Dzigbodi Akyea was a student advisor at Madison College for seventeen years, most recently in the liberal arts transfer program. She was a calming presence, and many people went to her for advice. She had the gift of making people laugh, and was greatly respected among her peers.
Unfortunately, Dzigbodi passed away quite suddenly last September 17, 2021 leaving those who worked with her in shock and grief.
She had been a member of the Black Women Affinity Group, which was founded in June of 2019 and meets twice a month. She helped the group set its mission and vision, and in meetings had often expressed the wish to hold an art show in the gallery for Black History Month.
Dzigbodi’s aspiration to hold this gallery show was realized by the Black Women Affinity Group in her honor. The opening reception was in February, in time for Black History Month, and the reception helped collect scholarship funds for Black liberal arts students from both individuals and corporations. In addition, the work of each participating artist was accompanied by a QR tag viewers could scan to see more images, promoting both sales and awareness for each of these talented individuals.
Among the guests at the gallery show reception were Dzigbodi’s two daughters, who surely gained an impression of the value of her work and the very real affection she inspired among her colleagues.
While the question of making the gallery show an annual event is still open, anyone wishing to support the scholarship program for Black liberal arts students can contact Madison College for guidance on how to proceed.
Student quote: “I am a young African American woman overcoming disparities everyday. I’ve known since a girl that I would be the first in my family not only to go to college but also obtain a degree and continue to build after that degree. All of my instructors have been extremely supportive of me and also held me to high expectations that allowed to push myself further than I thought I could go. I look forward to graduating from Madison College and going even further with my nursing career.”
To support this scholarship click here.