Dolores Richard Spikes facts for kids

Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes (born August 24, 1936 – died June 1, 2015) was an amazing American mathematician and a leader in universities. She was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Dolores went to schools in Baton Rouge. She then studied at Southern University in her hometown. In 1957, she earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), in mathematics. While at Southern University, she met her future husband, Hermon Spikes.

Her Education Journey

Dolores Spikes loved learning! She continued her studies at the University of Illinois. There, she earned a Master of Science degree in mathematics.

After that, she returned to Louisiana in 1958. She married Hermon Spikes and started teaching. She taught high school science in Mossville. This was a small community near Lake Charles.

Becoming a Doctor of Math

In December 1971, Dolores Spikes achieved a big goal. She earned her Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in mathematics. She got this advanced degree from Louisiana State University. Her special research was about "Semi-Valuations and Groups of Divisibility."

A website called "Black Women in Mathematics" says something very important. It states that Dr. Spikes was the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University. This shows how groundbreaking her achievements were!

A Leader in Universities

In the 1980s, Dr. Spikes took on many leadership roles. She worked at Southern University. In 1982, she became the Assistant to the Chancellor. A Chancellor is like a head leader of a university campus.

Later in the 1980s, she became the Chancellor for two campuses of Southern University. These were the Baton Rouge and New Orleans campuses. She was the very first woman to be a chancellor of a Louisiana Land Grant University.

Leading University Systems

In 1987, Dr. Spikes was asked to join the board of Harvard University's Institute of Educational Management. This is a very respected group.

In 1988, Dr. Spikes became the president of the Southern University and A&M College System. This was a huge step! She was not only the first woman to lead a public college or university in Louisiana. She was also the first woman in the entire United States to be the main leader for a whole university system.

Later, from 1996 to 2001, Dr. Spikes became the 11th president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She was also the first female president of that university. Dolores Richard Spikes was a true pioneer in education and mathematics.

See also

In Spanish: Dolores Richard Spikes para niños