First Lady Tonya Edington plans to be “very active and very visible.” As her husband serves as the University of the District of Columbia’s 10th President, Edington plans to promote UDC through engagement on campus and throughout the DC community.
“This is an honor and privilege to represent UDC as First Lady; it is something I hold very dear and do not take lightly,” Edington said. “I’m excited about being a part of this wonderful institution. I look forward to working alongside Maurice and helping him fulfill his vision for the University.”
Like her husband, Edington also plans to have a prominent presence on campus. “It’s important for me to be there and a part of what’s going on,” she said. “I will be able to figure out where I can be most helpful, not only to Maurice but throughout the campus community. I hope to be able to use my platform as the First Lady to be a role model for young people.”
Edington graduated from Eastern College (now Eastern University) in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in management. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA), Inc., pledging the graduate chapter of Delta Kappa Omega in Tallahassee, Florida.
Edington has been active in community service with her sorority chapter, including serving on its scholarship committee for several years and participating in community health projects and back-to-school drives for college and K-12 students providing supplies, clothing and personal hygiene products. She plans to continue her charitable work while in DC.
She also volunteered with the United Way on its allocations committee, reviewing the financial needs of various food pantries and shelters that provide services for individuals experiencing domestic violence.
Edington has worked in human resources for over 20 years in various industries, including retail and manufacturing, and she also spent a decade working in higher education. She currently works in HR for a small marketing agency.
Edington grew up on a farm in the small town of DeFuniak Springs in West Florida, known for Lake DeFuniak, one of only two spring-fed lakes that are nearly perfectly round and sit in the heart of town.
“We did have animals, horses and cows,” she said. “My dad had a love for horses; he owned quarter horses that were show horses, and he trained horses, so people would be able to ride them.”
Edington talks fondly about her close-knit family, especially her sisters, who have also been her role models.
“I have three sisters and three brothers, and I’m in the middle. My mentors were my sisters. The age difference is 11, nine and six years older than me, which means I had many mothers,” she said. “They each were role models for me. I just really looked up to them. I remember how much I idolized my oldest sister. Even now, as an adult, I still look up to my sisters; they are my go-to for everything.”
Edington has one stepchild with President Edington— his daughter, Gabriella, who is completing a medical residency in psychiatry—and plays a significant role in the lives of many young people in her family.
The First Lady’s passion for working with young people stems from being a part of a large family. In addition to being the fifth of seven children, she has many nieces and nephews.
“I take great pride in them and the adults they have become,” Edington said. “I try to pour into them and be a role model and support, helping them find themselves. That’s where my passion comes from. We have a responsibility to be those role models and to be able to help shape and develop them to be able to represent us in the future. I truly have a heart for young people.”
Her spirituality is also a guiding force in her life.
“I consider myself to be a servant leader,” Edington said. “I am very spiritual. I love the Lord. I have no shame in saying that. I always tell my nieces and nephews that no matter what you are going through, don’t make any decisions without consulting God, even in the smallest things.”