Featured Golden Graduates
The seventies were such a MEMORABLE ERA at BSU, and I feel very fortunate to have been there from 1971 to 1976.
After graduating, I began my professional career as an accountant. In November of that same year, I married my college sweetheart, Larry Williams, also a 1976 BSU graduate.
I acquired extensive experience at multiple federal agencies. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, manual systems transitioned to automated ones, and I had the opportunity to serve on several transition teams.
Fifty years later, I look back with heartfelt gratitude for Dr. Sammye Miller and Professor Richard Lowery. Their positive energy, care, and guidance prepared me to soar.
I feel so blessed and grateful for my time at BSU: for the education that equipped me for an outstanding career, for the beautiful memories, and for the lifelong friends who have become more than friends — they are FAMILY.
I am now Golden, and I am BSU4LIFE.
Bowie State University will always be the place where everything started for me. It is more than the school I attended — it is the foundation for who I am, what I have accomplished, and how I serve others. As a first-generation college student, arriving on campus was both exciting and intimidating. I was away from home for the first time and uncertain about what to expect, but Bowie State welcomed me with open arms and quickly became my home away from home.
The friendships I built at Bowie became lifelong relationships rooted in love, support, and shared experiences. Those bonds continue to shape my life today. More importantly, Bowie helped me discover my voice, confidence, and purpose. The professors and mentors I encountered challenged and encouraged me to strive for excellence not only academically, but also in leadership, character, and service.
The values instilled in me at Bowie State became the foundation for both my career and community involvement. Those lessons inspired my commitment to advocating for children and families through leadership roles such as President of the Board of Directors for the Maryland Children Alliance, Director of the Child Advocacy Center of Prince George’s County, and Director of Mental Health Services for the Baltimore Child Abuse Center.
Bowie State also strengthened my passion for service and community engagement, including my role as President of the Baltimore Chapter of the Bowie State University National Alumni Association and Sergeant at Arms of the Baltimore County Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Even throughout my career as a federal employee with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the principles of excellence, resilience, and service that Bowie poured into me remained at the center of my work. When I reflect on my journey, I see how deeply Bowie State shaped both my heart and mind. It gave me the opportunity to grow, learn, persevere, and become the woman I am today. I love Bowie State University deeply. It’s my home, my foundation, and the place that set me on the path I’m still walking. Bowie made me who I am, and I carry its spirit with me everywhere I go.
Dr. Colin Cooper ('76)
From 1972 to 1976, BSU was my sanctuary—a place where I was nurtured, challenged, and inspired to excel. As a summa cum laude Psychology major, Miss Junior, and a student-athlete, I thrived under the mentorship of Dr. Ingram and Mr. Lowery, whose guidance shaped both my academic and personal journey.
That strong foundation propelled me to become the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and ultimately led me back to BSU as a tenured professor.
Being recognized as a Golden Graduate is a full-circle moment—one that honors not only my own achievements, but also my family’s legacy as I carry forward the distinction of earning our second college degree. It represents 50 years of excellence, service, and unwavering Bulldog pride.
The journey continues.