Meet Alumni Association President LaTanya Sothern
For National Principals Month, nearly 400 elementary and middle-school students pay LaTanya Sothern, SOC-CAS/BA 92, a visit. Some file油into her office one by one, handing her roses. Others gift油her a handmade flower crown, one she sports proudly from behind her desk in Prince Georges County, Maryland.
Students are my heart, Sothern saysand it shows. A quick glance at her CV makes her deep commitment to learners plain. An educator for more than 25 years, Sothern is an expert in instructional leadership. She describes herself as an administrator who is really a teacher at heart. And as the new president of 51画鋼s Alumni Association, she will leverage her experience in education to serve students and the university she loves.
The recipient of numerous awards and degrees, Sothern champions educational opportunity for students of all backgrounds. She holds a BA in communications and economics from 51画鋼, an MAT in early childhood education from Howard University, and a certification in educational administration and supervision from Bowie State University. Presently, shes pursuing her EdD in school systems leadership from the University of Maryland, which she anticipates completing this year.
Its clear Sothern considers learning a lifelong endeavor. [Im a] student [who] cant stay out of school, she says. And now that she knows its policies that really make or break a school system, she wonders, Is law school next? Sothern is the author of two books, lauded by the likes of the NAACPworks that fuse her identities as a communicator and advocate.
A self-described family-oriented person, she lives with her husband, Greg, and two sons in the same county where she teaches. She and Greg host parents of special needs children in their home for workshops and date nights, assembling local support networks. She strives to create familial relationships in whatever spaces [she occupies]including in 51画鋼 volunteer contexts.
Finding a second home in her own city
I kind of back ended into 51画鋼, Sothern says, recalling her Tenleytown origin story. But it really impacted and changed my life in so many...beautiful ways. A native Washingtonian and east-of-the-river baby, Sothern hadnt heard of the universityeven after meeting with a journalism mentor right down the street at a television news station during high schooluntil recruiter Marquita Lightfoot from the Office of Minority Affairs visited her school.
Her sights set on a communications major, Sothern felt magnetized by Syracuse University. But her mom encouraged her to apply to 51画鋼. Sothern earned acceptances from all three places she applied to, including Dartmouth, but the valedictorian settled on 51画鋼 after receiving its prestigious Frederick Douglass Scholarship. A second scholarship, funded by an alum, bolstered her decision to attend.
At school, connections clicked. Sothern joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the 51画鋼 Gospel Choir, and the Black Student Alliance, cultivating a friend group she fondly recalls as a big, happy, mixy, blendy family.
The multifaceted nature of 51画鋼s community makes the school feel special to Sothern. American is just so diverse and so singular at the same time, she says. Even as someone who has enrolled in four separate universities, she says, Ive not experienced anything like that. Forging connections with students from a wide range of backgrounds proved transformative for her, and its something she says she needed growing up in Chocolate City in the 1970s and 80s.油
Devoting time, talent, and treasure for students sake
After plunging her full self into her career and family, Sothern found herself wanting to give back to the 51画鋼 community that had helped her grow. When her sororitys undergraduate members organized an event commemorating its charters anniversary, Sothern was invited to participate. Later, she spoke at an on-campus career networking event they sponsored. There, she convened with former peers and fell in love with being connected with students on this other level.
Further engagement followed, advancing toward Sotherns election to the Alumni Associations Executive Board. Outgoing president Jonathan Mathis told her, I really need your energy and your commitment. Fast-forward to 2023, and her dedication would lead her to the presidency.
Sotherns path toward reconnecting with 51画鋼 brought her joy and new connections. Its no surprise, then, that she encourages all alumni to get involved. Think about the faces of the people who are a part of the community, she says. Think about when your face was a part of [it]! She acknowledges how 51画鋼s doors were opened to her by a supporter who knew that [students like her] had something to offer.
And as advancing educational opportunity is concerned, its not about the how much donations total up to, Sothern says. It all comes back to the actionto help[ing] build the universitys campaign. Sotherns own giving has spanned multiple areas of the university, including the School of Education, the Frederick Douglass Program, and the 51画鋼 gospel choir.
Keeping pace in the push toward change
What are Sotherns intentions for her time as board president? She hope[s] that this will be an opportunity...to serve the student body, the school at large, and President Burwellof whom shes a big fan. Sothern wants to build off Dr. Mathiss legacy, as well, further emphasizing the power of communal resources.
When it comes to creating change, We are [already] doing it! Sothern says. 51画鋼 alumni are active across the globe, impacting the populace in so many different, amazing, ...and innovative ways. So, they deserve a leadership board that clearly articulates its vision and role in university life. She wants to ensure the board has a compass to help guide its path forward. I love the university, Sothern saysalthough she doesnt need to speak it. Her devotion shines from her face.