Tammy Huff, c’12, is a project coordinator for the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center. She is the current president of the KU Black Alumni Network.
Share an experience that’s shaped your professional career journey. What did you learn?
While an undergraduate at the University of Kansas in the late 80’s and early 90’s, the small number of Black students, faculty, and staff was always troubling to me. The flagship institution that I love did not reflect who I am.
Since leaving KU, I’ve learned that I have an obligation to encourage the educational attainment of students that look like me. I work with educators across the state in the areas of family engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion to mitigate barriers that prevent young Black students from meeting their full potential.
As President of the KU Black Alumni Network, I combine the love I have for the University and the passion for making it better for future generations of Jayhawks.
What resources or communities positively impacted your student experience at KU?
As an underclassman, I participated in many of the Black organizations on campus. Inspirational Gospel Voices (IGV), Black Student Union (BSU), Black Poet’s Society, and of course, the Psi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. just to name a few.
My experience was also enhanced as a member of the Crimson Crew, aiding in recruitment and tutoring for the KU football team.
I was positively impacted on campus by Dr. Barbara Ballard, Dr. Jacob Gordon, Marshall Jackson, Pearl Rovaris, and Wendy Coleman. Whenever I needed help, I could go to any of them to help me problem solve or point me in the right direction.
In celebration of Black History Month, who has had a significant impact on you in your personal or professional life?
Beyond the obvious impact that my parents and sisters had on me, Hortense Golden Canady has impacted me both personally and professionally. As a high school student, she worked at both the Pentagon and the White House. She was a wife, mother, politically involved, a passionate community servant, and a powerhouse of an educational advocate.
According to the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame website, she was the first Black woman elected to the Lansing, Michigan school board, and was instrumental in the desegregation of the schools there. She continued her education as her children grew older and was a true lifelong learner and inspiration for many Black women to pursue advanced degrees.
She was only one, but she impacted the lives of so many by serving as the 18th National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. ensuring that her impact had a global reach as well. Her goals were lofty, but she did not stop until she achieved them all.
You can learn more about the KU Black Alumni Network at kualumni.org/ban.
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