Denmark Technical College has announced April Kelly-Drummond, vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion at Denny’s, as this year’s commencement speaker. The annual ceremony takes place on the Denmark Technical College campus at 10:00 a.m. on April 30 in the William L. McDuffie Student Life Center.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do at Denmark Technical College, so Ms. Drummond-Kelly was a natural choice as commencement speaker. I’m excited to hear the inspiring message she has for our students as they prepare to make their mark on the world,” said Dr. Willie L. Todd Jr., president and CEO.
Kelly-Drummond has spent her career at Denny’s leading diversity initiatives, playing a significant role in transforming the company’s image and forging lasting relationships with a who’s who in diverse national organizations. She has been an integral player in championing the company’s “Bold Way Forward,” a company-wide ongoing effort to create diversity at all levels, improve corporate culture and strengthen and expand relationships with community partners. The award-winning executive has been named to Savoy’s Top 100 Influential Women in Corporate America.
Kelly-Drummond has raised Denny’s profile with many organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Civil Rights Museum, The King Center, the National Urban League, the National Action Network, the Step Up Foundation and the Hispanic College Fund. She has worked tirelessly to help the company gain significant national media attention from civil rights groups for becoming a corporate example of increasing diversity among its workforce, its franchisees and its vendors.
She has appeared in 60 Minutes, Fortune, Black Enterprise and Essence. Other recognition for April and Denny’s efforts have been seen in Hispanic Business, Savoy Magazine, Family Digest and Latino Magazine. She was named South Carolina Woman of the Year/Human and Community Relations Award by the Governor of South Carolina and was named Minority Advocate of the Year by Asian Enterprise Magazine for two consecutive years.
“I’m honored and excited to be Denmark Technical College’s commencement speaker,” Kelly-Drummond said. “I’m passionate about education, particularly HBCUs, and investing in students’ education.”
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