Thomas awarded college’s MLK service award

Chuck Thomas has a gift for inspiring students. He is the fitness, recreation and special events coordinator at the Portsmouth Campus Student Center. He is also the unofficial cheerleader for anyone who comes through the doors.

Thomas grew up learning the values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from his mom. “She did her best raising me and my seven sisters on her own,” Thomas said. “Mom didn’t have much money, but she taught us important lessons that have carried me further than anything else ever could have.”

Thomas is TCC’s 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award honoree. The college marks the anniversary of the birth of Dr. King by presenting this award to a staff or faculty member who best exemplifies King’s teachings and example. Thomas will be recognized during a ceremony on Jan. 17 at the Portsmouth Campus Student Center.

“Growing up in Georgia, mom would have us listen to Dr. King and then give a report on what we learned. The things I heard were non-violence, peace, love, respect, dignity and equality,” Thomas said. “As I got older, I realized what those words meant and that’s how I treat anyone walking through our doors – with dignity, respect, customer service and getting them what they need.”

Thomas joined TCC in 2014. Prior to coming to the college, Thomas was with the recreation department for the City of Virginia Beach for 25 years. He is also a proud Navy veteran.

The reason he gives back to the community is that he remembers when he was on the receiving end of people’s kindness. “My teachers and mentors were my guides because I didn’t have a father,” Thomas said. “Now I’m paying it forward and inspiring students to do their best in school and to be active with their physical fitness because that’s a key to reducing stress.”

Thomas is affectionately called “coach” by the many students he mentors and all those who seek him out for life advice.

He was instrumental in helping to launch the Community Feed at TCC on the Portsmouth Campus. Thomas worked from the ground up preparing the space. “Launching the Community Feed was the proudest moment in my career,” he said. “There is such a need for food and TCC is on the front lines meeting urgent needs.”

Thomas also developed “Fit to Feed,” a program that combines fitness with the benefits of the Community Feed. He also participated at “Champions for Change,” a program for young men that provides resources, connections to jobs, and a lot of conversations about dignity and respect.

When he is not mentoring students, Thomas helps senior citizens with their fitness. He started a chair exercise program in his neighborhood and even helped one resident recover from a knee replacement.

“What my mom instilled in me all those years ago has paid off in my adult life. I’m humbled and honored by this award,” he said.

He added, “We are at a time when there is a lot of separation with people. Dr. King made sure we worked through differences and brought people back together. This message is more important now than ever. His work is paying off generations later.”

Thomas sends a shout-out to his mom, Mary Lue, and his wife, Keri Anne, for their part in his success. “When everything is good at home, you feel like you can conquer the world and I’m grateful for all they have done for me.”

TCC announces 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards

Tidewater Community College honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by presenting annual awards to those who embody his teachings and spirit.

The 2023 recipients are:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Award: Chuck Thomas — Fitness, recreation and special events coordinator at the Portsmouth Campus.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Award: Hakeem Folahan Akinleye, a TCC student working toward an Associate of Science in Science.

The two will be honored during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards event on Jan. 17 at 9 a.m. at the Portsmouth Campus Student Center. The event theme is “It Starts with Me: Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems” and the guest speaker is Dr. Kelvin E. Turner, pastor of the historic Zion Baptist Church in Portsmouth and a member of TCC’s MLK steering committee.

Chuck Thomas
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Award

As TCC’s 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award honoree, Thomas has dedicated his life to service.

Thomas was instrumental in establishing the Community Feed at TCC on the Portsmouth Campus. Thomas worked from the ground up preparing the space. “Launching the Community Feed was the proudest moment in my career,” he said. “There is such a need for food and TCC is on the front lines meeting urgent needs.”

“What my mom instilled in me all those years ago has paid off in my adult life. I’m humbled and honored by this award,” he said.

Hakeem Folahan Akinleye
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Award

Hakeem Folahan Akinleye was inspired by the work of Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. while growing up in Nigeria. He relocated to the United States with his parents in the fall of 2021 and started at Tidewater Community College the following spring.

“The ideals of Dr. King influenced me greatly. He was a great man who knew that if you want change you have to let your voice be heard,” Akinleye said. “He is one of the reasons I study hard and keep my grades up. I want to have an informed voice and help bring change where I can.”

MLK scholar Hakeem, 20, continues a long tradition of service to others. The award, now in its 21st year, is designed to recognize a student who best exemplifies Dr. King’s vision and philosophy in his call for unity and equality for all.

“This award is going to have a huge impact on my life. It instills an even greater desire to do more for the next person,” he said.

