Retired administrator and teacher gives back as UDC Board of Trustee Member

From age six, Dr. Mildred Musgrove knew that teaching would be her career path. As a little girl growing up in DC with a single mother, she bought books for 10 cents at the Salvation Army and begin teaching her dolls to read. Since then, she has never stopped sharing knowledge. With 34 years in public education, she has been a senior high school teacher, curriculum writer-in-residence, instructional supervisor, elementary and high school principal, assistant superintendent, chief of staff and chief academic officer.

Musgrove has also worked as an adjunct professor at the American University and UDC. She currently serves as a UDC Board of Trustees member and is in the second year of her first term.

Born and raised in Newberry, SC and in the District, Musgrove graduated from DC Teachers College with a B.S. degree in English (‘70). She received her master’s degree in English from Trinity College and an Ed.D. in Administration and Curriculum from George Washington University in 1991. Her husband graduated from Federal City College (‘75) with a degree in business management.

Her love for educating young people and bringing communities together is evident throughout her storied career that included supporting students at every level in DC Public Schools. After teaching for several years, Musgrove wrote the curriculum for five years and then became an instructional supervisor. She later became an elementary school principal and served as an assistant superintendent for a cluster of schools within DCPS.

Musgrove moved on to work at DCPS Central Office as the superintendent’s chief of staff. She then became the chief academic officer, where she oversaw instructional programs for DC Public Schools.

“It was my job to deal with anything to do with educating students across the board,” Musgrove said, who raised two children as she worked and completed her doctoral degree.

After working at the DCPS Central Office, Musgrove served the last five years of her career as the principal of Anacostia High School.

“It was the best job I’ve ever had,” Musgrove said about her time at Anacostia. “It was phenomenal. After all the work that I had done in my career, it was great to be able to take all of that experience to that school.”

Of all the educational experiences she has had, she said she is the proudest of what she was able to accomplish at Anacostia, where she served as the second longest-tenured principal.

“People had a very negative view about the area,” Musgrove said. “When I got there, it was nothing like what people had said. It was a school neglected by the system. I worked together with the staff, parents, and students to help everyone understand that this was a place where they could come to learn and be loved. My staff, teachers and administrators, and parents worked hand-in-hand to take the school to heights it had never seen in years.”

“I see some of our students on Facebook and watch how many of them have blossomed.”

Even in retirement, Musgrove continues to find ways to give back. She is a part of a network of DC Teachers College graduates who put on an annual dinner where the proceeds go to support students in DC Public Schools.

She is hoping to see more alumni from UDC predecessor schools get involved in giving back to UDC and its students.

“The reality is, we have a university that is doing amazing things. We don’t forget DC Teachers College, but we are all one at UDC,” Musgrove said, who is encouraging more to join UDC’s National Alumni Society.

“I would like to see UDC flourish into the nation’s HBCU, where students from every state recognize it as a good place to study,” she said. “President Mason has set the University in the right direction. I would like to see us continue on the upward climb.”

Musgrove continues to be active in professional organizations including the Senior High Alliance of Parents, Principals, and Educators (founding member); 21st Century School Fund Board of Directors; the American University Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa; DC Retired Educators Association; and CHANCE Academy Board of Directors.  She is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Sorority, Inc. Rho Mu Omega Chapter.