Dovetta McKee is the new Director of the Office of Special Programs/College Prep, the longest running outreach effort at the University of Chicago.
McKee, who worked for OSP for most of the 1990s, returned to take the helm on Nov. 2. McKee has just finished her third year as the Director of Special Initiatives at Prevention First Inc. in Chicago, a not-for-profit organization that builds and supports drug-free communities.
"In Dovetta McKee we have a director who knows from experience what has made the Office of Special Programs/College Prep the exceptional program it has been throughout its history," said Kenneth Warren, Deputy Provost for Research & Minority Issues, who chaired the search committee for the post. "Because she is aware of the challenges that young people face in their lives, she knows how to help students realize their potential.
"She also has the vision and skills to take OSP forward by defining new goals and bringing in new resources that will enrich what has always been an extraordinarily successful program. We feel very fortunate that we were able to get her."
Part of the University's Office of Civic Engagement, OSP is an education-focused program that helps talented minority students from low-income families receive a post-secondary education. To date, it has exposed more than 10,000 underserved Chicago high school students to a diverse mix of academic, cultural and recreational activities.
"We look forward to working with Dovetta so that we can strengthen the connection between the Office of Special Programs and other similar college readiness programs across the University," said Sonya Malunda, Associate Vice President in the Office of Civic Engagement.
Prior to Prevention First, McKee worked for seven years at Aurora University, as an associate professor and Director of Human Services and YMCA Supplemental Major Degree Programs. She also spent 21 years at Montgomery Ward, first as a national buyer and then as a senior attorney.
OSP was started in 1968 when UChicago recruited Larry Hawkins, then a standout basketball coach at Carver High School, to the role. Hawkins led the program until his death in January of this year.
"Larry really gave me a real passion for working with young people," said McKee, who worked for Hawkins at OSP for seven years. "So much of what we do as adults has implications for children," she said. "Adults need to have the right focus, provide the right supports, and encourage children to develop a positive self image so children will embrace the leadership role they must play."
OSP currently helps 100 students a year from four South Side Chicago public high schools-Hyde Park Academy, King College Prep, Hirsch Metropolitan High School and Philips Academy High School. It works closely with students through activities such as tutoring and field trips to ethnic restaurants, operas and museums. UChicago professors play an active advisory role and teach specialty classes to the participants.
The program guides the students through the maze of standardized test preparation, college tours and introductory college classes, and counsels their families about college applications and financial aid. OSP students, whose alumni ranks include former Senator Carol Moseley Braun, have gone to become everything from teachers to doctors and scientists to public servants.
"Dovetta McKee brings a vision to OSP/College Prep that builds on the legacy of Dr. Larry Hawkins and promises a bright future," said Randy Landsberg, Director of Education and Outreach in Astronomy and Astrophysics, who works closely with OSP students through his Space Explorers Program. "This is a fantastic match between an individual who has a passion and a long-term commitment to expanding educational opportunities for youth and an institution with a tremendous history of truly changing the lives of young people."
—Prof. Kunle Odunsi
