Dr. Millie Russell | 2003

Dr. Millie Russell was a member of the first graduating class of Seattle University in 1948, and was the first African American to graduate with a B.S. in medical technology from the college. Dr. Russell went on to be a trailblazer, leading teams of researchers at the King County Central Blood Bank and training scores of healthcare professionals in hematology. She spoke about healthcare as a civil rights issue and the need to address inequities. Dr. Russell also founded the Early Scholars Outreach Program, designed to prepare underrepresented middle-school students and their families for higher education.