Lilla Gwendolyn Holsey

In the fall of 1974, as East Carolina University continued along the path of diversification at both the student and faculty levels, Dr. Lilla G. Holsey (1941- ) became the eleventh African-American faculty, a fact noted in the Ebony Herald, one of the student newspapers on campus. Earlier the same year, Dr. Holsey, a native of San Mateo, Florida, had earned her Ph.D. in home economics at Florida State University by completing her dissertation, entitled “Effects of computer-managed repeatable testing on performance and attitudes of students enrolled in methods of research.” She studied as an undergraduate at Hampton University in Virginia, and then completed a M.S. at Florida State University prior to entering the Ph.D. program in home economics there. In addition to graduate work at FSU, Holsey taught home economics in Florida secondary schools for eight years.

At ECU, Holsey was initially hired as an assistant professor of home economics. Commenting on her area of specialization, Holsey noted “It’s really a satisfying field. You touch so many lives, and in so many ways because you’re training teachers to go out and help families in all aspects of life.” However, she concluded her professional career at ECU in the College of Education’s Department of Business and Information Technologies Education.

In Florida, Holsey had grown up in a small community wherein her family worked as farm laborers. Holsey chose ECU because of her preference for staying in the south, and because she loved “a small college and friendly atmosphere.”

In 2008, Dr. Holsey was inducted into the ECU Educators Hall of Fame in recognition of her 34-year tenure at ECU as a faculty in the Department of Business and Information Technologies Education. Dr. Holsey’s Hall of Fame plaque notes that she was a “Teacher, Mentor, Colleague, and Friend, Admired, respected and revered for her commitment and dedication to Career and Technical Education.” Earlier, in 2005, Dr. Holsey had been recognized by Florida State University’s College of Human Sciences Centennial Gala as one of its 100 Outstanding Alumni.

Sources

• Educators Hall of Fame. https://coeweb.ecu.edu/hf/pg/2/?cn-char=H&page_id=29 and https://coeweb.ecu.edu/hf/hall-of-fame-plaque-wording/holsey/
• Everette, Anthony Ray. "Dr. Holsey Comes to ECU." Ebony Herald. Vol. 1, no. 2. March 1975. https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/56976
• DigiNole: FSU'S Digital Repository. http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/search/catch_all_subjects_mt%3A(Generals)?page=16
• "Lilla Holsey … fellowship: FSU Student Wins a Grant For $3,000." Tallahassee Democrat. April 10, 1974, p. 63.

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