Former FAMU educator, philanthropist Anne Gayles-Felton celebrating 100th birthday at gala

Former Florida A&M University educator and noted philanthropist Anne Gayles-Felton is counting down the days before turning 100 years old — a significant new chapter of her life that is worthy of the centennial birthday gala being held at FAMU to celebrate her.

The extravagant gala will take place on her birthday Sunday at 4 p.m. in FAMU’s Grand Ballroom, and Gayles-Felton is excited for the party.

“I never thought I’d still be able to walk and talk and do everything,” said Gayles-Felton, a Marshallville, Georgia, native who currently lives in the Westminster Oaks retirement community in eastern Leon County.

“I don’t know if they’re going to let me dance or not,” she added as she laughed.

Gayles-Felton graduated from Fort Valley State University in 1943 with her bachelor’s degree in secondary education and social sciences before receiving her master’s degree in teaching from Columbia University and her doctor of education degree from Indiana University.

She taught both elementary and high school in Georgia before teaching at FVSU, Arkansas Baptist College, Stillman College, Albany State College, Rust College and Florida State University.

FAMU then became her home for nearly 50 years until she retired in 2003.

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” Gayles-Felton said. “I grew up in a family of educators who promoted education, and I fell in line.”

Throughout the decades that she spent at FAMU, she served in roles that included undergraduate and graduate professor of secondary education and foundations, college supervisor of interns, director of student teaching, curriculum coordinator, and head of the department of secondary education and foundations.

Over 150 people are expected to attend the celebration Sunday, according to Assistant Vice President of Alumni Affairs and University Advancement Carmen Cummings, who will be hosting the evening's event.

"She's a breath of fresh air, she’s truly loved and she’s a source of encouragement for a lot of our senior gems in the community," Cummings said, referring to Gayles-Felton. "Even though she’s almost 100 years old, she’s still so daring and adventuresome.”

FAMU President Larry Robinson will also be attending the event and is on the program to speak during the celebration.

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Following Gayles-Felton's career of working with young individuals, many of them — as well as many of her colleagues — continue to pay her visits even after she retired, admired by her work and lifetime achievements.

She says that as a professor, her students would call their time with her “The Gayles Experience."

A few of her former students, such as Marcus Young, collaborated with FAMU along with Gayles-Felton's second cousin Vienna Adams to put the birthday gala together.

“People respect her and love her,” said Adams, 65, a 1980 FAMU graduate. “Even at almost 100 years old, people who are still working at FAMU drop by to see her just to come and check on her and say hi, so she hasn't lost any of those relationships.”

Although Gayles-Felton and Adams are cousins, Adams sees her as a grandmother and mother figure — similar to many other people — calling her an “amazing and astonishing woman.”

“She likes to talk and joke with people, and she loves to engage in debates,” Adams said. “She can also be kind of firm, and she stands her ground. She's a little lady, but she's a giant at the same time.”

Aside from Gayles-Felton's role as an educator with a professional education background of over 50 years, her philanthropic work has been one she is passionate about as well, where she has made generous contributions to help students receive an education.

She donated over $600,000 to her alma mater FVSU and became its first alumna to gift it with six-figure donations. The university has honored her with the Presidential Award for Excellence and has an academic building named after her on its campus — the Anne Richardson Gayles-Felton Academic Classroom and Laboratory.

For Gayles-Felton's 99th birthday last year, FVSU celebrated her with a party, a portrait unveiling and a showcase of her achievements.

More: Georgia university names classroom for Tallahassee philanthropist

At Columbia University’s Teacher College, Gayles-Felton donated a $250,000 scholarship and also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the university.

She also donated many scholarships to FAMU’s College of Education, including an endowed scholarship that she established at the university for undergraduate teacher education majors in 2005 called the Anne R. Gayles-Felton Endowed Scholarship, which is still active today.

“I’ve always had a giving spirit," said Gayles-Felton. “Growing up, I saw my family getting help from others to pursue education, and it made me want to help my people — people of color — get educated as well."

High honors of Gayles-Felton from her wide collection include her induction into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame's area of Lifetime Achievement, being featured in the FAMU College of Education’s Gallery of Distinction and receiving FAMU's Meritorious Achievement Award — the highest award bestowed by the university.

On top of all her accomplishments, Gayles-Felton has also been working on her autobiography for the last 10 years, with several friends and students helping her gather material and organize decades of information.

“I’m writing it because I think it can be a motivating factor for young black individuals, especially young Black girls,” Gayles-Felton said.

“Those times when I was celebrated for doing something good to help others have been some of the ultimate highlights of my life,” she added. “It makes me feel good to live long enough to witness the success of my progress.”

The centennial birthday gala — which will be located at 1628 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard — is open to the public and costs $100 to attend, with the proceeds going toward the Anne R. Gayles-Felton Endowed Scholarship at the university. Payment options and additional details are available on FAMU’s website.

Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Anne Gayles-Felton to celebrate turning 100 years old at FAMU gala