The Hampton University community mourns the loss of devoted Honors College Director Dr. Freddye T. Davy, who passed away on Saturday, June 2, 2012.

As a testament to Davy's dedication, Hampton University President Dr. William R. Harvey announced in April that the HU Honors College would be named the Freddye T. Davy Honors College in her honor.

Davy became the director of the program in 1994. Prior to her post at HU, Davy served at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina and worked in the public schools in Arkansas, the District of Columbia and Maryland. She earned a bachelor's degree from Philander Smith College, a master's degree from the University of Maryland and a Doctorate from Vanderbilt University.

When Davy arrived at the HU Honors College she developed a program that offers a diverse combination of seminars, rights and rituals, community service and outreach, conference work and graduate study preparation.

The core mission of the college is to promote learning while building character and preparing students for leadership and service. Davy always said that Honors College students seek success and intellectual risk in all they did at HU.

Alumni from the program leave HU filled with "Davy-isms," as many have coined them, and are prepared to be leaders in their communities. Alumni from the HU Honors College work in industries of health care, law, education, environmental science, communications and much more. After graduating from the college, students have attended many prestigious graduate and professional schools. Honors College alumni often come back and serve as mentors and speakers for Honors College events.

Davy always held high expectations for all her graduates including the Class of 2012. As each college and school were asked to stand during HU's Commencement on May 13, this year's honors college graduates stood as the first class graduating from the Freddye T. Davy Honors College.

A memorial service for Davy will be held in Ogden Hall on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 11 a.m.