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Black Alumni Council

The primary purpose of the Black Alumni Council is to:

Engage alumni from the UT Martin campus in lifelong relationships with each other, current students, faculty, trustees, and administrators.

Provide valuable programming and services to enhance mentorships.

Serve as the medium of communications between the University and the alumni collectively.

Promote Black alumni participation and the University’s constituencies.

Play an active role in the fundraising activities for the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund.

2022-2023 Officers

April Armstrong (’04)

President

Tonya Parson (’93)

Past President

Sarah Parker Edwards (’82)

Secretary

LaToya Brewer (’07)

Treasurer

2022-2023 Active Members

Levi Pointer (’94)

Kmily Manns (’92)

Kiva
Taylor (’97)

Darrell Davis (’07)

Tanika Lester (’93)

Michelle Boyd (’91)

Civil Watkins (’92, ’94)

Mitch Pollard (’93)

Tonya Parson (’93)

Past President

The Outstanding Alumni Award is given in recognition of an alumnus or alumna for outstanding achievement in his/her chosen profession. “Outstanding Achievement” describes Tonya Parson. In 2016, Parson became president of the UT Martin Black Alumni Association and in 2018 was selected to serve on the UT Alumni Association’s Women’s Council. She is a 1993 UTM graduate and earned a degree in biology. She earned a master’s degree from the UT Health Science Center and now, with her husband, owns and operates Passport Health, a travel immunization franchise in Memphis. Friends, your Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient, Mrs. Tonya Parson.

Sarah Parker Edwards (’82)

Secretary

Sarah Parker Edwards received a BS in Social Work in 1982 and a Master of Business Administration in 2012 at Bethel University. Edwards began a career in the provision of services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 1986. For over 30 years she has served in numerous roles within the field; she started her career at Community Developmental Services in Martin, and 12 years later she returned to her hometown of Memphis. Edwards met her husband at UTM in 1978 and they married in 1984. They have three children who all received undergraduate degrees at UTM.

Black Alumni Council endows scholarship, give awards at gala

UT Martin’s Black Alumni Council raised $25,000 during the council’s first inaugural scholarship fundraising gala June 25 in Memphis. The gala, themed “A Salute to Black Excellence,” served over 100 guests and successfully endowed the Black Alumni Scholarship.

Levi Pointer (’94)

Dr. Leviticus S. Pointer graduated with a BFA in Commercial Art and was very active on the UT Martin campus. While there, he served as a Pep Leader, Student Ambassador, the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee (Chancellor’s Perry & Dunagan), and worked in the Office of Admissions. He has served in all capacities as an educator: AP Studio Art Instructor, Assistant Principal and Principal; in all educational settings-Alternative, Optional & Traditional-Grades K-12. He is known throughout the state as one of the leading ‘Turnaround Specialists,’ has received numerous awards, has presented on multiple leadership topics, mentors aspiring administrators, and works with numerous community collaboratives within Shelby County. He received both his Master of Science and Educational Doctorate Degree from the University of Memphis. He is currently representing UTM Alumni on the Board of Governors National Alumni Association for the University of Tennessee systems.

Kiva Taylor (’92)

Kiva Taylor graduated with a BA in Communications with a Minor in Business Administration. She was a member of the Track and Field Team from 1993-1995. From 1995-1997 she worked as an R.A. in McCord Hall and participated in the BSA gospel choir, where she served as president 1996-1997. Currently she’s entering her 17th year with Shelby County Schools as a classroom teacher.

Tanika Lester (’93)

Tanika Lester graduated in 1993 with a BS in Education and minor in Business Administration. She later completed her Master of Science in Education in 1995. Tanika began her education career as a business technology teacher with Memphis City Schools. She has also served as an assistant principal, business technology advisor, and is currently the manager for the Division of College, Career & Technology Education.