DSU Board Chair Receives APLU’s Career Exemplar Award
DSU Board of Trustees Chairman David G. Turner has been named by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) among the 19 recipients of its inaugural 1890 Universities Career Exemplar Awards.
The recipients – distinguished alumni representing each of the 19 historically black land-grant universities – have achieved excellence in navigating their career pathways and providing mentorship to other traditionally underrepresented students pursuing similar career pathways.
In addition to the APLU’s recognition of Mr. Turner for his chairmanship of the Board of Trustees, the association also noted his work for IBM as a global analytics leader for banking and financial markets and Fortune magazine’s recognition of him as being among the "50 Most Powerful Black Executives in America."
The awardees were nominated by their alma maters and evaluated on their commitment to institution, individual achievement, civic engagement and impact in providing access, opportunities and mentorship to current students and new alumni. The recipients were honored at the APLU’s Nov. 15-17 Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Ind.
“The first class of 1890 Career Exemplar Awards recipients are a testament to the tremendous contributions 1890 institutions make to our society through their instruction, research and community engagement,” said APLU President Peter McPherson. “These alumni have not only achieved success in their own careers, but worked with their alma maters and current students to serve the institutions that had such a formative influence on them.”
“The 1890 Career Exemplar Awards recipients reflect the broad diversity and great achievement of 1890 Universities and their alumni,” said Dr. RoSusan D. Bartee, interim vice president of Access and Success. “As we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Second Morrill Act, their stories remind us of the power of the 1890 land-grant community and the progress we can continue to drive through these institutions and their students.”
Mr. Turner, who graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science, in January 2015 became the first DSU graduate to be an elected chairman of the Board of Trustees, succeeding Dr. Claibourne Smith, who had been chair for 22 years. Mr. Turner, who previously served as vice chair, has been a DSU board member since 2008.
Along with his current executive position with IBM, Mr. Turner has enjoyed a highly successful career in executive posts with AT&T, Gateway, MBNA, and Bank of America. He has also been honored by U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology in 2005 as one of the “50 Most Important Blacks in Technology.”