Alpha Alexander facts for kids
Alpha Alexander was born on June 9, 1954, in Nashville, Tennessee. She is well-known as a co-founder of the Black Women in Sport Foundation, an organization that helps promote and support Black women in sports.
Early Life and School
Alpha Alexander grew up in Dayton, Ohio. Her mother was an elementary school teacher, and her father worked for the United States Post Office. When Alpha was in high school at Jefferson High, she couldn't play sports because the school didn't offer them for girls.
This experience likely inspired her later work! She went on to The College of Wooster and earned her bachelor's degree in Physical Education in 1976. While there, she was a talented athlete, playing volleyball, lacrosse, tennis, and basketball. She continued her studies at Temple University in Pennsylvania, earning her master's degree in 1978 and her doctorate degree in 1981.
Making a Difference: Her Career
Alpha Alexander started her career in 1976 at Temple University, working with women's athletics. She became the Assistant Women's Athletic Director and later the Women's Athletic Director. She also worked at the Women's Sports Foundation, an organization that helps girls and women in sports.
From 1986 to 1987, she was the Health and Wellness Director at the YWCA of San Francisco. After that, she joined the YWCA of the USA National Office, focusing on health and sports advocacy. In 1990, she became a special assistant to the YWCA's chief executive officer.
A major highlight of her career was in 1992 when she co-founded the Black Women in Sport Foundation. She started this important organization with Tina Sloan Green, Nikki Franke, and Linda Greene. They all met while at Temple University. This foundation works to encourage and support Black women and girls in all areas of sports.
Alpha Alexander also taught at Walter State Community College and Lane College. She served on important groups like the Olympic and Pan-American Sports Advisory Council and the United States Olympic Committee Board of Directors. She was also president of the Arthur Ashe Foundation, which supports youth tennis and education. Today, she is the chairperson of the Morristown Taskforce on Diversity.
Awards and Recognition
Alpha Alexander has received many awards for her dedication and contributions to sports and education:
- 1993: Inducted into the College of Wooster Hall of Fame.
- 1995: Recognized by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of the 30 most valuable professionals in the business of sports in the USA.
- 1995: Received the President Award from the Women's Sports Foundation.
- 1996: Awarded the Olympic Shield Award by the US Olympic Committee. She was only the second woman ever to receive this honor!
- 1996: Honored with the New York Times Women of the Year Sport Award.
- 1997: Received the Billie Jean King Contribution Award from the Women's Sports Foundation.
- 2001: Awarded the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.
- 2006: Named one of the NCAA 100 Most Influential Student Athletes in History by ESPN Classic.
- 2008: Recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by the College of Wooster.
- 2013: Received the National Girls and Women Sport Award from AAHPERD. Previous winners included Michelle Obama and Pat Head Summit.
- 2019: Honored with the Black Woman In Sport Foundation Glass Ceiling Breaker Award.
