Goulda A. Downer, an assistant professor in the College of Medicine at Howard University in Washington, D.C., received the Caribbean American Heritage Award from the Institute of Caribbean Studies. Dr. Downer was honored for her work in the public health field related to HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Downer is a graduate of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Howard University.
Alcorn State University is renaming its fine arts building to honor long-time faculty member Joyce J. Bolden. Dr. Bolden is the former chair of the department of fine arts and served on the university’s faculty for more than 40 years.
Dr. Bolden was instrumental in the initial accreditation of the department of fine arts in 1981 and established scholarship programs for music majors. In 1996, Dr. Bolden became the first African American and the first woman to be named chair of the Commission on Accreditation for the National Association of Schools of Music. She retired from teaching in 1998.
