Making a point
Drena! Settles loved the way her father
said her name, so she added a punctuation mark to
illustrate his energy
Adrianne Settles, who likes to go by Drena!,
began working in the halls of academia at Brookhaven
in 2000 before making her way to North Lake in
September 2003. She thought that a college would
be a good change from working in marketing where
she had been since her own college days.
Drena!, who is originally from Detroit, Mich.,
graduated from Lauren F. Osborne High School and
went on to Shorter Junior College in Little Rock,
Ark., where she got her associate’s in business
administration.
She then went on to Philander Smith College in
Little Rock where she pursued and attained her
bachelor’s in English and a minor in communications.
Drena! has also attended two institutes for charm
and etiquette. In 2002, she graduated from the
DCCCD Leadership Class. Drena! was also a contestant
and runner-up in the Miss Black Michigan Pageant.
When asked why she writes her name Drena! with
an exclamation point, she said with a smile, “It’s
in honor of my father, Leroy Duckett.” She
said he helped inspire her to get active by getting
her to join a beauty pageant.
“I loved the way my father would say my
name. It made me feel good.” she said.
After college Drena! Married in Arkansas and
had a child, Karen Yvette Settles, who has since
become a writer and published a book called Walking
in My Sister‘s Shoes. Drena!, who likes
to buy shoes, said that her daughter wrote a poem
about her shoes in the book. Drena! also has a
grandson named Khalid Kent Settles.
Drena! is now the student programs specialist
in the SPAR office at North Lake. She helped to
organize the talent show, the International Day
festival, and numerous other activities on campus.
“I like to make people feel special,”
said Drena!, who added that it’s something
her father taught her to do. She is almost like
a talent scout. And she will go around asking
people what they can do and try to help them express
that talent.
“I try to keep students involved,”
she said. She feels very receptive to ideas and
loves interacting with people.
Students seemed very receptive to her as well.
As I was sitting and talking with her, at least
three students stopped by to just say hello and
let her know what they were doing with their respective
talents. She says that it is that kind of attitude
that keeps students active.
You can find Drena! Walking in and out of the
SPAR office or at the next on-campus event, and
you will always find her wearing a big smile and
a friendly attitude.
“It is a pleasure to work with Drena! Her
beautiful smile and special attention she gives
to the students is commendable. Drena! is a mentor
and role model for all students,” said Virginia
Jones, director of SPAR.
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