Plans Announced for Dr. Jerome Holland Statue at DSU

During its annual Founders Day Program on Feb. 19, DSU President Harry L. Williams announced the launching of a project to erect a memorial statue of Delaware State College President Jerome Holland on the Dover campus.

Dr. Holland – DSC president from 1953-1960 – is credited with providing the critical leadership needed to navigate the College through the most difficult decade of its history. Amid forces in the state that threatened to close the institution, Dr. Holland brought about improvements at DSC that ensured its survival and established a foundation that future presidents would build on.

Dr. Williams said that a Jerome Holland Statue Committee has been established, which includes Dr. Donald Blakey, chair and alumnus, Vita Pickrum, senior associate vice president of Development (co-chair); Dr. Bradley Skelcher, associate provost; Dr. Lisa Dunning, assistant vice president for  Alumni Affairs and alumna; Dr. Edward Lorio, associate professor of art; Carlos Holmes, director of News Services; Dr. U.S. Washington retired dean; as well as alumni Dolores Blakey, Ned Brown, Robert Draine, Dr. Reba Hollingsworth, Philip Sadler and Sheila Davis, president of the DSU Alumni Association.

During the announcement, Dr. Blakey and his wife Delores Blakey presented a donation of $5,000 to go toward the memorial statue.

A timetable will be established in the near future as to when the statue will be projected for completion and dedication.