Inducted: 2018
Rochelle High Graduate, 1961
Joyce Conoly-Simmons retired from The City College of New York after 43 years of service to the institution.
She began her career at CCNY as a counselor in the Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) Program, and later became a SEEK faculty member. She retired from CCNY's SEEK Program as the head of the Peer Academic Learning center. In her retirement, she has continued to serve CCNY, teaching as an adjunct professor in the Black Studies Program and volunteering with the CCNY Role Model Program.
As a member of the CCNY commencement committee, Ms. Conoly-Simmons assisted in the hooding of many famous persons receiving honorary doctorates, including former President Bill Clinton, mystery writer Walter Mosley, actress Rita Moreno, former United States Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, acclaimed author Elie Wiesel, educator Geoffrey Canada, opera singer Kathleen Battle, and most recently, former First Lady Michelle Obama.
When it came time to retire from CCNY, Ms. Conoly-Simmons decided to forgo a retirement party. Instead, she asked her family members, friends and colleagues to honor her service by supporting the Washington Park/Rochelle High School Scholarship Fund. More than $16,000 has since been donated to that fund.
Ms. Conoly-Simmons received a bachelor's degree from Florida A&M University and a master's degree from CCNY. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.