Charles Terrell '70 has two passions: his job and
his other job. An associate dean for student affairs for the Boston University
Medical Center, Terrell is also a nationally known consultant and lecturer on
student financial management, minority recruitment and admissions issues.Whether he's consulting for the Department of Health and Human Services or
lecturing at the National Association of Medical Minority Educators, Terrell
passionately spreads his message that college allows people to reach their full
potential."I think I'm a great role model for what's possible in higher education, and
I'm able to communicate that to groups and people who need to know that
[access] is possible. When I go out and talk to different groups I tell my
story, saying, `If I can do it so can you," said Terrell, who was raised in
modest means in Washington, D.C.A doctoral candidate at Nova Southeastern University, Terrell says he remains
at BU because it gives him the flexibility to continue consulting."I love what I do," said Terrell, who graduated from Colby with a degree in
history and received a master's from BU in African-American studies. "I'm free
to [help others] in accessing higher education. I know that I make a difference
with the students I help here at BU, and I know I make a difference with
[students and parents] when presenting the possibilities of higher education."In his multifaceted BU position, Terrell is responsible for the administration
of the Office of Student Financial Management, and he sits on the admissions
committee of the medical school reading through many of the 11,000 applications
and interviewing some of the 1,200 candidates for 90 available spaces. He is
the spokesperson for the Office of Student Financial Planning and Development,
and he works with the Office of Minority Affairs developing ways to help
under-represented groups get opportunites to attend medical school. He is
collaborating with BU's undergraduate African-American studies program to
reinvigerate the department. Recently Terrell developed the office of residency
planning and practice management services for the Primary Care Initiative to
get more medical students to enter the primary care field (a difficult task
since these physicians don't make as much money as specialists).
As a Colby alumnus Terrell is perhaps best known for his orchestration of the
Lorimer Chapel takeover in 1970, though he says he wants to move forward and
use the experience for positive purposes.
"I worked so hard to change things at Colby because I loved it," he said.
"There's a photograph [of the takeover] that I have hanging in my office to
remind myself of how angry I used to get at figures of authority. When people
come into my office and get upset, I can glance over at it. I have a better
sense of understanding. . . . When things don't go well for students I can
understand."
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