Dr. June Jackson Christmas to speak at Vassar, February 6

Dr. June Jackson Christmas will be this year's recipient of the Award for Distinguished Achievement, presented annually by the Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College (AAVC). A community psychiatrist and health policy planner, and a member of Vassar's Class of 1945-4, Dr. Christmas will give a lecture titled "Health in the Time of Revolution: Individual and Social Challenges" on Thursday, February 6, at 5 p.m., at the Daly Grind Caf» at the Aula, Vassar College. The event is free and open to the public.

Currently, Dr. Christmas is a member of the board of trustees and chair of the program committee for the Jackie Robinson Foundation. She sits on the board of the Urban Issues Group, a policy institute that she helped found in 1993.

Dr. Christmas founded and was first director of the Harlem Rehabilitation Center, Harlem Hospital, a community-based psychiatric rehabilitation program. She headed President Carter's transition team for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. From 1972-1980, she was commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Alcoholism Services for the City of New York. On the state level, Dr. Christmas was a member of Governor Mario Cuomo's Advisory Committee on Black Affairs.

More recently, Dr. Christmas worked with Mayor David Dinkins as Chair of the Mayor's Advisory Council on Child Health in New York City. In addition to her position as the first African American woman president of the American Public Health Association, Dr. Christmas has also been vice-president of the American Psychiatric Association and president of the Public Health Association of NYC. In 1999, Dr. Christmas was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Medical Fellowships.

A member of Vassar's Board of Trustees from 1978 to 1989, Dr. Christmas was the President's Distinguished Visitor in 1988. Since 1995, the Africana Studies Program has presented the June Jackson Christmas Prize for Academic Excellence in Africana Studies.

The Award for Distinguished Achievement is presented annually to an alumna or alumnus who has achieved the highest level of her or his field of endeavor. While demonstrating exceptional qualities of talent, application, creativity, and skill within a certain career, this individual must at the same time exemplify the ideals of a liberal arts education and have used her or his position to better the human community and to serve the wider goals of society.

For additional information, contact AAVC at (845) 437-5445. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Cathy Jennings at (845) 437-5370, as far in advance as possible to request appropriate and reasonable accommodations.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact Campus Activities Office at (845) 437-5370. Without sufficient notice, appropriate space and/or assistance may not be available.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

This article was posted on Thursday, February 6th, 2003.