May 7, 2008
Lincoln Graduate Credits University
with Defining His Life
and Developing His “Winning” Personality
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.
Lincoln
University of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
1570 Baltimore Pike, P.O. Box 179, Lincoln University, PA 19352 \
(484) 365-8000
