Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 6-2-17

Local
High School Athlete Dies While Swimming In Lake
African-American Female Named President Of St. Petersburg College
The death of a Tampa teenager who died last Satur- day is being investigated as an accidental drowning. The incident took place at the Hard Rock Cycle Park in Ocala.
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a rock quarry at the motocross park around 11 a.m. When they ar- rived, they were told that a teenager had been swimming and did not resurface.
The teenagers told deputies that 18-year-old Zachary Isiah Newton
ZACHARY ISIAH NEWTON 1/16/1999 to 5/27/2017
had become exhausted after
swimming across the lake. Several fire rescue personnel responded to the scene and attempted to locate New- ton, but without success. His body was found a few hours later.
According to his obituary, Newton was the son of Glenn and Pamela New- ton, of Tampa. He is sur- vived by four siblings, uncles, aunts, other relatives and friends.
He was a native of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, and was a member of the King High School Football Team.
Wilson’s Funeral Home is in charge of handling arrangements. Funeral serv- ices for Newton will be held on Saturday (See Funeral Page).
DR. TONJUA WILLIAMS
In a special meeting Wednesday morning, the Trustees of St. Petersburg College voted unani- mously for Dr. Tonjua Williams
A unanimous vote by the Trustees of St. Petersburg Col- lege led to the election of Dr. Tonjua Williams as the 7th president of the college. She is the first African-American and first female to hold the posi- tion.
Dr. Williams has a his- tory of 30 years at the college, and has risen through the ranks, serving in many capac- ities. Prior to becoming presi- dent, she was the Senior Vice President of Student Services. She also served as VP of Aca- demic and Student Affairs and Provost of the Tarpon Springs Campus.
A graduate of Boca Ciega High School, Dr. Williams started early preparing for her future life. She furthered her education at Clearwater Chris- tian College, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Busi- ness Administration and Hu- manities. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Coun- selor Education from the Uni- versity of South Florida and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Barry University.
Dr. Williams has also taken several courses in lead- ership training. Just recently she became a 2017 graduate of the Aspen Presidential Fellow, and completed the program as a member of the inaugural class.
The wife of Derrick Williams and daughter of Mrs. Willie Harris, she is very active in her community and has received many awards and recognitions.
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2017