The committee for the 2011 Rachel B. Noel Distinguished Visiting Professorship has selected public relations executive Judi Hampton as the visiting professor for a series of events to be held Feb. 28-March 2. This year’s theme is “Inclusive Excellence: A Foundation for the 21st Century.”
The professorship, initiated in 1981 to foster multiculturalism, diversity and academic excellence at Metro State, brings renowned scholars and artists of distinction to the College to conduct classes, seminars, performances and lectures for students, faculty and the larger Denver community.
This year’s scholar is president of Judi Hampton Public Relations, a consulting firm that specializes in executive coaching and professional development workshops. She has conducted hundreds of training and coaching sessions for thousands of professionals in all fields, as well as developing marketing, publicity and communications programs for clients. She has also traveled to universities nationwide to lecture on topics related to diversity and leadership, often drawing on her experiences in the Civil Rights Movement.
Prior to founding her own company in 1987, Hampton spent 17 years in the corporate public affairs department of Mobil Corporation, where she served as senior public affairs officer, spokesperson and director of consumer affairs. Hampton serves as president of the Board of Directors of Blackside, Inc., which produced "Eyes on the Prize" and other award-winning documentaries on American historical and social issues for public television.
Hampton’s professorship includes lectures at a variety of events, including the 2009 Rachel B. Noel Distinguished Visiting Professorship Community Event at Shorter AME Church in Denver at 7 p.m. on March 1.
During the evening, the following Colorado communications leaders will be honored:
- Tamara Banks, veteran radio and television journalist, president/CEO, TazMedia
- donnie l. betts ('87 speech communications), producer/director, No Credits Production
- Ashara Ekundayo ('94 African American Studies), owner/creative consultant, BluBlak Media
- Rosalind "Bee" Harris, owner/publisher, Denver Urban Spectrum newspaper
- Bertha Lynn, veteran anchorwoman, 7News
About Rachel B. Noel
A lion of the civil rights movement in Denver, in 1965 Rachel Noel became the first African American elected to the Denver Public School board and the first African American woman ever to serve elected office in Colorado. On April 25, 1968, she presented the DPS board with the Noel Resolution, which asked the superintendent to develop a plan to integrate Denver's public schools. Under a cloud of threats to Noel and her family, the resolution passed in 1970.
For more information about Hampton, a Woodrow Wilson Fellow, and for the latest information about this year's events, visit http://www.mscd.edu/news/noel/.
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