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UT Association Names Scholarship for Joseph Sommerville,
PhD
Sojourner’s Truth Staff
On Monday, November 7 the
University of Toledo’s Association of Black Faculty and
Staff held a gathering to honor one of its founders, Joseph
Sommerville, PhD, and renamed its scholarship fund after the
longtime professor and community leader.
The dedication, according
to UT’s Anthony Quinn, Ph.D. “summarized the fact of Dr.
Sommerville’s leadership on campus and off campus.” Quinn
was the organizer of the renaming ceremony which was
attended by about 100 members of the faculty and staff, the
Alpha Phi Boule (Sommerville’s fraternity) and St. Paul
Missionary Baptist Church (Sommerville’s church).
Sommerville, a Birmingham,
AL native, earned his undergraduate degree from Morehouse
College and, later, three degrees from the University of
Michigan – a master of science in biology, an educational
specialist degree and a master of arts in elementary school
administration. He then earned a doctorate in educational
administration and supervision.
Sommerville joined UT in
1970 and spent 27 of his 48 year career in education there.
He served as associate professor until 1975, then as
professor of education from 1975 to 1992, as chairman of the
Department of Educational Leadership, and, after his
retirement in 1992, as professor emeritus of Administration
and Supervision.
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Olivia and Joseph Sommerville Vince Davis
Joseph Sommerville and Helen Cooks |
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Five years ago, Quinn and
Willie McKether, PhD, started a program on campus called
“Brothers on the Rise,” which is a mentoring program for
male UT students. They recruited the assistance of Alpha Phi
Boule and, of course, Sommerville stepped up as usual to
lend a hand.
“It’s an honor that’s well deserved,” said Quinn of the
scholarship renaming.
Said McKether of the
reason for bestowing the honor on Sommerville: “Just the
fact that over his years at UT he educated a good number of
teachers and educators – leaders in various school districts
– his influence was profound.”
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