Dorothy Kilgo Colson was elected president of the National Alumni Council (NAC) of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) during the 66th National Alumni Council/54th National Pre-Alumni Council Leadership Conference held in Orlando, Fla.7
The National Alumni Council is a sponsored organization of the United Negro College Fund, founded in 1946 to support, promote, influence and strengthen historically black colleges and universities. There are 38 member institutions of UNCF, including five in North Carolina — Johnson C. Smith University, Livingstone College, Bennett College, Shaw University and St. Augustine’s College.
Her service with the National Alumni Council included co-chair of the NAC/NPAC Leadership Conference, chair of the Awards Committee, vice president of membership and Southeast Regional Representative.
Colson received a BS degree in biology from Livingstone College and a master’s degree in adult education from North Carolina A&T State University. She is a retired higher education fundraising professional, having served in several positions at Livingstone College in Salisbury and Bennett College in Greensboro. She is serving as a consultant with Black Child Development Institute of Greensboro.
She has been involved in community activities for many years. While living in Salisbury, she was a board member of the Salisbury Board of Education, United Way, Hospice, Rowan-Salisbury Educational Foundation and the Rowan-Salisbury Interim Board of Education.
She has served as president of the Livingstone College National Alumni Association; National President of the Association of Fund Raising Officers, and was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the National Center for Black Philanthropy. Colson is a member of Livingstone College Board of Trustees, the Greensboro Urban Ministry Board, Delta Kappa Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and Trinity AME Zion Church, where she is a member of the Trustee Board.
She has received many awards and honors for service, including the Livingstone College National Alumni Association Distinguished Service Medallion, Livingstone College Alumni Hall of Fame, Bennett College Belle Ringer Role Model Image Award, M.L. King Humanitarian Award, Who’s Who of American Women and many others.
A native of Badin, she is the daughter of the late Charles Isom and Ruby Gaines Kilgo, and is the mother of one son, Claude.