Franklin College will welcome Patricia Payne, Ed.D., to campus during its third convocation in its 2020-2021 Convocation Lecture Series. The virtual event, titled “A Pandemic of Racism: The Struggle for Equity Continues,” will be held on Monday, March 8 at 7 p.m. 

All guests are asked to register to receive detailed information on how to access the event virtually.

The event will follow a conversation/Q&A format between Payne and John Krull ’81, alumnus of the college, director of the Franklin College Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com. Viewers will have the opportunity to pose questions to Payne during the webinar.

Payne has served the Indianapolis Public Schools for over 58 years. She is an Indianapolis native who attended IPS and graduated from Shortridge High School and Indiana University, Bloomington. In 1962, she began her service with the Indianapolis Public Schools teaching second grade until 1987 when she was appointed to design and direct the IPS Office of Multicultural Education. Following a brief retirement in 2014, she returned to IPS and currently serves as director of the IPS Racial Equity Office and the Crispus Attucks Museum.

Payne served as president of the Indianapolis Education Association and chairperson of the National Education Association Black Caucus. She is the recipient of numerous local, state and national awards, including the distinguished Sagamore of the Wabash Award from the state of Indiana, the IPS Hall of Fame Award, the Carter G. Woodson Award and the H. Councill Trenholm Award from the National Education Association, the Champion of Diversity Award from the Indianapolis Minority Business Magazine, the Trailblazer Award from the Kennedy King Memorial Initiative, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Indiana University, the Senator Julia Carson Community Service Award, the Living Legend Award from Community Action of Greater Indianapolis, the “Putting Your Faith on the Line” Award and the “Educational Excellence” Award from Indiana Black Expo, and the Sankofa Award from the NAACP, Indianapolis Chapter.

Payne serves on the boards of Flanner House, IU Alumni Board, Martin University and the Indianapolis Public Library. She is an ordained Elder at Witherspoon Presbyterian Church. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, a master’s degree and administrative license from IUPUI, and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Martin University.

For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at 317.738.8185.

POSTED Mar 1, 2021