Uncrowned Community Builders

A 6 pound baby girl was born on April 25th, 1986 at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents are Nerisse Helena Seneca and James Charles Dudley. A close friend of her motherââ?¬â?¢s named her Latrece Moneââ?¬â?¢t Seneca. James, her dad a native of Bennettsville South Carolina and Nerisse, her mom born in Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City married August 3rd 1994. Latrece Moneââ?¬â?¢t Seneca was the first of four children; her siblings in age order are Jamel Tyrik Dudley, Niani Jenneââ?¬â?¢ Dudley and Nahjae Adele Dudley. Latrece and her family lived in Brownsville but mostly Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn for the next 18years until moving to Columbus, Ohio in 2006.

Latrece was a product of the Brooklyn public school system. Latrece graduated from elementary school Marcus Garvey P.S. 44 in 1998. At Marcus Garvey she had been a color guard, a member of the debate team, a participant in many talent shows for dance and a member of the Police Athletic League after school program. This was the school all her sibling would also attend years later. For intermediate school she attended David Ruggles Junior High School Satellite East Program right across the street from her home. From Ruggles she graduated as Valedictorian (92 grade point average) of her class in 2000. She continued to be on the debate team making it to the state championship. She was also elected to speak to Vice President Al Gore on after school funding cuts during a forum held at Kingsborough Community College. She explained why she felt, as a student, after school programs were necessary and beneficial. She was also a part of the local YMCA Girlââ?¬â?¢s Inc and a dancer in Dance Africa at Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Latrece Seneca - Award

Next Latrece attended Benjamin Banneker Academy for Community Development in Clinton Hills and graduated in 2004. She was 5th in her class with a 90 average. Later that year she set out to Buffalo, New York to attend the State University of New York at Buffalo with her high school best friend Latoya Nettles. Fours years later she graduated with a Bachelorââ?¬â?¢s of Arts in Psychology and minor in Education. With a 3.251 (Cum Laude) average she will be going to Buffalo State College in fall of 2008 to pursue a Masters in Student Personnel Administration while working as a Resident Director for her Graduate Assistantship.

During these last eight years Latrece has given back so much to her Brooklyn community and Buffalo community as well. In Brooklyn she was an In-stepper (first level position) to Junior Counselor who moved up to fulltime Head Counselor at the Police Athletic League Wynn Center from 2000 to 2004. This center provides educational and social events for underprivileged children and Latrece was also a junior member at the same center during some of childhood years. She was chosen to attend a conference in Florida against Violence in 2002 as a representative of the Wynn Center and awarded In-stepper of the month November 2000. In 2005 a year after relocating to Buffalo she became a Resident Advisor in Goodyear Hall for three years and a summer in McDonald Hall on South Campus, serving freshman and some upperclassman being a resource and on call person for residence hall issues. Latrece was also an Orientation Aide and Team Leader helping all freshman and transfer students with their transition to the University at Buffalo. Some of her other campus jobs included working as a Cashier and greeter at the University Bookstore at UB, being a Student Union Manager, an intern at UBââ?¬â?¢s Upward Bound Program, a SAGE Intern at The Office of Alumni Relations at UB and a work-study for two years at the University at Buffalo Child Care Center on South Campus.

Some social activities and organizations included being a member, former publicity coordinator and former present of UB Step Troupe, an all girlsââ?¬â?¢ stepping team. In 2007 she became a UB Ronald E. McNair Scholar a program designed to help first generation studentââ?¬â?¢s work towards their PhDââ?¬â?¢s. For the 2007 to 2008 school year Latrece was elected a Student Association SUNY Delegate at the University at Buffalo and attended State Conferences to represent the UB student body. She was also selected to be the student speaker at The University Welcome in August 2007 at the University at Buffalo. Currently in the summer of 2008 she is the second female intern for the Uncrowned Queens Institute working with Dr. Nevergold, as her mentor, and Dr. Bertram on several projects that commemorate the success and untold stories of extraordinary women of Western New York.

Latrece has been an activist and volunteer in several community projects in Buffalo. These include Relay for Life: Raising Money for Cancer and Research, UB Womenââ?¬â?¢s Connection: A Research Study on alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse patterns in College Women, Coin Collecting for UNICEF, UB Getting Dirty: Cleaning up the Heights Area, UB Pride & Service Day: Campus-Wide Clean Up & Senior Tree Planting, UB Preview Day: Prospective Students Info Day and Tours, September Remembrance: Shoshone Park Clean-up, Alpha Beta Sigma Sickle Cell Walk & Auction and more.

Some of her recognition and awards include Orientation of the Conference (twice) from New Student Programs of the University at Buffalo, Outstanding Participant at University at Buffaloââ?¬â?¢s Stay Up UB Charity Event for UNICEF, J. Scott Fleming Finalist from the University Student Alumni Board and Alumni Association of University at Buffalo for community involvement, Homecoming Queen & Prom Queen in 2004 at Benjamin Banneker Academy for Community Development, Most Spirited from University at Buffalo Step Troupe, Homecoming Queen 2006 at The State University at Buffalo, Resident Advisor Outstanding Program of the Month, Resident Advisor Goodyear Staff Spirit Award and she made the Deanââ?¬â?¢s List in 2007 at the State University at Buffalo.

Latrece Seneca plans to go into the field of Counseling for her Doctorate Degree and eventually become a High School Counselor. For now she will continue to work in Residence Life assisting new students into college and wants to become the Vice President of Student Affairs before her Counseling Career. In the future she plans to have a husband, eight children, a huge beautiful home, join a national sorority and continue to give back where ever she ends up living. She has always loved the quote ââ?¬Å?Keep your Eyes on the Stars and youââ?¬â?¢ll soon be one.ââ?¬, because she feels she is a rising star already.