N.C. A&T Alumna Details the Joys of Creating a Legacy of Giving
Diane Brice-Williams, Ph.D. ‘82 is a special education teacher for Prince George’s County Public Schools, and a former member of the flag team for the Blue and Gold Marching Machine.
With the 45th anniversary of the alumni band, Brice-Williams shares her reflection of her experience in the band and why leaving a legacy is so important with Tamisha Keith, director of major gifts for N.C. A&T.
“The Blue and Gold Marching Machine has a phrase, often imitated, but never duplicated. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University produces leaders and doers who are innovators and stand out!” expressed by Brice-Williams.
Director of Gift Planning (DG): How has your experience at North Carolina A&T helped you in your career?
Dr. Diane Brice-Williams (DBW): My experience at A&T has helped me in ways that I am still learning about. My alma mater is not afraid to be different. So now, I do things, not because it is popular and what everyone is doing, but because I have looked at all of the facts and determined that this is what should be done and it is what makes sense. My experience at A&T taught me how to think outside of the box and not be afraid to do it.
DG: What did you love most about your experience at A&T?
DBW: The people that I met is what I love most about my experience at A&T. The experience has opened a new world for me that I never experienced before. Growing up in an urban community, it was a new experience for me to meet people from rural communities. These individuals came from a different environment from me and provided a different perspective. I learned about another standard of living and another way of thinking.
DG: What interested you in joining the band and participating as a flag girl?
DBW: When I was 5 years old, my mom, who was a 1949 graduate of A&T, took me to a N.C. A&T vs. Morgan State University game in Baltimore, Maryland. This was the first time that I saw the band and heard them play. I instantly fell in love and was captivated by the music and particularly the drumbeat. I followed the band out of the stadium and started marching with them.
DG: This year marks the 45th anniversary of the band. What makes you proud about being a member of the band? What is your fondest memory?
DBW: My fondest memories are the trips that we took and the fellowships that were formed. There were funny and memorable conversations that were shared. I am so proud that the traditions that were started before I joined the band have continued throughout the years. The cadences played today are the same cadences that made me jump when I was five years old and they still make me move today. I participated in the band under the leadership of Dr. Johnny B. Hodge and he was like a father figure to me. He would always personally say thank you to donors for their donations and that meant a lot to me and inspired me to give when I graduated.
DG: What examples of philanthropy did you see or experience growing up and why is giving important to you?
DBW: I witnessed examples of philanthropy through my parents. They were very charitable individuals who served on nonprofit boards and supported their alma maters and other charitable organizations. Giving is important to me because I believe that you have to reach back and give to your school. It is called self-survival! The best way to get people to support you is if they see what you are doing to support yourself. You have to do it first and once you do it then others will want to be part of it. We have to support our own!
DG: You established an endowed scholarship to support the band through a bequest. What interested you in making a planned gift?
DBW: It was important for me to do my part to support students who could not afford to attend school at A&T. This was something that my mother and I discussed before she passed away. The band was near and dear to both of us. While I was in the band we could not do certain things because there was no money and members of the band had to struggle. I saw a need for money to be poured into the music program. The marching band is a draw and will bring in students. This is what allows them to be interested in other programs that are being offered.
DG: What advice could you offer to individuals who are considering establishing a planned gift but are on the fence?
DBW: We as individuals have a responsibility to serve others and create a legacy. We were not put on this earth to be self-serving, we were put on this earth to serve and help others. Whatever your passion is in life there is something that A&T has to offer that is connected to that passion and can be used to help support a deserving student. Creating a legacy is a stair step that can be used to build legacies on top of legacies. That’s what makes us stronger. That’s what Aggies DO!
In 1982, Brice-Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from A&T, and received her Doctorate of Education in leadership and policy studies from Howard University.
Through her pride for her alma mater and for North Carolina A&T’s Blue and Gold Marching Machine in particular, it is clear that Dr. Brice-Williams has a passion for giving.
To learn more about how you can support A&T and create a legacy of giving, contact Tamisha Keith, Director of Gift Planning at 336-404-3710 or tikeith@ncat.edu. You can also visit https://www.ncatlegacy.org/ to learn about other inspiring donors.
