For Immediate Release
September 25, 2023

Media Contact
Contact: Ashley D. Roseboro
Phone: (202) 524-1663
Email: Communications@b-sc.edu

North Carolina- The Board of Trustees and the Office of the President are proud to announce Shavon Arline-Bradley, President and CEO of the National Council of Negro Women as the Fall 2023 Convocation keynote speaker.

In January 2023, Ms. Arline- Bradley was selected to serve as the President & CEO of the National Council of Negro Women as the first in this new infrastructure. She is the President & Founding Principal of R.E.A.C.H. Beyond Solutions LLC (reachbeyondsolutions.com) a strategy and innovation consulting firm designed to expand the leadership and strategic capacity of government, corporation, foundation, and non-profit partners based in Maryland (Washington, DC metro area) She is also a Co-Founder of The Health Equity Cypher Group, a collaborative of nationally recognized health equity experts designed to expand the work of health, equity and diversity & inclusion in all sectors. Shavon personally has over 20 years of professional experience. She served in the Office of the 19th United States Surgeon General (OSG) as the Director of External Engagement and senior advisor. Prior to her tenure in the Office of the US Surgeon General, Mrs. Arline Bradley served as the Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning & Partnerships and Senior Director of Health Programs for the NAACP where she served for 6 years.

The Southern New Jersey native is a public health and social justice advocate and former track and field athlete who earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Master of Public Health degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mrs. Arline-Bradley graduated in May 2016 from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University with a Master of Divinity. Shavon earned an Executive Certificate of Executive Leadership, Business Development and Management from Howard University School of Business and earned an Executive Certificate in Diversity & Inclusion from Cornell University.

The 2023 Fall convocation will take place Friday, October 6, 2023, from 10am ET-12PM ET on the campus of Barber-Scotia College at the Barber-Scotia College Chapel.

Barber-Scotia College was established on January 27, 1867, as Scotia Seminary for African American women in Concord, North Carolina.

In 1916, the name was changed to Scotia Women’s College. In 1930, Barber Memorial College of Anniston, Alabama, merged with Scotia Women’s College. The present name, Barber-Scotia College was adopted in 1932.

On April 2, 1954, the charter of Barber-Scotia College was amended to admit students without regard to ethnicity or gender.

Notable graduates include Mary-McCloud Bethune, Dr. Paulette Dillard, President of Shaw University, and Vivian Ayers Allen, the mother of Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen. The mission of the college has always focused on total student development as etched in the Faith Hall cornerstone: “For Head, Hand and Heart.”