“One thing I learned from Dr. King is that there is always a chance to do better. All it takes is determination and hard work and togetherness and we can make things as right as we want them to be.”

Hakeem holds a 4.0 GPA and is working on an Associate of Science in Science.

Hakeem helps his classmates as a science and math tutor. He also serves on the Student Government Association and helps with Portsmouth Campus events.

Future plans for Hakeem include nursing school and a career dedicated to making a difference in the community.

“I have always been invested in the health sciences since I was little, and my interest only grows by the day. Also, considering how there are very few black male nurses in the country, I wish to try and change that,” Akinleye said. “I also feel like I’m representing my family by pursuing a career dedicated to helping people.”

Hakeem says his family is his biggest supporter. “My mom has always believed in me and pushed me. My brother also helps me, and my dad motivates me to do better,” Akinleye said. “My extended family supports me, too, and they are all very proud. I am humbled and honored by it all.”

National speaker LaTosha Brown to speak virtually at TCC

Tidewater Community College celebrates Black History Month 2021 with a keynote address by LaTosha Brown, a national speaker, professional moderator and owner of TruthSpeaks Consulting, LLC.

Brown has appeared on a variety of media outlets including MSNBC, ZoomwithOprah.com, CBS, HBO and CNN.

Brown will share a message entitled “Can’t Stop: The Movement for Black Lives in America” with students and the community during a virtual event on Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. To register for the Zoom event visit here.

Brown is a contributor to the “The New York Times” op-ed page and a fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She is also co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund organization.

The program will be followed with a question-and-answer session, moderated by Tiffanye Sledge, TCC professor of sociology and chair of the Portsmouth Campus Faculty Senate.

The national theme for Black History Month 2021 is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity.”

TCC’s Black History Month celebration includes an assortment of virtual events throughout February. All events are open to the public.

Each year, Tidewater Community College honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during Black History Month with a distinguished service award to a TCC faculty or staff member and provides a scholarship to a TCC student. To view the 2021 honorees visit here.

For more information contact Alicia Phillips at aphillips@tcc.edu.

Black History Month Events

Feb. 18 at Noon
Live via Zoom – visit here to register
Distinguished Speaker Series: “The Business of Justice – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion” with Jordyne Blaise, Esq.

Jordyne Blaise, Esq., is a renowned diversity, inclusion and equity consultant and strategist. She earned her bachelors in English, with a minor in African American studies, and her juris doctor from Georgetown University. She is licensed to practice law in the state of Florida. Jordyne’s expertise in Civil Rights enforcement and diversity change management comes from her work with various organizations including Harvard Law School, NC State University and the District of Columbia Government.

*This event is sponsored by the Business, Computer Science and IT Pathway & the Virtual Student Center.

Feb. 18, 21, 25, 28 at various times
Register here for the live Zoom events
African HEAT (Healthy Energetic Authentic Transformation)

African dancer and Zumba Instructor Rita Addico Cohen presents African HEAT, a one-hour dance fitness class that includes cultural details with every step. Cohen is founder and executive director of the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance.

Feb. 21 from 4 – 6 p.m.
Register here for live Zoom event
“Health Equity, Inclusion & the African American Community”

Award-winning filmmaker and health advocate and educator Terrance Afer-Anderson will screen excerpts from “The Black Walnut,” his film about the alarming prostate cancer disparity impacting African American men.

Afer-Anderson will lead a panel discussion on health equity issues in the Black Community. Panelists include Mark Fleming, M.D., past president, Virginia Oncology Associates; Natalie S. Burke, president and chief executive officer, CommonHealth ACTION; Mekbib Gemeda, vice president, diversity and inclusion, Eastern Virginia Medical School; and Angela Mercer, M.D., vice president, Greater Norfolk Medical Society of South Hampton Roads.

Viewers are encouraged to submit questions and comments via the YouTube comments window.

This event is sponsored by My Thoughts. My Voice. My Art and the Arts & Humanities Pathway.

Feb. 23 from 12:30 -1:30 p.m.
Live via Zoom. Password:23501
Empathy Matters

This event was inspired by questions posed by Tidewater Community College students. In looking for answers, a panel of experts address the subject of empathy and its role in restoring balance and fostering positive change. The discussion centers around the power of empathy to transform relationships, circumstances, context and trajectory. Information about TCC student success and support resources developed in response to changing needs will be provided.

This event is sponsored by My Thoughts. My Voice. My Art and the Arts & Humanities Pathway.

