Uncrowned Community Builders

Donna S. Rice served as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the University at Buffalo. She holds both Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in Linguistics, and a Ph.D. in Communications from the University at Buffalo. Prior to her retirement, Dr. Rice held numerous teaching and administrative positions at UB since 1972.

For more than 15 years she fulfilled several roles in the University's English Language Institute, first serving as an instructor of English as a Second Language, and later as Coordinator of Grammar, and Assistant Director for English Credit Programs. She was then named Assistant Director for Intensive English Programs and continued in that role until 1985.

In 1981, her strong interest in international education led her to accept an appointment in Beijing, the People's Republic of China, where she served as Director-in-Residence for UB's English Language Training Center. Dr. Rice was the first African American invited to teach English in Beijing. She continues to serve on the Council of International Studies and Programs at UB. She is a Citizen Ambassador for the People to People Ambassador Program and was invited to join the Women in Society Delegation to Egypt in October 2000.

Dr. Rice also served UB as Staff Associate in the Office of the President, under former President Stephen B. Sample; Director of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP); and Associate Vice President for Special Programs. Current University roles include Chair of the Committee for the Promotion of Respect for Diversity; Treasurer of Phi Beta Kappa, Omnicron Chapter; and Chair of the Affirmative Action Committee for the Professional Staff Senate.

She has held numerous national, state, and local offices in various professional organizations. At the national level, she has served as At-Large-Representative to the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA); Coordinator for the NEEED Mentoring Network of the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA); Chair of the Diversity Committee of the American Association of University Administrators (AAUA) and several terms on the AAUA Board of Directors. Currently, she sits on the National Diversity Advisory Council of the American Red Cross.

Locally, Dr. Rice has contributed over the years to numerous community organizations and committees including tenure as a Democratic Committeewoman for the former 16th District; President of School 57 PTA; membership on the Geneva B. Scruggs Health Center and Neighborhood Information Center (NIC) Boards of Directors; Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Bethel Head Start Policy Committee; United Way Day of Caring Team Leader; American Red Cross Donor Services Advisory Committee, Buffalo Chapter; and Past Secretary of the Board of Directors of Leadership Buffalo.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the New York/ Penn Region of the American Red Cross; Board of Directors of the National Council for Community and Justice (NCCJ); and Board of Directors of the King Urban Life Center. Children are her passion and she also continues to serve as President of the Board of Trustees of the King Center Charter School, Buffalo's first Charter School.

Dr. Rice has been the recipient of several awards for achievement and community service over the years. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Lambda Delta honor societies, and also was named a Black Achiever in Industry by 1490 Jefferson Enterprises. She was later elected to the Leadership Buffalo Class of '89, and cited for Outstanding Community Service by the Erie County Executive in 1990. In 2000, she was cited in the Year 2000 Millennium Edition of Who's Who Among Women, and also invited to join the People to People Ambassador Program's Women in Society Delegation to Egypt. In 2001, she was the recipient of the NCCJ Education Award at the 48th Annual NCCJ Brotherhood/Sisterhood Awards Luncheon, and the University at Buffalo Campus Ministries' Didaskalos Award.

Dr. Rice truly believes in the notion of "lifting as we climb" and has been a Youth Sponsor for the William-Emslie YMCA for several years. She is a mother of three adult children and has been an active member of Humboldt Parkway Baptist Church, formerly the historic Michigan Avenue Baptist Church, for more than fifty years. She also is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Buffalo Alumnae Chapter, and a Life-time Member of the NAACP and Partners of America.