Alumni of Color Celebration

The annual College of Education Alumni of Color Celebration honors historical milestones and contributions from alumni, students, faculty, and staff of Color to the College of Education. This event also serves as a way to create a community for alumni/faculty of color, and provides a space for networking and fellowship while raising funds for the Elaine Johnson Coates '59 Scholarship. 

Alumni of Color Celebration banner

2025 Celebration 

This year's celebration will take place on May 15th on campus at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center. Register now. 

 This event is a fundraiser for the Elaine Johnson Coates '59 Scholarship Fund. 

 If you have questions about this event, please email coeadvancement@umd.edu

2024 Celebration Event album 

Event Sponsors

This event supports the Elaine Johnson Coates ’59 Scholarship. Ms. Johnson Coates a College of Education Alumna who was also the first  African American undergraduate student to graduate from the University of Maryland College Park. The scholarship provides merit-based scholarships for undergraduate students in the College of Education who promote racial diversity in the College of Education through activism, service or who have distinguished themselves through research. 

Elaine Johnson Coates '59 Level - $1,000

This level is named after the first Black student to receive an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park (1959 B.S. Education). This level includes (1) Recognition for individual or company during event program (2) Name/logo listed on event web page

Rose Shockley Wiseman '51 Level - $500

This level is named after the first Black student to receive graduate degree from the the University of Maryland, College Park (1951 M.A. Education). This level includes (1) Recognition for individual or company during event program (2) Name/logo listed on event web page

John Francis Davis '51 Level - $250 

This level is named after the first male Black student to receive a graduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park (1951 M.A. Education). This level includes (1) Recognition for individual or company during event program (2) Name listed on web page

M.Lucia James Level - $100

First black faculty member at the University of Maryland, College Park (1965 Associate Professor of General Education and Director of the College of Education's Curriculum Laboratory). This level includes (1) Recognition on event webpage 

 

Elaine Johnson Coates Dean's Circle Level

Elaine Johnson Coates '59 & Tamara Coates-Walker '87
Dr. Sharon Fries-Britt '81, Ph.D.'94
Gary Michael
Dr. Rachel Petty, Ph.D. '81
Dr. Clemmie Solomon Jr., Ph.D. '96

Elaine Johnson Coates '59 Level 

Alison Binder
Ellen Gaske
Jody Olsen 
Jeanne Branthover
Gretchen Vanderveer
 

Rose Shockley Wiseman '51 Level

Delores Harvey 
John and Patricia Koskinen
Nancy Leber
Ebony Terrell Shockley, Ph.D. '12
Kurt Sudbrink

John Francis Davis '51 Level

Melanie Folstad 
Cheryl Garnette
Debra Munk 
Hasan Solomon
Selvon Waldron, M.A. '20

M. Lucia James Level

Lillian L. Alston
Aishah Briscoe, M.Ed.'12
Miriam Matthews Clark
Jennifer Killberg
Lynnette Smith 
Jean Snell
Yolanda Wilson
 

If you or your organization would like to support through a sponsorship, please contact Kurt Sudbrink at sudbrink@umd.edu

Elaine Johnson Coates Dean's Circle Level


Elaine Johnson Coates '59 & Tamara Coates-Walker '87
Dr. Sharon Fries-Britt '81, Ph.D.'94
Dr. Clemmie Solomon Jr., Ph.D. '96

Elaine Johnson Coates '59 Level 


Dr. Kimberly Griffin Haynes, M.A. '01
Dr. Rachel Petty, Ph.D. '81

Rose Shockley Wiseman '51 Level


Cheryl Garnette, M.A. '78
Dr. Ebony Terrell Shockley, Ph.D. '12

John Francis Davis '51 Level


Gail Epps, Ed.D. '13
Hasan Solomon
Selvon Waldron, M.A. '20

M. Lucia James Level

Aishah Briscoe, M.Ed.'12
Carlos Beato, Ed.D. '19
Kia and Jean-Paul Cadet
James Davis
Segun Eubanks, Ed.D. '12
Nihat Polat
Lynnette Smith 
Ayesha Swann-Brown

 

Diversity and Inclusion logo
Nymburu Cultural center logo
COE logo

 

 

 

 

$1000 Level Sponsors

Tamara Coates-Walker '87
Melanie Folstad '92
Dr. Sharon Fries-Britt '81, Ph.D.'94
Dr. Clemmie Solomon, Ph.D.'96 

$500 Level Sponsors 

Gloria Davidson '67, M.Ed.'69, MLS '76
Elaine Johnson-Coates '59
Dr. Beverly O'Bryant M.A. '74, Ph.D. '99
Dr. Rachel Petty, Ph.D. '81
Daniel Schwab 

$250 Level Sponsors

Cheryl Garnette '75, M.A.'78
Hasan Solomon 
Dr. Jose M. Torres '83, M.Ed.'85, Ph.D. '99
Enrique Young '97

Diversity and Inclusion logo

 

Nymburu Cultural center logo

 

COE logo

 

 

 

 

$1000 Level Sponsors

Dr. Sharon Fries-Britt '81, Ph.D.'94
Rachel Petty, Ph.D. '81
Dr. Clemmie Solomon, Ph.D.'96 

$500 Level Sponsors 

Michelle Cooper, Ph.D.'06
Daniel Schwab 

$250 Level Sponsors

Doug Anthony '92, M.Ed.'01, Ed.D.'16
Dian Carter '93 
Gloria Davidson '67, M.Ed. '69
Hasan Solomon 

$100 Level Sponsors 

Gwendolyn Dorsey '84, M.Ed.'88
Viola Gonzalez
Erika Magana '10
Yvette Mozie-Ross, Ph.D.'11
Michelle Newton '09, M.Ed.'13
Norka Padilla '87
Nicole Ray '02
Andrea Thomas, M.A. '99
Jamie Washington, Ph.D. '93
Enrique Young '97
Toyia Younger Ph.D. '09