Feb. 26 from 11 a.m. – Noon
Live via Zoom
Martin Luther King Jr. Recognition Program

Tidewater Community College honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during Black History Month with a distinguished service award to a TCC faculty or staff member and provides a scholarship to a TCC student. This year’s virtual event includes remarks from featured speaker Ruth Jones Nichols, president and chief operating office, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. Since 1998, Tidewater Community College has presented these awards to faculty, staff and students whose lives best exemplify Dr. King’s visionary legacy.”

For information on additional events celebrating diversity and inclusion visit here.

MLK honorees Professor Gabriela Toletti and student Tomelade Aigbokhan.

MLK scholar on the front lines of community service

Tomilade “Tomi” Aigbokhan was born and raised in Nigeria. She came to the United States in 2012 to join her husband, Vitalese, who is a logistics specialist in the U.S. Navy.

Aigbokhan is the 2021 recipient of Tidewater Community College’s Martin Luther King Jr. student scholarship, which will be presented during a virtual ceremony on Feb. 26.

A nursing student, Aigbokhan’s passion for helping people started at a young age as she witnessed civil unrest and the blight of AIDS and HIV in her country.

After university in Nigeria, she volunteered full-time with a nonprofit group dedicated to helping men, women and children with HIV and AIDS, as well as orphans and those with disabilities. She was also a trainer for the National Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Project, helping young people make good decisions about their personal practices.

Aigbokhan considered a career as a physician but chose nursing because of the hands-on care involved. She plans to earn her Associate of Science in Nursing and then continue for a master’s in public health.

“I have a sister who is a nurse and she has been my inspiration,” she said.

“I’ve enjoyed my studies at the community college because of the resources including the library, laboratories, simulators and even the faculty support,” Aigbokhan said. “Everything is spelled out in the syllabus, so if you manage your time and do the work, you can be successful.”

A woman of faith, Aigbokhan lives by a scripture found in the gospel of Matthew that says, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.”

She continues her volunteer service and lives by the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She currently works with Peninsula Rescue Mission; Mercy Drops Dream Center in Portsmouth; The Community Feed at TCC in MacArthur Center; and in one of Sentara’s COVID vaccine clinics.

“I enjoy getting to know those we are serving, offering an ear and friendship, and even praying with them.”

Aigbokhan would like to ultimately work in public health, giving back to the community.

MLK scholarship recipient: “TCC literally saved my life.”

Jacquelyn Boykins grew up appreciating Martin Luther King Jr.

Today the 66-year-old Tidewater Community College student shares a bond with the legendary Civil Rights leader and reverend.

Boykins is the 2020 recipient of TCC’s Martin Luther King Jr., student scholarship, which will be presented at a ceremony presented by the Intercultural Learning Center at noon on Feb. 28 at the Portsmouth Campus Student Center.

Visiting the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis where King was assassinated late last year moved Boykins. An unfinished cup of coffee on his nightstand inside the Lorraine Hotel and his parked vehicle out front made news footage she had watched and rewatched more personal.

“I’m no stranger to the struggle,” she said. “I lived in the era where we were not able to sit at the counter at Woolworth’s because of the color of our skin. I was one of three people who attended the seventh grade during the first years of integration. I lived through that era, but when I was at that museum, I became that era.”

Applying for the TCC scholarship was almost a calling for the human services student who offers this, “TCC literally saved my life.”

As a clerk for the Norfolk Redevelopment Housing Authority, Boykins witnessed firsthand how treatment of low-income residents with little or no education often left them frustrated. She had been in public housing herself and often felt on the other end of dispassionate treatment. It was a cycle she vowed to change through her own education.

When she applied to TCC, Boykins had been out of school for 50 years. She didn’t finish high school. Her grandparents raised her after she lost her mother at 17. She endured desperate times, surviving domestic violence and succumbing to a depression that led to chronic health problems, including diabetes.

She found assistance through the Open Door Project on the Norfolk Campus, and from here, Boykins thrived.

The federally-funded program helps students with academic performance while providing support services to keep them in school.

“I had never been to a live play; I had never been to a museum,” Boykins said. “TCC changed all that. My hunger for learning accelerated. What I love about TCC is that they’re there every step of the way to encourage you.”

Pleasantly surprised by her ability to make A’s in the classroom, Boykins is finishing up her associate degree in human services and she’d eventually like to transfer to Old Dominion University to work toward a bachelor’s in social work.

“I’d like to volunteer at facilities that don’t have funds to have a social worker,” she said.

Currently, Boykins is an advocate for Chesapeake Crossing, a senior community. She advises tenants of their rights and assists with any paperwork related to Social Security, social services, fuel assistance and voting.

