As I reflect on my life and career, images of family, church, and school are prominent. The fundamental development of who I am begins with my family. My parents modeled a deep spiritual faith, a tremendous work ethic, and the need for family to work and play together. My father’s favorite words were “hard work builds character.“ Looking back, that just might have been his ploy to get the work done, it worked. Seven children were disciplined to be good Christians and citizens and all that that required.

I attended Fuquay Elementary School, completed the eighth grade at Holly Springs Elementary, and then Fuquay Consolidated School High School, graduating in 1960. Four siblings preceded me at Fuquay, some of the same teachers taught me. These teachers had set high expectations of discipline, achievement and competitiveness. They knew, through personal experiences that in order to be successful, we would need to be able to compete in the larger evolving society. And though Fuquay Consolidated School, was a small rural school, it provided a solid foundation for its graduates to be competitive in both predominately black and white colleges and universities. See the honor roll of teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, administrators (in both public and private enterprises), military and skilled craftsmen who attended both of these schools.

I graduated from Fuquay Consolidated High School, valedictorian of my class. My valedictorian speech went something like this “I was bom in a slum but I can change that, I was bom a poor girl but I can become a Rockefeller,“ rather materialistic for a 17 year old but that was my narrow world view. While considering career choices in high school, one of my favorite teachers, Mr. W. A. Perry, recently deceased, made this profound statement, “Booker you are smart, you should be a doctor.“ My mother had wanted to be a nurse but she was not able to fulfill her dream. Before graduation, I applied for entrance to Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing in Durham, North Carolina to become a Registered Nurse. Nursing required intellect, perseverance, patience and discipline; I felt well prepared.

Today, I am a Registered Nurse and a Doctor of Education, Mr. Perry‘s belief in my capacity to achieve, coupled with the “look” from Miss Lee and many other teachers were inspirational and influential in my career development. The environment at Fuquay was nurturing, encouraging and challenging to always do your best. Teachers at Fuquay Consolidated instilled in us the value of community, good citizenship and the spirit of giving back to help your fellow man and community. The past 30 years of my career have been oriented around this quote “The greatest gift is a portion of thyself” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Almost daily I am greeted by some familiar face from my work as an administrator, clinical nurse or educator, reminding me of some impact I have had on their lives.

I completed Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing, Durham, in 1963, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from North Carolina Central University, Durham, in 1972, a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1973, and a Doctorate of Adult Education from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, 1995. In 2007, I was honored at a “Tea with Trailblazers” at Duke University for my pioneering practice as the first African American Nursing Administrator at Duke University Hospital. I was the Director of Nursing for Duke Hospital South among other nursing and Human Resources positions. My professional nursing and career development responsibilities spanned more than 35 years. Currently I am a part-time instructor at Wake Technical Community College. Among many recognitions and honors especially exciting is that of being A Wharton Fellow, an Executive Nursing Fellowship Program at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

My family gave me the basic foundation, desire and thrust to complete and excel in high school. Fuquay Consolidated School, through the teachers and a nurturing environment, gave me the confidence, inspiration, and competitive spirit to become successful in college and to enter the marketplace. And now in semi-retirement I have returned to my roots in Needmore. I continue to serve my family, church and community, through teaching, mentoring, consulting, health promotion and many other activities.