story by Claire Miller
Felicia Mayfield (B.S. '75, M.Ed. '80, Ed.S. '87) was among several students of color who integrated Sacred Heart High School for Girls in Memphis, Tenn.
She enrolled in 1967 and became the first person of color to join the National Honor Society and serve as co-editor of the school paper.
When it came time to apply for college, Mayfield initially planned to attend the University of Tennessee (UT) – a move that, like her high school career, meant integrating into a predominately white institution.
“Schooling was the centerpiece of the Civil Rights struggle. At that time, the smartest and most emotionally robust high school graduates were sent to integrate the big state schools,” she said. “Having come from Memphis, it was pre-destined, a clear expectation for me to go to the University of Tennessee.”
She enrolled at UT in 1971, but a year later, she transferred to Georgia State University in Atlanta, which she believed was a better fit for her.
“I chose Atlanta because it was ‘The City Too Busy to Hate.’ I transferred to Georgia State as a sophomore because it checked all the boxes for me: It was a big, public, urban, commuter school with comprehensive academics,” she said. “And it was clear that Georgia State was for me because it had childcare, and I came to the university with a nine-month-old.”
Mayfield’s mother encouraged her to earn a degree in education, and the faculty she met along her academic journey reminded her why teaching is such an important profession.
“I was told by the professors and leaders in my undergraduate departments that democracy was dependent on an informed citizenry, and an informed citizenry was the responsibility of teachers,” she said.
Mayfield earned three degrees in education from Georgia State’s College of Education & Human Development and kicked off a four-decade career in education. She served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and associate superintendent in the DeKalb County School District before becoming a tenure track associate professor and director of field services and partnerships at Clark Atlanta University.
While she built her career and raised her family, Mayfield remained connected to the Georgia State community. She previously served as chair of the university’s Alumni Board of Directors, chair of the Women's Philanthropy Network, is a member of the Board of Trustees and a lifetime member of the Alumni Association.
She and her husband, Rodney, also established the Felicia and Rodney Mayfiend Scholarship, which recognizes a deserving undergraduate student in the College of Education & Human Development.
“I had put my passion into practice as an educator, making an impact to improve society. And I always wanted to do something to last in perpetuity,” Mayfield said about the decision to establish the scholarship. “As I got older, my focus started shifting to legacy. I needed to set an example for my two superstar children who had become educators.”
Their scholarship specifically supports students whose GPA precludes them from receiving the HOPE Scholarship, a statewide scholarship that covers students’ tuition to a college or university in Georgia if they maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.
This was an important element for Mayfield, who is grateful to this day for the support she had while earning her degrees and hopes her scholarship helps students accomplish their academic goals.
“I had the complete package of family support throughout my career launch. I always had resources, encouragement and prayer. But without this support, I would not have succeeded,” she said.