The Mathews-Altheimer-Smith Award was established in 1985 to be awarded to a member of the River Region United Way Community Council for outstanding service to the community through his/her efforts as a council member.
2016 Honoree Beverly Ross
Ms. Beverly Ross was a beloved educational leader in the River Region and is remembered for her legacy of leadership, empathy, kindness and dedication to the students and to her community. Throughout her life, Beverly personified United Way’s call to action:
GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER. LIVE UNITED.
Beverly
was a tireless community servant. She served on the Board of Directors for the Montgomery Area United Way from 2001 to 2003 (changed to River Region United way in 2004). While on the Board, she served as the Chair of the Board of Directors in 2003. In that same year, she was presented with the Alexis de Tocqueville Award. Most recently, she served on the Community Council from 2011 – 2014, where she was involved with the Community Needs Assessment, NFL Play60 and Prom Dress Drive. Over the years, she also served in leadership roles with several United Way affiliate agencies: SAYNO in the Montgomery Area, Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama and American Red Cross of Central Alabama.
She was “A Proven Advocate for Youth, Young Adults and Community” – her campaign slogan when she ran for the Montgomery County Board of Education (District 7). She devoted much of her life to public service and efforts to expand learning and career opportunities for both K-12 students and adult learners. In her roles as school board member and as dean of students at Trenholm State Community College, where she worked for 37 years, she impacted the lives of countless students across the River Region in a positive, meaningful way.
Beverly was first e
lected to the Montgomery County Board of Education in 2004 and was re-elected in 2010. She served as board president from 2008-2010. During her board service, the board opened Montgomery Technical Education Center (now MPACT Center); the first-ever Pre-K Center was opened; Loveless, Johnnie Carr Middle and MacMillan International were approved as International Baccalaureate Program schools; pre-Advanced Placement classes were added in all middle schools; four schools were opened or renovated; the district’s Employee Assistance Program was initiated; and the school district received accreditation for the first time in its history.
A graduate of Alabama State University, she received numerous awards during her lifetime for her community service, including the Legacy of Service Award from the Beta Nu Omega Chapter Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; Girl Scouts Women of Distinction Recipient; Montgomery Advertiser’s Women of Achievement; American Red Cross “Irma Bentley Moore Volunteer of the Year”; and the Distinguished Service Award from the Office of Financial Development.
She also gave distinguished service and served in several leadership capacities for many other nonprofit organizations such as the Montgomery Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., BONDS (Building Our Neighborhoods for Development and Success), Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, Leadership Montgomery, Montgomery Rotary Club and Empowering Communities and Helping Ourselves (ECHO).
Beverly Ross made numerous contributions to the River Region United Way and to our entire community. She will be greatly missed. We will remember her warm smile, her quick embrace and her dedication to improving the lives of others. She was an example to us all.
With special thanks to the Montgomery Public Schools Communication Office and to Alabama State University
