As her days as president of Mott Community College (MCC) in Flint, Michigan, wind down, Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea is pleased with the impact she and the college have made on the community. In the 10 years of her presidency, Walker-Griffea has had many proud moments, particularly the opening of the Lenore Croudy Family Life Center. The center provides services that students need, such as a childcare center, a food pantry, clothing distribution, and social workers on staff.
Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea
Walker-Griffea’s career in academia began at age 21. After graduating from Oklahoma State University, she accepted a job there for which she was perfect because she was already helping friends graduate in four years as she had by sharing skills and practices.
“We went around the state and started teaching persons in non-traditional areas that college is a possibility and these are the things you need to do,” she says. “I’ve always had this love for trying to help people understand that they can attend college and help them break down the barriers to get there.”
Her undergraduate degree is in radio/television/film: news and public affairs. She earned a Master of Education degree in guidance and counseling and a doctorate in child development (the doctoral program defined child development as continuing until age 21). Each degree continues to be instrumental.
“The radio/television gives me the ability to speak, write, and communicate in a way so that people understand and feel what I believe,” says Walker-Griffea. “I’m a great facilitator. That’s one of my top leadership skills. With the counseling skills, I’m able to have empathy and understand where people are and get them where I need them to be.”
The human development she studied in her doctoral program opened her eyes to what was needed on the college level to ensure student success. She focused on single parents who deal with many variables, developing a model program that helped these students succeed and graduate.
