Vivian H. Ross, Ph.D., Board Member
Dr. Ross, with the support of the Board of Directors, provided the leadership to organize Plymouth Educational Center as a Michigan Public School Academy, chartered by Central Michigan University. In August of 1995, the charter was established. Dr. Ross then dedicated time and talent to acquire funding to create a facility that would be capable of providing a first class learning center. Dr. Ross led the search for funding sources, organized a foundation to help raise money, assisted the architect in designing a building to accommodate a vision of excellent teacher/learning experiences and monitored the construction of the school. In September 1999, the building was completed and represented the first new from the ground up school construction in Detroit since 1981.
Prior to her work with PEC, Dr. Ross retired in 1991 from a career at Highland Park Public Schools. During her thirty years as an employee in Highland Park, Dr. Ross served as a school social worker, community college instructor, assistant to the Dean of Liberal Arts, Dean of Liberal Arts, founder and director of the College’s Performing Arts Center and President of Highland Park Community College.
Dr. Ross received her baccalaureate degree from Talladega College, graduating with honors as a psychology and sociology major. She received a scholarship to The University of Michigan where she obtained a Masters of Social Work, specializing in psychiatric service. After graduating, Dr. Ross worked ten years as a psychiatric social worker at the old Wayne County General Hospital (at Eloise) and Detroit Receiving Hospital. While employed at Highland Park Community College, Dr. Ross again attended The University of Michigan and received a doctorate of philosophy degree, majoring in higher education administration.
Dr. Ross has received many honors and special service awards. The following are a few such honors:
- The University of Michigan Norman C. Harris Award that recognized alumni of higher education programs for outstanding scholarship and leadership in the area of community colleges
- Recognition of outstanding professional effort and dedicated leadership as President of the Highland Park Association of School Administrators
- National Association of Equal Opportunity in Higher Education - Presidential citation as outstanding alma mater - one of the historical black colleges
- Plymouth United Church of Christ Pilot Club Black Achievement Award for outstanding work in the development of Plymouth Educational Center
- The Board of Directors of the Plymouth Educational Center in recognition of services as the Chief Administrative Officer and the leadership in acquiring the present building, resulting in the renaming of the school to the Plymouth Educational Center - Vivian H. Ross Campus
MEMBERSHIPS
- NAACP
- Plymouth United Church of Christ Trustee Board
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. - Golden Soror - (50+ years)
- Museum of African American History - served with Dr. Wright’s committee to organize the celebration of the opening of the initial building
- Detroit Institute of Arts
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Vivian H. Ross Campus,
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