Honors and Awards

The University of Pittsburgh’s African-American Alumni Counsel presented five members of the university community with its Sankofa Award. The award is presented to faculty or administrators who exhibited outstanding educational support and service to students of African descent. Following are this year’s winners:

• Toi Derricotte is a professor of English and author of four books of poetry. She is a graduate of Wayne State University and holds a master’s degree in English literature and creative writing from New York University.

• Laurence A. Glasco has taught history at the University of Pittsburgh since 1969. His latest book is The W.P.A. History of the Negro in Pittsburgh. He is a graduate of Antioch College and holds a Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

• Kathy W. Humphrey is vice provost and dean of students at the university and teaches in the School of Education. She is a graduate of Central Missouri State University. Dr. Humphrey earned a master’s degree at the University of Missouri at Kansas City and a doctorate in educational leadership from Saint Louis University.

• Sandra Murray is a professor of cell biology and physiology in the School of Medicine. She has been on the university's faculty for 25 years. Dr. Murray is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She holds a master’s degree in biology from Texas Southern University and a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Iowa.

• Betsy A. Porter is director of the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid. She has been an administrator at Pitt since 1978. Porter is a graduate of the University of Charleston. She holds a master’s degree from Duquesne University and an educational doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.

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