Rashad Sanders was elected president; Shaunte Polk was elected vice president; Christopher Taylor was elected treasurer; and Deanna Bailey was elected secretary.
Sanders is a chemical and outsource buyer at Special Metals PCC in Huntington. He was a contract specialist at Marshall University and has over fifteen years of experience with programming and event planning, creating initiatives on university’s Huntington and South Charleston campuses. Sanders served as the advisor for the American Dream Movement and has overseen hundreds of programs and events for the Huntington community and Tri-State area. He was an Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. chapter president in college, a historian, a member of Alpha Iota Lambda Graduate Chapter and the advisor on the District Executive Committee for the Alpha Chapters at Marshall University and the state of West Virginia.
Polk currently serves as the sponsored program administrator for the Office of Intercultural Affairs at Marshall University, overseeing the Center for African American Students programming office and the LGBTQ+ office. Through her leadership, Polk has worked tirelessly to create diverse, inclusive and safe spaces for students while implementing programming about living and interacting in a global society. Forever committed to diversity and inclusion, her hard work has been recognized by WVVA, NBC News, Teen Vogue Magazine and PBS, to name a few. These recognitions have allowed her to connect with people all over the world and highlight the amazing things happening at Marshall University.
Taylor graduated from Marshall University in 2008. He is currently a Cisco application architect/engineer/consultant and previously worked for Kaiser Permanente, with a focus on the budgeting of IT equipment. He was treasurer for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. during his time at Marshall.
Bailey graduated from Marshall with her bachelor’s degree in public relations in 2011 and her master’s degree in health care administration in 2013. She played tennis for the university from 2008-2010 and served as a reporter and editor for The Parthenon. Bailey is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She currently resides in the metro Atlanta area, where she serves as a buyer for the independent book store, Story On The Square.
The officers are already hard at work with planning for outreach, fundraising, scholarship and homecoming events.
Sanders said, “No one can build a city with their own two hands; they need the help of family, friends and others to construct and rebuild. Let’s build relationships and create greatness together.”
Bailey said she is ready to get to work.
“I’m so honored and thrilled to be in this position. I know things will have to be one step at a time, but I’m excited to work with and get to know Marshall graduates from past years,” Bailey said.
Anyone who is interested in receiving chapter updates and event information from Marshall University Black Alumni may contact the group by e-mail at info@muba-alumni.com.