Jackie Jenkins-Scott is the thirteenth President of Wheelock College

(AANEWSWIRE)Boston, March 21, 2005 - Wheelock College announces the inaugural celebration of Jackie Jenkins-Scott as the thirteenth president of the College and the first African-American President in the College’s 116-year history. Inauguration activities will be held April 7, 8, and 9, 2005, on the Wheelock College campuses with the formal inauguration ceremony at 2 PM on Friday, April 8, 2005. The ceremony will be in the Lucy Wheelock Auditorium, 180 The Riverway, in Boston, Mass..

Jenkins-Scott was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Education from Wheelock College in 2003, when she served as the Commencement speaker. She also holds Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Northeastern University, Bentley College and Mount Ida College. Jenkins-Scott served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dimock Community Health Center in Roxbury, Mass., from 1983 until 2004. Previous to that she held several positions with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Departments of Public and Mental Health. As community leader, public health advocate and innovative administrator, she has been a nationally known figure for the past twenty-five years. Jenkins-Scott has served on many civic and community boards. She has received numerous awards and citations including the 2004 Pinnacle Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the 2004 Alumni Award from Boston University. She received degrees from Eastern Michigan University, Boston University and did a Post Graduate Research Fellowship at Radcliffe College.

The theme of the inauguration is "Global Reach-Local Touch: A Commitment to Children and Families." All activities will highlight this theme and will illustrate how Wheelock College serves this purpose every day. Two Presidential Awards, one to local recipient, Hubert E. Jones, and one to an international recipient, Chan Lin Ho, will be given during the three-day celebration.

About Wheelock College
Wheelock College, a private college with a public mission, is recognized as a national leader in its professional fields: child life, social work, and education. Wheelock carries out this mission - to improve the lives of children and their families - by providing a sound education in the arts and sciences and in the professions. The College was founded as an institution with a focus on early childhood education. Its mission has since expanded to meet the evolving needs of children, their families, and society, and is sustained by the College’s academic programs and involvement in the life of many communities. Offering outstanding professional preparation in education, child life, and social work, Wheelock has come to be recognized nationally and internationally as one of the top institutions preparing early childhood professionals.