university.
Dr. Joyce Bolden made significant contributions as the chairperson for Alcorn’s Department of Fine Arts that included spearheading the initial accreditation efforts for the department in 1981. Bolden is also known for initiating scholarships for music majors and music ensemble participants, which has led to hundreds of students benefiting from financial assistance. Bolden served Alcorn for more than 40 years.
Dr. LaToya Myles is the first woman and African American to be named director of the Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division of NOAA’s Air Resources Laboratory. In her role, Myles provides leadership and coordination for atmospheric boundary layer research programs that include dispersion, atmospheric chemistry, and climate observations and analyses that support NOAA’s mission of science, service, and stewardship.
Coach Shirley Walker led the Alcorn Lady Braves basketball team to 493 wins during her 30-year tenure as head coach. Her teams won 12 regular season and six Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) tournament titles and qualified for the NCAA Tournament three times.
Callie Johnson is the first African American female director at Southwest Electric in Lorman, Mississippi. She has served as the at-large director since February 2015 and was recently appointed to represent District 7, which includes Claiborne and Jefferson counties.
Betina Brandon serves as manager of Workforce Development and Diversity at Entergy Corporation in Jackson, Mississippi. Her job is to develop the workforce for local sources of talent with external partners that include school districts, colleges and universities, and more.
Cinda Perryman Jackson is a family nurse practitioner and owner of Prime Health and Wellness Clinic in Fayette, Mississippi. The clinic offers family centered healthcare for adults and children.
Dr. Geraldine Young serves as the chief diversity and inclusion officer at Frontier Nursing University in Kentucky. The school, also known as FNU, is one of the largest not-for-profit universities in the United States for advanced nursing and midwifery education. Young also serves as a board member at large for the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, the only organization specifically devoted to promoting high equality nurse practitioner education.
Dr. Tiffany M. Lloyd is an award winning professor, author, motivational speaker, and social activist. Lloyd was selected as Miss Black Louisiana USA 2008 and 2009. She’s also a 2019 Miss Black USA Legacy Award Honoree.
Karen Shedrick has served as executive assistant to the president for the past 25 years. Before her current role, Shedrick was an administrative assistant to the executive vice president and a secretary/receptionist for the President’s Office. She has served the University for a total of 33 years.
Dr. Tameka Winston serves as the chair for the Department of Communications at Tennessee State University. She is also an award-winning professor for the Department while serving as associate vice president of Research and Institutional Advancement. Winston is a national radio show host on Sirius XM and an accomplished author.