ALUMNI PROFILE
Name: Kaetrena Davis Kendrick ‘95
Residence: Blythewood, South Carolina
Degree: English
Occupation: associate librarian and associate professor, University of South Carolina Lancaster
Kaetrena Davis Kendrick '95 wears many hats and she wears them proudly.
She is a researcher, information specialist, mom, wife, daughter, granddaughter, niece, friend and creator. She's also the 2019 Academic/Research Librarian of the Year.
Above all, she is a lifelong learner and leader.
She praises Winthrop for instilling in her the value of knowledge and leadership as an undergraduate.
“As an information professional, my work centers helping others enjoy and participate in lifelong learning through reading and information evaluation,” said Kendrick, associate librarian and associate professor at the University of South Carolina Lancaster.
“Information access leads to an informed citizenry and those who are well-informed often find and implement solutions for the greater good,” she added.
“In this way, I help many people become leaders of their own lives and in their communities.”
The desire to lead and help others was cultivated at Winthrop as a member of her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and through her connections with faculty.
“The (sorority) experience taught me a great deal about friendship and authenticity; lessons that have become clearer and dearer to me as time passes,” Kendrick said.
She arrived at Winthrop in the early 1990s during the time that Winthrop College became Winthrop University. Kendrick said she went through a transition of her own; discovering a desire to learn about the world in a more global context. Today, her research has furthered that desire and allowed her to travel to various parts of Europe and Asia.
The Columbia native said former Winthrop Professors Gordon Ross and the late Dorothy Perry Thompson “made the most lasting impressions” during her undergraduate years.
“Dr. Ross' instruction continues to have an impact on the way I write. His calm demeanor and thoughtful feedback allowed me to experiment with language and increased my confidence in finding ways to express myself clearly,” she said.
“Dr. Thompson offered me a sense of community, solidified in me a sense of cultural pride and helped me see myself as a person who could lead,” Kendrick added.
The Association of College & Research Libraries recently recognized Kendrick as the 2019 Academic/Research Librarian of the Year. She continues to conduct research and work around diversity, ethics and the impact of low morale in academic libraries.