Child First USA Names Sterling Hudson III to serve as CEO
Apr 14, 2011 - Child First USA, a non-profit organization promoting education through the reduction of high school dropouts, announced the appointment of Sterling Hudson III as its new CEO. Hudson, a well-respected education reformer from Morehouse College, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new role.
Hudson's experience at Morehouse College, a historically black college for males, will advance the vision of Child First USA. Child First supports the development of students, specifically, African American and Latino males.
"The majority of my career has been at Morehouse College," Hudson said. "I worked there 27 years. During those years in the Morehouse environment, I learned a great deal about how young men, especially African American males, approach education—not just higher education, but education in general. It's given me a lot of insight into some of the obstacles between our young men at varying stages of the education pipeline and obtaining a baccalaureate degree."
One of Hudson's main objectives as CEO is to successfully adjust the Child First model for schools in the Atlanta metropolitan area. He hopes to draw more attention to Child First's National Re-Enrollment Program. "We have to have more people on the ground working with these young people because our approach is holistic," said Hudson. "What we're trying to do is connect the issues of school and progress in school with family issues and community issues."
One of Hudson's main objectives as CEO is to successfully adjust the Child First model for schools in the Atlanta metropolitan area. He hopes to draw more attention to Child First's National Re-Enrollment Program. "We have to have more people on the ground working with these young people because our approach is holistic," said Hudson. "What we're trying to do is connect the issues of school and progress in school with family issues and community issues."
Hudson is a well-respected speaker, author, and advisor in the education arena. He received recognition for his work as director of the Pre-Freshman Summer Program at Morehouse, which focuses on easing the transition between high school and college for Morehouse freshmen. Hudson also supervised many departments during his Morehouse career, such as freshman studies and enrollment, including student recruitment, admissions, and financial aid. He served on the committee for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the board of directors for the United Negro College Fund's Enrollment Management Project, and the National SAT Committee.
"We are delighted to welcome Sterling as the new Chief Executive Officer of Child First USA," said Dr. Edward Brown, Chairman of the Board for Child First. "Throughout his career, Sterling has demonstrated a keen focus on students and families and how to best serve their needs. We expect to benefit from his strong management experience and perspective, as Child First USA continues to grow and expand by innovating industry leading programs and delivering unrivaled service and commitment to America's most vulnerable youth."