Here are six of our College of Education alumnae who returned to the Capstone to lead the National Alumni Association. All of these women are deserving of recognition for their excellent leadership, their dedication to the University, and their commitment to their communities.
Jeanice P. Kirkland
1991-1992
When Jeanice Kirkland took on the role of University of Alabama National Alumni Association president in 1991, she became the second woman chosen for the position. That same year, Kirkland was awarded the College of Education's Outstanding Contribution to Education Award, and her leadership in the alumni association brought a historic increase in scholarship funding for students at the Capstone.
In 1994, Kirkland was named one of the University's 31 most outstanding women during its Centennial Year of Women celebration and received the alumni association's Distinguished Alumna Award in 1998, an honor her father had also achieved in 1989. Prior to her time as NAA president, she served as the Covington County chapter president as well as vice president of the alumni association.
Kirkland graduated with a degree in elementary education and a minor in vocal performance from the University in 1964, later receiving her master’s degree in education from Troy State University in 1975. After a long career as an educator in Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, and Andalusia public schools, she retired in 2009. When Kirkland passed in 2015, she left behind a legacy as a teacher who believed in and encouraged students as well as someone who provided the same encouragement and guidance to anyone in need.
Margaret L. Watson
1996-1997
By becoming the third woman to serve as National Alumni Association president, Margaret Watson carried on a family tradition, following in the footsteps of both her father and great uncle who were also NAA presidents.
In the 1970s, Watson earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University, which made her a sixth-generation graduate. During her career, Watson was a guidance counselor at Theodore High School in Mobile County and a leader in the American and Alabama Counseling associations. Prior to her role as president of NAA, she chaired committees for chapters in Dothan, Mobile, and Pensacola, Fla., and served as president-elect of the alumni association from 1995-96.
A few of the honors she earned over the years include the Alumni Student Award in 1971, the Distinguished Alumna Award in 1991, and the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award in 2003, which she received as a non-student honoree.
The University offers the Bishop B. Michael and Margaret Lee Watson Endowed Scholarship, a Jefferson County Chapter alumni scholarship in Watson's and her husband's name. The endowed scholarship was first awarded during the 2017-18 academic year and continues to assist students in need.
Melanie W. Chambliss
2007-2008
Melanie Chambliss has always had fond memories when it comes to The University of Alabama, especially as a place of growth, and she puts great importance on her involvement in the National Alumni Association as well as her community.
Before she officially became president of the alumni association in 2007, she served as president-elect in 2006. Chambliss was already an active NAA member, having served as a president and member of the Prattville Chapter's scholarship and recruitment committee. She was president of the Autauga County Bama Fans Chapter as well as a member of several local organizations, including the University Autauga County Heritage Association, the Prattville Chamber of Commerce, and the Yaupon Garden Club.
Chambliss graduated from UA with her bachelor's degree in speech communication in 1965 and her master's in education in 1968. She went on work as a teacher and counselor for the Autauga County Schools for 25 years before retiring. From 1999-2004, she chaired her school's committee of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as well as served as vice president of the District VI Counseling Association. Her leadership, service, and involvement within the community showcases her dedication and drive to help make a difference.
Sabrina S. Keating
2012-2013
Prior to becoming president in 2012, Sabrina Keating's dedication to the UA National Alumni Association could already be seen with her serving the association in multiple capacities.
Keating was an active member of the Walker County Alumni Chapter for more than 16 years, taking on the roles of historian; treasurer, which she held for 10 years; and was a member of the Distinguished Alumni Award Committee and Nominating Committee. From 2001-03, she was vice president of District 3, and the Walker County chapter awarded her for her dedication with the Outstanding Alumni Member Award in 2003.
She graduated from the University magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in education in 1978. As an undergraduate, Keating was a member of Kappa Delta Epsilon, Kappa Delta Pi, and the National Business Education Association. She was also a charter member of the Student American Vocational Association and worked in the UA admissions office during that time.
Keating continues to show her appreciation for her alma mater and is a member of the UA President's Cabinet.
Linda C. Thomas
2018-2019
It was when Linda Thomas and her husband moved back to his hometown of Fort Payne that she became heavily involved with the alumni association. With her husband already acting as a DeKalb County alumni chapter officer, they began attending meetings together.
After Thomas retired from teaching in 2004, the DeKalb County chapter asked her to be chapter president. She held that position for three years before becoming a member of the alumni association's executive council board and the local scholarship committee. She was nominated as president-elect of the association by its former President Ben Shurett, becoming the first DeKalb County resident to serve as president on a national level. During her time in the alumni association, she helped organize a food drive the week of the Iron Bowl and assisted with the DeKalb Alabama-Auburn Golf Shootout Scholarship Fundraiser.
Thomas earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the Capstone in 1972 and returned in 1982 for her master's in early childhood education. She taught elementary-age students in Scottsboro and Madison counties before she and her husband moved to Fort Payne. There, Thomas educated kindergarteners in the Fort Payne City School System for 20 years. In all, she dedicated more than 30 years to working with elementary school children.
Mandy R. Wyatt
2020-2022
As a member of a family of Tide fans, Mandy Wyatt knew early on that she wanted to attend UA. She also came from a family of teachers, which influenced her to take that path as well. She received her bachelor's degree in education from the University in 1993 and her master's in elementary education in 1996.
For 25 years, Wyatt taught elementary school with a specialization in reading instruction and also worked as an adjunct professor at UA beginning in 2009. After retiring from her teaching career, she dedicated her time and effort to the Tuscaloosa chapter of the National Alumni Association, which was an outlet for her to continue working with students, this time through recruitment and scholarships.
On the Tuscaloosa County chapter level, Wyatt has served on the executive board and as president. She had a key role in a scholarship fundraiser planned by the Tuscaloosa County alumni board, that involved taking buses to away football games. After she moved to Atlanta, Wyatt continued to work with the NAA via the Bama in Atlanta chapter and also taught part time. In summer 2018 and 2019, she had the opportunity to teach in China through a UA elementary education partnership with Shanghai Normal University. It was in 2019 that she was nominated as president-elect, a testament to her work, her dedication, and her passion for the University. Wyatt officially became National Alumni Association president in 2020.