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Women of Distinction

to my wonderful grounding family had taught me that the
from my parents and our way to success and upward
community, school helped to mobility was through edu-
shape who I am as a woman. cation. My parents’ vision,
I didn't understand what I and their belief, was that we
was learning at the time, but could do better than they did
I learned what it meant to be in their generation. With the
a woman, a woman leader of discipline I had learned at
courage, a leader with integ- home and school, I was able
rity, someone of distinction. to navigate my way through
Also, someone who, from my four years at Barry.”
Photos by Dawn Nicoli / Nicoli Productions trators, and definitely in our language. “I taught Spanish
time to time, would need to
After graduation, Diane
returned home to Jamaica,
go against the grain. I saw
where she taught foreign
that in my teachers, adminis-
-Spanish grammar, structure,
principal.”
conversation, and some
What Diane learned was
elements of cultural studies.
how to speak up and speak
I did that for a short time and
out at important times when
then began thinking about
things needed to be said.
graduate school.”
Whether in the educational
Diane went on to Howard
sphere, a faith community,
to obtain her graduate de-
members her teachers talking
Dr. Diane or in a political arena. She re- University in Washington, DC
about globalization and how
gree. “Howard had the cours-
important it was for them, not es for which I was searching.
so much as young women,
My department was called
Forbes but as people growing up in Human Communication
the world to be able to work,
Studies, and focused on how
learn, and lead in a global and people interact, the dynamics
of human behavior, the kind
increasingly complex global
Berthoud environment. of conflicts that emerged,
how we can resolve those
When Diane was 17, a
foundation from the US, with
Jamaican heritage, came to conflicts and move towards
the betterment of humanity.”
her high school. They were Diane spent five years at
Assistant Vice Chancellor interested in sponsoring a Howard University earning
University of California San Diego student who would attend a her masters and a PhD. “I was
liberal arts college in Miami fortunate to be able to take
By Judith A. Habert called Barry University. They many courses in psychology
asked for those who were while at Howard. These were
interested to write an essay more in depth and granular
to share their thoughts about courses in the psychology of
T IS NOT USUAL THAT THE studying in the U S, and high- gender, psychology of race,
Ilessons learned in school er education in general. the kinds of things that would
sometimes take time to “I competed for the schol- tell me why people behaved
resonate in our lives. Dr. Diane arship and I won this amazing in a particular way.”
Forbes Berthoud found this to opportunity. I received a full During the process Diane
be the case. Born and raised scholarship for the full four made some great friends,
in Jamaica, Diane attended a years, as well as room and learned from wonderful
girls’ college prep school from board and books at no cost. mentors, and began thinking
the age of 11 until she turned It was a tremendous blessing about what she might do
17. “I would say in addition and a great opportunity. My to make a difference in the

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