About Hazel
Early Childhood Education
Hazel attended Simmons Elementary School, where she was active in the Girl Scouts of America and was a majorette. By the time she finished elementary school, she was a star pupil, making all A’s in the sixth grade. After six years at Simmons Elementary (now Burney- Simmons Elementary School), she finally realized her dream of attending the local high school for black students, Marshall High School. However, because of integration, it was now a 7 th grade center. Due to forced busing, where all the students were bused to different schools to maintain an 80/20 ratio of black/white students, she attended Marshall Junior High (1969); Tomlin Junior High (1970); Turkey Creek High School (1971) and Plant City High School (1972- 1975). She graduated from Plant City High School in 1975 with high honors.
Plant City High School
While at Plant City High School Hazel was a member of the International Thespian Society and participated in two high school productions. She ran for Senior Class President, was a member of the Student Leadership Council, Chess club, Spanish Club, Library Club, and National Honor Society. While in high school, Hazel discovered her love for sports, especially basketball. Regrettably, she was unable to participate in organized sports in high school as her parents would not grant approval. Later in life, she became an avid fan of college and professional football, boxing and professional baseball.
Howard University
Attending Howard University was a period of awakening and activism, and of a coming of age; it was a rite of passage for Hazel. Making good grades were paramount to her, knowing that she had to make her parents, grandparents, and home community proud. She made the Dean’s list all four years and in the spring semester of her junior year, she earned a 3.9 GPA. Hazel graduated in four years (1979), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, and graduating “Cum Laude.” This was no small feat considering that she switched her major/ minor from English/Economics to Economics/English during her junior year. It all worked out as Hazel was inducted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economics Honor Society in April 1979. She also joined the Abram Harris Economics Club where she met the current Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, Boyd Rutherford, who also majored in Economics.
In addition to being a scholar, Hazel joined the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), where she earned the high rank of Cadet Captain and oversaw all Administrative matters for the Bison Battalion, Corps of Cadets. She earned academic achievement awards for her class, and in 1979, Hazel’s Senior ROTC class had the largest ever number of females enrolled. While at Howard, she pledged the Coed Affiliates of Pershing Rifles/Pershing Angels in 1976, where she rose through the ranks to become the Commander.
Hazel received numerous awards for academic achievements, including Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, but one of her proudest personal achievements is that she attended and graduated from Howard on scholarships and grants and no student loans.
After a year and half period at the University of Florida Law School and after serving three years (1981-1984) on active duty for the U.S. Army in Kitzengen, Germany, Hazel returned to the Mecca to continue her education. She earned a Master’s degree in Economics in 1987. While in Graduate School Hazel served as President of the Graduate Economics Students Association.