News

Voorhees celebrates National Library Week with actress Victoria Rowell and others

April 9, 2010

In celebration of National Library Week, which is April 11-17, Voorhees will be hosting its annual book fair featuring authors Stedman Graham and Victoria Rowell and the Healing Force, African storytellers/drummers, on Thursday, April 15 in the Leonard E. Dawson Health and Human Resources Center throughout the day.  

The first performance will be at 10 a.m. by the Healing Force. The Healing Force was founded in 1975 by husband and wife team, Joseph and Gail Anderson. The Andersons, who also perform with their daughter Sonji Gardner and son Karim, acted with the Afro-American Folkloric Troupe and studied with the National Black Theater of New York.  

At 11 a.m., Victoria Rowell, who is best known for her role on daytime drama, “The Young and the Restless” and “Diagnosis Murder,” will be the featured presenter.  

Over the years, Rowell has amassed an impressive list of credits. Her feature films include: “Eve’s Bayou” with Samuel L. Jackson, “Distinguished Gentleman” with Eddie Murphy, “Dumb and Dumber” with Jim Carey, “Motives” with Vivica A. Fox, and “One Red Rose” with Hill Harper. In her feature film, “Home of the Brave,” Rowell portrays Samuel L. Jackson’s wife in this story about three soldiers trying to readjust to life at home after serving a lengthy tour of duty in Iraq.  

In addition, Rowell has written an award-winning book and developed a documentary dedicated to the role models in her life. Both her book, “The Women Who Raised Me,” and her documentary, “The Mentor,” talk about the important people in her life who have helped her achieve her successes. Her next book, “Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva,” is due out in June 2010.  

Stedman Graham, chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates (SGA), a management and marketing consulting company that specializes in the corporate and educational markets, will be the featured presenter at 1:30 p.m. His clients include Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, CNN, GlaxoSmithKline, YMCA, Harvard and Wharton business schools and the U.S. Department of Education.

As a businessman, educator and speaker, he presents, consults and conducts training with corporations, organizations and nonprofits on the topics of maximizing leadership, achieving success, growing a business, embracing diversity, achieving optimal health, and personal and professional branding. His corporate seminars are driven by the proprietary Nine-Step Success Process.

Graham has authored ten books, including two New York Timesbestsellers, “You Can Make It Happen: A Nine-Step Plan for Success” and “Teens Can Make It Happen: Nine Steps to Success.”  

For more information on the book fair, please contact Dr. Marie Martin, library director, at 803-780-1229 or martin@voorhees.edu.