In celebration of Black History Month, College of Charleston Athletics will honor Cougar Trailblazers at the men’s basketball home game against Hofstra on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019, at 7 p.m. at TD Arena.

Both trailblazers – Louester “Lou” A. S. Robinson ’77 and Tanya Trescott Harper ’73 – will be honored for their impact on the College of Charleston and the greater community through the years. They will be accompanied by a current student-athlete of color to represent the past and present moving together towards continued success at the College.

Robinson is a 1977 graduate of the College of Charleston, earning a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. A consummate scholar, she later earned her doctorate degree in curriculum development and systemic change from Nova Southeastern University and her master’s degree in child and youth care administration from Nova University.

Robinson currently serves as the dean of the historic Palmer Campus of Trident Technical College in downtown Charleston. She formerly served on the College of Charleston Alumni Association Board of Directors. Robinson is also a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (charter member of the Iota Omicron chapter at the College of Charleston).

Harper is a 1973 graduate of the College of Charleston, earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She was the first African-American to graduate in the area of chemistry from the College. In that same year, Harper was hired as a chemist by Verona Chemical Corporation, currently known as Bayer Corporation. She became the first female chemist to be hired at the corporation’s facility in Charleston.

She worked for Bayer 12 years as a developmental chemist and 17 years as a research chemist specializing in paper dyes. Harper is now retired and works part time as a floral designer and bookkeeper for her family’s florist shop. Raised in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, she was one of 25 African-American students who integrated Berkeley High School in 1965. Harper is married to the Rev. Remus Harper, Jr. ’72, who was the first black student-athlete to play at the College and was inducted into the CofC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.

Featured image: Tanya Trescott Harper and Louester A. S. Robinson.