Charlene Mickens Dukes (born August 12, 1954) is an American academic administrator serving as the first vice chair of the Maryland Democratic Party since 2023. She was president of Prince George's Community College from 2007 to 2020.
Charlene Dukes | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Dukes in 2019 | |
| First Vice Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party | |
| Assumed office November 18, 2023 | |
| 8th President of Prince George's Community College | |
| In office July 1, 2007 – August 7, 2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 12, 1954 Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Indiana University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh |
Early life and education
editDukes was born on August 12, 1954 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.[1] She was the second oldest of nine children and was raised in a two-bedroom house for the first fifteen years of her life.[1] Dukes attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) for a year before leaving due to racism and wanting to learn more about herself. She moved to New Jersey and worked for the Bell Telephone Company and later Chase Bank in New York.[1] She re-enrolled at IUP, earning a B.S. in English and secondary education in 1980.[2][1] She was a first-generation college student.[1] She was active in the Black Student Union.[1] Dukes completed a M.Ed. (1987) and Ed.D. (1992) in administrative and policy studies from the University of Pittsburgh.[2] Her dissertation was titled, Factors Contributing to the Process of Transferring by African-American Students from an Urban Community College to a Four-Year College.[3]
Career
editDukes was an admission and financial aid officer at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown from 1980 to 1981.[2] She later joined the Community College of Allegheny County in 1981 as an assistant director of admissions.[2] She was promoted to director of admissions in 1985 and director of minority affairs in 1991. In 1995, she served as dean of students.[2] From 1995 to 2007, Dukes was the vice president for student services at the Prince George's Community College.[2] On July 1, 2007, she became its eighth president and the first female to serve in the role.[2] Duke retired on August 7, 2020.[2][4]
In 2013, she was inducted into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.[4] She served on the Prince George's County Board of Education, and was appointed by the governor to the Maryland State Board of Education.[5] She served two terms as the vice-chair before being voted as board president.[6] Dukes served as board chair of the Meyer Foundation and secretary of the Greater Washington Community Foundation.[7] On August 7, 2021, she succeeded DeRionne P. Pollard as the interim president of Montgomery College.[8][9] She was succeeded by Jermaine F. William in 2022.[10] Dukes is vice chair on the board of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.[11]
In July 2023, Duke was one of governor Wes Moore's six appointees to the Maryland Higher Education Commission.[12] She is serving the remainder of James Coleman's five-year term that began on July 1, 2022.[12] Dukes became the first vice chair of the Maryland Democratic Party on November 18, 2023.[11] She had run unopposed and was endorsed by governor Moore.[11] In the 2024 presidential election, Dukes voted as an elector pledged to Vice President Kamala Harris.[13]
Personal life
editDukes has a son and a stepson.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Workneh, Lilly (2017-09-26). "Two Trailblazers On Growing Up Black And Female In The North And South". HuffPost. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Dukes, Charlene Mickens. "Resume Charlene Dukes" (PDF). Montgomery College. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ Dukes, Charlene Mickens (1992). Factors contributing to the process of transferring by African-American students from an urban community college to a four-year college (Ed.D. thesis). University of Pittsburgh.
- ^ a b Wood, Sarah (2019-10-31). "Prince George's Community College President to Retire Next Year". Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ "Dr. Charlene Dukes". The White House. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ "Biographies - Charlene Mickens Dukes, Ed.D." msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ Kyaw, Arrman (2021-06-09). "Dr. Charlene Mickens Dukes Appointed Interim President of Montgomery College in Maryland". Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ Pollak, Suzanne (2021-06-08). "Former PG Community College Leader Named Interim Montgomery College President". Montgomery Community Media. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ Vitka, William (2021-06-08). "Montgomery College appoints new interim president". WTOP News. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ "Dr. Jermaine Williams Named Next President of Montgomery College | Montgomery College, Maryland". www.montgomerycollege.edu. December 17, 2021. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b c Kurtz, Josh (2023-11-18). "Ulman overwhelmingly wins election to be new Democratic state chair". Maryland Matters. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ a b Ford, William J. (2023-07-18). "Moore appoints a nearly entire new membership for Maryland Higher Education Commission". Maryland Matters. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
- ^ "Presidential Electors for the 2024 General Election" (PDF). elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved November 23, 2024.