The Chesapeake resident has three adult children, Lena Benn, Sid Boykins Jr. and Sidni Cooper and two grandchildren, John W. Benn III and Elaina Wilson.

She was accompanying Cooper, an author of historical romance whose pen name is Sidni B, to Memphis for a book signing when she visited the Civil Rights museum. She’ll never forget it.

“The somber atmosphere and reverence I felt for Dr. King while I was there – we clicked,” she said. “When I learned about this scholarship, I had no choice but to apply.

“I will use this money to better educate myself in helping people with their life situations.”

English professor awarded college’s MLK service award posthumously

Nita Wood loved books and writing and treated her English students at Tidewater Community College as family.

“She always had someone from TCC for me to meet whenever I came home,” said her son, Claudius, an attorney in Atlanta. “My mother was very, very loving and caring to her detriment. She’d overextend herself sometimes. That’s just how she was.”

Wood, who died on Sept. 3, 2019, is the recipient of TCC’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award. The English professor, who also taught African American literature, started teaching at TCC in 1999.

“Her legacy lives on through the many people she inspired,” said her colleague and good friend, April Campbell, also an English professor. “Her charismatic teaching methods made students feel comfortable and accepted, and many students have praised her for being available and approachable.”

Claudius Wood, who lost his father at 10, credits his mother for seeing him through his early years. He called her a disciplinarian who never raised her voice. Instead, she altered her inflection to take control of the situation, he said.

“When she said it, you understood it,” he said. “She had to guide us into manhood and adulthood. That’s super hard for a woman to do.”

Nita Wood was also a mother to sons Ernest Wood III and DeMarcus Wood and a daughter Keva Hayes. She had one granddaughter Chiyah Wood-Majors and a grandson, Claudius D. Wood II. Nita Wood was a Booker T. Washington graduate who matriculated at Norfolk State University.

Her lesson of treating people the way you want to be treated is reminiscent of many of King’s teachings.

“She would say if you mistreat people, you can’t go back and change it,” Claudius said.

Michelle Woodhouse, provost of the Portsmouth Campus where Wood taught, remembers her friend fondly. “Nita Wood truly lived and exemplified the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” she said. “She believed and fought for equality not only for her children but for her students as well. When I think of Dr. King’s famous quote – ‘I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,’ – I think of Nita, a mother of four who stressed to her children and the students she taught the importance of education and how vital character is in defining who they ultimately become. I have personally witnessed Nita’s passion as evidenced by her consistent backing of campus activities which aided in student retention and success efforts.”

The Chesapeake resident died of cardiac arrest on Labor Day. Claudius Wood, who recently became a father, said losing his mother is the hardest part of his life. He will accept the award on her behalf on Feb. 28 at a ceremony on the Portsmouth Campus. Hayes will also be in attendance.

“My mother lost her mother when she was 7,” he said. “She would always say you can’t sit down when you lose someone; you’ve got to keep moving. We’re trying to do the same thing.”

Original member of Black Lives Matter movement to speak at TCC on Feb. 22

Scholar, activist and playwright Funmilola Fagbamila is the keynote speaker for Tidewater Community College’s 2019 Black History Month celebration. The adjunct professor of Pan African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, is an original member of the Black Lives Matter movement.

She will speak on Feb. 22 at noon in the multipurpose room of the Portsmouth Campus Student Center. Her remarks are titled “Justice Too Long Delayed is Justice Denied: Black History Now.”

Reserve your spot for this free event at www.tcc.edu/BHMkeynote

Dana Singleton in the Portsmouth Campus Student Center. — Dana Singleton

Shanice Mills sitting on the seal in the Portsmouth Campus Student Center. — Shanice Mills

TCC will also honor the recipients of the college’s 2019 Martin Luther King Jr., Recognition Program that afternoon. Dana Singleton, dean of Student Services at the Portsmouth Campus, won the College’s Distinguished Service Award. Nansemond River High School graduate Shanice Mills, who is studying funeral services at TCC, is the scholarship winner.

Both were chosen for exemplifying the teachings and ideals of King.

The national theme for Black History Month, “Black Migrations,” tracks the continuous movement of African Americans from the south to the industrialized north and beyond.

TCC will sponsor an assortment of free, public activities with speakers, films and entertainment at each of its campuses in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach.

Events are subject to change and are on a first-come, first-served basis. For the most up-to-date listing of events, visit www.tcc.edu/blackhistory.

For more information, contact intercultural@tcc.edu or 757-822-7296.

For maps and directions, visit www.tcc.edu/locations.

