Department of English & Modern Languages Helps Bring a National Legacy of Service and Leadership to a New Generation

Members of the National Council of Negro Women’s Alabama A&M University Collegiate Section gather behind NCNW leaders and AAMU faculty advisers. Seated, from left, are Dr. Lynn Washington; Dr. Kendra Lee, NCNW Alabama Coalition president; Dr. Lois Keith, NCNW national chair; Dr. Charlotte Teague; Charlotte Canady-Slater; and Dr. Yolanda Toney. Washington, Teague, Canady-Slater and Toney serve as AAMU English faculty advisers.
November 02, 2026

A Legacy of Service, a New Generation of Leaders: AAMU Charters NCNW Collegiate Section

Alabama A&M University recently celebrated a new chapter in student leadership with the chartering of its National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Collegiate Section. Held in the Clyde Foster Multipurpose Room, the ceremony united NCNW’s legacy of service, advocacy, and sisterhood with AAMU’s enduring motto, “Service Is Sovereignty.”

The occasion carried a meaningful connection to the University. Dr. Lois Keith, chair of NCNW’s Board and a 1972 AAMU alumna, returned to her alma mater to lead the official chartering, present the charter, and install the section’s officers. Her participation linked generations of leadership while welcoming AAMU students into a national community committed to advancing women, families, and communities.

NCNW National Chair Dr. Lois Keith swears in Symone Higgins as an officer of the AAMU Collegiate Section.
NCNW National Chair Dr. Lois Keith swears in Symone Higgins as an officer of the AAMU Collegiate Section.

Reflecting on the occasion in a Facebook post, Keith recalled entering Alabama A&M as a 17-year-old freshman and returning decades later to welcome a new generation of leaders into NCNW.

“The beautiful young charter members of NCNW are destined for greatness and they are indeed our future leaders,” Keith wrote.

Sponsored by the Department of English & Modern Languages, the section came to fruition through collaboration among student organizers, faculty advisors, and NCNW leadership. Dr. Charlotte C. Teague, associate professor and department chair, serves as founding advisor, and Dr. Lynn Washington, assistant professor of English, serves as lead advisor. Departmental advisors Dr. Yolanda Toney and Ms. Charlotte Canady-Slater rounded out the faculty team supporting the section’s establishment.

Dr. Kendra Lee, president of the NCNW Alabama State Coalition, provided additional leadership and support, helping connect the new collegiate section to the organization’s statewide community.

Washington emphasized the importance of students understanding NCNW’s legacy and their capacity to carry it forward.

Jadah Rice shakes hands with NCNW National Chair Dr. Lois Keith during the AAMU Collegiate Section’s officer installation.
Jadah Rice shakes hands with NCNW National Chair Dr. Lois Keith during the AAMU Collegiate Section’s officer installation.

“We want them to understand the legacy they are joining and recognize their own capacity to carry it forward. Our role as advisors is to support them as they turn their ideas, talents, and commitment into meaningful action,” Washington said.

The ceremony honored the legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and Dr. Dorothy I. Height, connecting the chartering members to generations of Black women whose leadership expanded opportunities through education, advocacy, and collective action. Establishing the section at AAMU gives students a new avenue to carry that work into campus and community life.

University President Dr. Daniel K. Wims delivered the welcome, while representatives of NCNW’s Huntsville Section and Alabama State Coalition brought greetings. Members of the collegiate executive board reflected on the journey to chartering and the organization’s legacy.

Inaugural officers of the National Council of Negro Women’s Alabama A&M University Collegiate Section, from left: Alana Tolbert, president; Madison Crook, first vice president; Natayah Parker, second vice president; Nadia Portis, recording secretary; Tania Woods, corresponding secretary; Jada Maxfield, financial secretary; and Haeley Smith, chaplain.
Inaugural officers of the National Council of Negro Women’s Alabama A&M University Collegiate Section, from left: Alana Tolbert, president; Madison Crook, first vice president; Natayah Parker, second vice president; Nadia Portis, recording secretary; Tania Woods, corresponding secretary; Jada Maxfield, financial secretary; and Haeley Smith, chaplain.

Leading the inaugural officers is Charter President Alana Tolbert, a second-generation Bulldog from Camp Hill, Alabama, majoring in English with a concentration in pre-law. Serving alongside Tolbert are:

  • Madison Crook, First Vice President
  • Natayah Parker, Second Vice President
  • Nadia Portis, Recording Secretary
  • Tania Woods, Corresponding Secretary
  • Jada Maxfield, Financial Secretary
  • Symone Higgins, Parliamentarian
  • Haeley Smith, Chaplain

For the Department of English & Modern Languages, sponsoring the section reflects a commitment to preparing students to lead beyond the classroom. The collaborative effort created a space where students can strengthen their voices, develop leadership skills, build lasting relationships, and put service into practice.

The chartering marks both an achievement for Alabama A&M and a beginning for its newest student leaders. Standing on the shoulders of the women who built NCNW’s legacy, AAMU’s charter members now have an opportunity to make their own contributions through service on campus and throughout the wider community.

Members of the National Council of Negro Women’s Alabama A&M University Collegiate Section gather behind NCNW leaders and AAMU faculty advisers. Seated, from left, are Dr. Lynn Washington; Dr. Kendra Lee, NCNW Alabama Coalition president; Dr. Lois Keith, NCNW national chair; Dr. Charlotte Teague; Charlotte Canady-Slater; and Dr. Yolanda Toney. Washington, Teague, Canady-Slater and Toney serve as AAMU English faculty advisers.

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