Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 4-26-19

Feature
Educator To Receive USF’s ‘Distinguished Citizen Award’
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Ms. Doretha Wynn Edgecomb was surprised and overwhelmed, when she received a letter recently from the Office of the President, University of South Florida, Judy Genshaft, President.
The letter announced that she would be presented the University’s “Distinguished Citizen Award” during the Spring Commencement Exer- cises on Saturday, May 4, 2019. This is the highest non- academic award the university bestows on persons who have demonstrated public service to the USF Community.
In part, the letter from President Genshaft said: “Your dedication to education at all levels in the greater Tampa Bay Area through your honorable service as a teacher,
administrator, and board member has been impactful... I look forward to presenting you with this award and to share your good works with our graduates, their parents and friends, and members of the USF family.”
President Genshaft is ending 19 years as President of USF.
Of being the award recipi- ent, Ms. Edgecomb said, “I am incredibly honored and humbled by this award and recognition. It will be an excit- ing day for my family and friends and without a doubt, I will be experiencing an unbe- lievable time in my life. I am grateful to President Gen- shaft for bestowing this honor on me and for her appreciation of my life’s work. My best wishes to her as she ends 19 years at USF. She has been an amazing leader.”
MS. DORETHA EDGECOMB ...To receive USF’s highest non-academic award
Although slightly removed from education, Ms. Edge- comb says education is a con- tinuous process. The Tampa native committed herself to 52 years in education. She was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board in 2004 and served for 12 years. Four of the five generation of educa-
tors in her family have served in the same district.
After graduating with hon- ors from Middleton Senior High School, she attended and graduated from Talladega Col- lege, Talladega, AL.
In 1964, she began her ca- reer as a junior high school English teacher and ended her career in 1996 as the Principal of Robles Elementary School.
After retiring from the Hillsborough School District, she began a second career as a Trainer and Program Devel- oper, working with State De- partments of Education, school districts, and schools in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands for Educa- tional Testing Service.
She has also taught reading courses to pre-service teachers in the College of Education at the University of South Florida.
During her tenure on the school board, she served as chair in 2011 and held a vari- ety of leadership positions at the local, state, and national levels.
Ms. Edgecomb has re-
ceived numerous awards and recognitions for her unwaver- ing commitment and voice to ensure that all students re- ceive a high quality education and that they have every op- portunity and support to help them reach their potential and dreams.
Passion for the work, serv- ice to others, and leading by example are the principles that have guided her professional career: living her faith and serving her God, loving and appreciating her supportive family and friends, and appre- ciating each day have been key to her life’s journey, she ex- plained. She retired in Novem- ber, 2016.
Ms. Edgecomb was mar- ried to the late Judge George E. Edgecomb and they have one daughter, Allison, an ad- ministrator in the Hillsbor- ough County Public Schools middle school department. She and her daughter are ac- tive and involved members of Hyde Park United Methodist Church and proud members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019