Finding a way to give back a way of life for Portsmouth’s dean of Student Services

Dana Singleton lives by a simple mantra.

We can all get along, and we can all give back. Service to others isn’t reserved for the wealthy. If you don’t have money to give, you have time or knowledge.

The dean of Student Services at Tidewater Community College’s Portsmouth Campus doesn’t just talk the talk. She walks it, daily, in fact, connecting with students about their classes and concerns.

Fitting that the mother, grandmother and soon-to-be newlywed is the recipient of the college’s Martin Luther King Jr., Distinguished Service Award.

Singleton 58, will be recognized at a Feb. 22 ceremony at the Portsmouth Campus Student Center. The Emporia native expects her parents, Alice and Eddie Moore, brothers, Daryl and Kenneth, and her longtime soulmate, Stan Hathorn, to be in attendance.

“I am so humbled and so honored,” said Singleton, who has been with the college since 2006, first as an adjunct instructor and later as a full-time administrator. Singleton said in addition to the admiration she holds for King, she is honored to join Portsmouth Provost Michelle Woodhouse and Norfolk interim Provost Emanuel Chestnut, both former winners of the TCC award.

Woodhouse and Singleton are longtime friends in addition to being professional colleagues. They met when Woodhouse was assistant principal at Hugo Owens Middle School, where Singleton taught business and technology.

Woodhouse compares their bond to that of Meredith and Cristina from “Grey’s Anatomy.”

“She is my person,” Woodhouse said. “She is so deserving of this award. She found her passion in the school system because the kids loved her.”

Singleton followed Woodhouse to Norfolk State, where the pair worked together for two years, and finally to TCC, where Singleton started as an adjunct instructor and later became the inaugural coordinator of First Year Success in Portsmouth. She started the summer bridge program there, which allows incoming freshmen to earn college credit and participate in orientation during the summer.

Singleton recently spearheaded “Dean’s Dynasty,” a mentorship program for female students at the Portsmouth Campus. The group meets Wednesday afternoons and tackles personal development issues, which include etiquette, health and wellness, healthy relationships and work-school balance.

“After talking to so many young ladies, I realized they needed something like that,” said Singleton, who also mentors high school students as a leader in her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc.

Singleton earned her bachelor’s in business administration from Norfolk State and her master’s in education from Regent University.

Singleton will marry Hathorn, on April 20 in Las Vegas; he will attend the Feb. 22 ceremony. She has one daughter, Codie, and a grandson, Kingston, 2. She is expecting a granddaughter in early February.

“I’m at a good point in my life,” she said. “I like what I do; I love what I do. I’m just blessed.”

MLK scholarship winner’s history of giving dates back to kindergarten

For Shanice Mills, giving back isn’t an idea reduced to special times and holidays.

It’s woven into her life, partly because that’s how her grandparents raised her and also because she knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end.

“You never know when you’re going to need help,” said Mills, recipient of Tidewater Community’s College’s 2019 Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship, which will be awarded on Feb. 22 at a ceremony at the Portsmouth Campus Student Center.

In kindergarten, Mills watched her best friend struggle with proper handwriting. She brought stencils to school as a guide.

“I taught him how to write correctly, to be more legible,” she said. “Next thing I know, my teacher is taking me around, telling people, ‘You wouldn’t believe what she did. She helped Timothy learn how to write!’ I was just being me.”

Mills, 19, remembers accompanying her grandmother to the food pantry at their Chesapeake church to donate nonperishables. She also remembers a visit to the pantry shortly before her 10^th birthday when they were the ones in need. They left with groceries and a cake with pink icing that read “Happy Birthday.”

These days, Mills participates in “Good Works Sundays” at Point Harbor Community Church in Western Branch. Regularly, the church divides volunteers into groups and sends them into the community for projects. On a recent Sunday, she found herself painting and talking with veterans at an apartment building in need of refurbishment.

“They’re just normal people going through a hard time,” Mills said. “You never know when the tables will turn on you.”

The Nansemond River High graduate is in her second semester at TCC, working toward an Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service. That’s a program that also speaks to her desire to give back.

“I want to help people on their worst day,” said Mills, who holds a 4.0 GPA.

Learning about Martin Luther King Jr., has resonated with her as long as she can remember. Mills has been bullied for everything from her hair to the darkness of her skin. A friend of hers committed suicide after suffering relentless online bullying. Mills initiated a social media campaign denouncing cyberbullying afterward.

“I wish there could be a change,” she said. “Martin Luther King talked about social justice and not judging people by the color of their skin. He paved the way for everybody. If he didn’t do what he did, I might not be sitting here today.”