Page 58 - N.C. A&T Magazine Spring 2019

alUMni notes

22

1960s 1970s BeTTye PerKins ’70, president and CEO of Today’s
Students Tomorrow’s Teachers (TSTT), was one of
five winners nationally of 2018 AARP Purpose Prize
alVin “al” aTTles sr. ’60, one of North awards, which are presented to those 50 and older
Carolina A&T’s most successful athletes for outstanding work in public life and social good.
in the sport of basketball, will be one of Each winner received $60,000 to further her/his
11 honorees enshrined in the Naismith organization’s mission.
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in
Springfield, Massachusetts, on Friday, Sept. The TSTT program finds and mentors students from
6. The Newark, New Jersey, native played economically challenged and diverse backgrounds
for the Aggies under coach Cal Irvin, to pursue careers in education. According to the U.S.
1956–1960, and led the team to Department of Education, only 18 percent of the nation’s
consecutive CIAA titles in 3.5 million teachers are teacher of color. The national
1958 and 1959. program has produced over 800 students with five-year
retention rate of 90 percent compared to 50 percent
In 1960, Attles was drafted
by the Philadelphia across the U.S.
Warriors, playing 11 A former IBM executive, Perkins started the program
seasons with the team 20 years ago to address the lack of diversity in the
in Philadelphia and classroom and has graduated 165 teachers.
then in San Francisco
(now the Golden State
Warriors). Since 1970, he
has held numerous roles
in the franchise including 1990s
coach (1970–1983), team
executive and ambassador
to the community. He led roderiCK mClean ’92 has been named
the organization to an NBA vice president and general manager for
Championship in 1975, and he Lockheed Martin’s Air Mobility & Maritime
is one of five Warriors to have Missions organization, where he is responsible
his number retired. for the C-130, LM-100J, C-5 and P-3
programs. McLean also serves as the leader
In February 2015, Attles was for the Marietta, Georgia, facility and oversees
the first player in N.C. A&T sub-assembly sites in Clarksburg, West
history to have his number Virginia, and Meridian, Mississippi.
retired. His no. 22 jersey now A 25-year Lockheed Martin employee,
hangs from the rafters in
Corbett Sports Center. McLean most recently led the Integrated
Fighter Group. He also previously served as
deputy for that group, as well as deputy for
the F-16 program.

56 • N.C. a&t MagaziNe NCat.edu • 57