Honoring Gwendolyn E. Boyd.

WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to honor Ms. Gwendolyn E. Boyd, Immediate Past National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Lincoln University Honorary Doctorate recipient; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Gwendolyn B. Boyd is a native of Montgomery, Alabama and received a four-year scholarship to attend Alabama State University where she graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. degree in Mathematics with a double minor in Physics and Music. Ms. Boyd was then awarded a fellowship to pursue graduate work at Yale University where she earned a M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and was the first African American female to be awarded this degree from this Ivy League institution. Ms. Boyd is an engineer and the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Gwendolyn E. Boyd is an active member of Leadership Washington, a board director for the Children’s National Medical Center and the Children’s Research Institute in Washington, D.C., a member of the Bennett College for Women Board of Visitors, and a recipient of numerous awards and accolades including but not limited to keys to 20 cities and various Congressional Citations and acknowledgements in the Congressional Record; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Gwendolyn E. Boyd is the Immediate Past National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (“Delta Sigma Theta” or “Sorority”) and served as the Sorority’s 22nd president from 2000 to 2004; and

WHEREAS, Delta Sigma Theta was founded in 1913 by 22 women at Howard University who wanted to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence, provide scholarships and support to the underserved, educate and stimulate positive public policy, and highlight issues and provide solutions for problems in their communities; and

WHEREAS, Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit organization and a sisterhood of more than 250,000 predominately Black college educated women and the Sorority currently has over 950 chapters located in the United States, England, Japan, Germany, Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and the Republic of Korea; and

WHEREAS, On Sunday, May 1, 2005, Lincoln University will recognize Ms. Gwendolyn E. Boyd for her various achievements and commitment to excellence by bestowing upon her an Honorary Doctorate degree from the University; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby congratulate Ms. Gwendolyn E. Boyd, Immediate Past National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Lincoln University Honorary Doctorate recipient.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Ms. Gwendolyn E. Boyd as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

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