Alumni at Aquinas College

We celebrate individuals and partner organizations who have demonstrated significant service to Aquinas College at the annual Welcome Home Reception and Awards Celebration.

2021 Recipient

Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh

The Alumni Association Leadership Council honors Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh with the Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh is an award-winning, international scholar who is passionate about helping vulnerable children and parents who are often left out in the educational system. Her life embodies education, and she believes in using early childhood education and authentic parent engagement to ensure that our community’s children have access to quality, early learning opportunities.

Dr. Ezeh is professor of education at Aquinas College and the founder and pedagogical leader of the landmark Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC) – a trusted, place-based, early learning collaborative that provides funding, innovative shared support services, and advocacy to partner organizations rooted in vulnerable communities. Through its successful dual-generational model, ELNC and its partners provide family support and high-quality, culturally competent, early childhood educational services to at-risk families. Her life purpose is to ensure that teachers are able to educate ALL children and that vulnerable children are ready for kindergarten.

Dr. Ezeh’s work has taken her across the globe to train teachers and empower parents and to the state government to testify and advocate for vulnerable children. She recently published her memoir – Nwaenyi: Child of an Elephant; Lessons Learned from My Father, a Nigerian Chief, about Child Development and Affirmations.

Eligibility

• Individuals or partner corporations/organizations of the College shall be eligible for the award.
• Time, effort, and monetary gifts on behalf of Aquinas College shall constitute the criteria in considering a candidate for the award. The award may recognize one, two, or three of these elements.
• The Outstanding Alumnus/Alumna award shall be presented at the Awards Gala during Homecoming Weekend.

Past Recipients