Meet our Alumni of the Year 2025!
Teresa Dickerson
Alumna of the Year
As the CEO of Isaiah 54 Films, Teresa creates compelling and impactful cinematic experiences. Her mission is to produce films that not only entertain but also inspire and provoke positive change. Her first feature film, Hoop Street, was filmed in Memphis, Tennessee and is currently in post production.
Prior to stepping out on faith to start Isaiah 54 Films, Teresa served as the Corporate Affairs Manager for Kroger’s Delta and Houston Divisions for nine years. She was responsible for managing public relations, government and community relations as well as crisis communications for over 30,000 associates.
Teresa was a member of the Kroger Executive Leadership Team, High Performing Team, Women’s Edge Associate Resource Group and the African American Associate Resource Group. Among many of her community outreach efforts, she created the annual Veterans Thanksgiving Dinner Giveaway in 2016 with Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland to provide meals to those who served our country during the holidays.
Before joining the Kroger team, Teresa served as the Director of Community Investment with the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12 seasons. Teresa began her professional career with the Grizzlies, starting as an intern and working her way up the ladder to lead an award-winning Community Investment Department. She created community events, fundraisers and programs to position the Grizzlies as one of the most charitable teams in the NBA.
Teresa has a Master of Science Degree in Education from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from The University of Memphis. During her time at The University of Memphis, Teresa pledged the prestigious Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Epsilon Epsilon Chapter. But, in the beginning, she proudly started her higher education journey at Shelby State Community College on a basketball scholarship, playing multiple positions under then head coach Herbert Wright, Sr.
Teresa is married to her high school sweetheart, Demone. They have a son, Noah, and a dog, Corduroy.
Past Alumnus of the Year Winners
2025 Teresa Dickerson
2024 Lisa Hadley
2023 Calvin Sanford
2022 Ron Claxton
2020 Stanley Blue
2019 Tameka Perry
2018 Alfred M. Washington
2017 Timeki M. Dennis
2016 Pamela L. Finnie
2015 Linda Fay Chism
2014 Steven G. Leake
2013 Darrell K. Thomas
Winners 2001-2012
Sylvester Tate 2011
Steve Ballard, D.D.S. 2010
Jo Chandler 2009
Denny Glasper 2008
Gordon Lintz 2007
Paul Mason (deceased) 2005
Dale Lane 2004
Alfred Chung 2003
Pamela Riddick Cobb (deceased) 2002
Linder J. Lemmons 2001
Related Links
- Alumni Services
- Outstanding Alumni
- Constitution of the Southwest Alumni Association
- Donate to the Southwest Foundation
- Alumni Testimonials
Contact Us
The Alumni Association is on LinkedIn, the professional networking site. Join us and network with other Southwest graduates. To join, just go on to your LinkedIn site and click on groups. This is a great place to find out what other graduates are up to and build your own professional networks. The Association is also building another social media site just for Alums to connect.