Wright State dean and two alumni honored as Top 10 African American Males

Larry James, Ph.D., dean of Wright State University's School of Professional Psychology, was honored by Parity Inc. during its annual Top 10 African American Males luncheon.

Larry James, Ph.D., dean of Wright State University’s School of Professional Psychology, was honored Feb. 23 by a Montgomery County group dedicated to improving the community.

Two Wright State alumni—Michael Carter (’01) and Alonzo Patterson III, M.D. (’85)—were also among the 10 men recognized for their generous donation of time and spirit by Parity Inc. during its annual Top 10 African American Males luncheon. The awards, held at Sinclair Community College, are a 15-year tradition in the Miami Valley.

Parity is committed to promoting self-sufficiency and self-sustainment in the Dayton area’s African American community through a variety of programs, including a mentoring program in Dayton Public Schools.

“We hope these men serve as an inspiration to [youth]… that they can hear how they have achieved and are giving back to their communities,” said John E. Moore, Sr., former co-chair of Parity Inc., and long-time Dayton civic leader. “If we develop and use our resources our African American men will return that investment in their communities.”

At Wright State, James has led the push to get the Duke E. Ellis Institute for Human Development nationally certified. He also has proposed a plan to use $10 million in private money to buy blighted properties near the institute and convert them into treatment centers.

“It’s an honor to be in the company of such talented and distinguished African American men supporting this community,” James said. “Very few communities get to see the positive side of the African-American community and it’s so important to our future.”
James is retired from the Army as a colonel after 22 years of service, and is a recipient of the Bronze Star and the Defense Superior Service Medal. In addition to serving tours in Iraq, James served as chairman of the psychology departments at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Tripler Army Medical Center. During the 9/11 terrorist attacks, James led teams of mental health professionals into the burning Pentagon.

James has published five books and more than 50 papers and 100 abstracts. He is board-certified in clinical psychology and health psychology. He is president-elect for the Division of Military Psychology of the American Psychological Association and serves on the Board of Directors for Dayton-based Wright Dunbar, Inc.

He has received Dorothy Booz-Black Award, the Timothy Jeffrey Award and the Military Psychologist of the Year award.

Alonzo Patterson III, M.D., earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Wright State before earning his medical degree at the University of Cincinnati. After residencies in Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Patterson joined Wright State’s (Boonshoft) School of Medicine as assistant dean of minority affairs, a role in which he helped students matriculate and graduate from the medical school. Dr. Patterson is currently a general pediatrician practicing in the Wright Dunbar neighborhood in Dayton.

Michael Carter is interim senior vice president at Sinclair Community College. He has served as director of school linkages at Sinclair, as well as director of the Fast Forward Center since its inception in 2001. The center has helped reduced Montgomery County’s high school drop-out rate from 25.6 percent in 2001 to 12.1 percent currently, and has been recognized as a national model for drop-out recovery by the National Dropout Prevention Center.

Parity Inc. is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to improving and strengthening the educational, economic and social opportunities for African Americans in Montgomery County, Ohio. It advocates self-sufficiency and collaboration with community partners to teach, train, and serve the African American community.