- Posted in All University
- Category: Students
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA ~ What defines our life? What drives us to succeed? And when do we develop a personality?
The experts say it is usually at different points of our life that we discover the “meaning” of life; that we are driven to success by material goals; and that we develop a personality as we realize our “individual differences.”
For Donnell Bolds, of North Philadelphia, however, the three events intersected at the corner of “Concerned and Dedicated Professors” and “Staff and Other Students” on the campus of Lincoln University, in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Bolds was among 470 proud students receiving their degrees at Lincoln’s commencement on May 4. Bold’s pride is probably based on Lincoln’s distinguished legacy and commitment to excellence.
Bolds said that his education at Lincoln – the nation’s first Historically Black University – goes beyond his baccalaureate degree in Political Science. Lincoln, which is noted for preparing learners and producing leaders, has “prepared me for life,” he said.
“My professors were concerned enough about me to push me to succeed in and out of the classroom,” Bolds said. “They dedicated themselves to teaching me and the other students the values and rewards of working hard.”
Interacting almost daily with Lincoln’s diverse staff and students, Bolds said, made him realize that people are a lot more alike than he had thought. At Lincoln, Bolds, the once shy, tall and gangly kid from North Philly, blossomed.
He joined and excelled for three years on Lincoln’s tennis team. He turned to the University’s radio station, WWLU, to have his own talk show.
What was the name of his show?
“The Love Down Under,” said Bolds, who aspires to a career as a syndicated radio personality. “We discussed relationships.”
In exhibiting leadership qualities, Bolds also served as the station’s program director. Starting in June, the new Lincoln graduate will start a career as a high school academic advisor for Communities In Schools, in Philadelphia. The non-profit group is the nation's largest dropout prevention organization. Championing the connection of needed community resources with schools, the organization helps young people learn, stay in school and prepare for life.
In short, working at Communities In Schools should be a natural fit for Bolds.
“I want to share with others what I’ve learned about learning and life at Lincoln,” Bolds said. “I want to give back something of myself.”
Founded in 1854, Lincoln University is a premier, historically Black University that combines the best elements of a liberal arts and sciences-based undergraduate core curriculum and selected graduate programs to meet the needs of those living in a highly technological and global society. The University is nationally recognized as a major producer of African Americans with undergraduate degrees in the physical sciences (biology, chemistry and physics); computer and informational sciences; biological and life sciences. Lincoln has an enrollment of 2,423 undergraduate and graduate students.