MTSU’s Wills receives ‘key to the city’ from Hopkinsville mayor

As Dr. Cornelia Wills, a director in the Office of Student Success, continues her work promoting the keys to improving academic success for students, she’ll do so with an additional “key” that recognizes her involvement beyond the campus community.

MTSU educator and local author Dr. Cornelia Wills is shown here on the MTSU campus with the “Key to the City” presented to her by Hopkinsville, Ky., Mayor Carter M. Hendricks after Wills’ keynote address at the Modernettes Civic Club Inc.’s 23rd annual African-American Heritage Breakfast on Feb. 25 in Hopkinsville. (MTSU photo by Jimmy Hart)

Wills was keynote speaker for the Modernettes Civic Club Inc.’s 23rd annual African-American Heritage Breakfast last month at the James E. Bruce Convention Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

Following her Feb. 25 address, a surprised Wills was presented a symbolic “Key to the City” by Hopkinsville Mayor Carter M. Hendricks.

Mama Said cover-web “I was both honored and humbled to receive this award of such high esteem from the mayor,” Wills said. “It is a day that I shall always remember. I was totally surprised and am truly thankful!”

An educational administrator, author and philanthropist, Wills is the author of the book “Mama Said: A Word to the Wise is Sufficient.”

The book teaches life lessons, particularly for young people, and contains timeless wisdom Wills learned from her mother while growing up as a child in rural Alabama.

She donates a portion of proceeds from the book’s sales to an MTSU emergency fund to help students stay in school.

Established in 1965, the Modernettes recently celebrated its 50 year anniversary. The organization was formed with a group of young women — some just out of college and some teachers.

In 1995, the organization began its annual African-American Heritage Breakfast, held each year to coincide with Black History Month. Proceeds from the annual fundraiser are used to fund scholarships for local students.

For more information about the MTSU Office of Student Success, visit www.mtsu.edu/studentsuccess or call 615-494-8650.

— Jimmy Hart (jimmy.hart@mtsu.edu)