Page 17 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2023 - Online Magazine

SENIOR 2 SENIOR

during her college years. Getting the sister had invited her, and
flu put her behind in some classes. they recognized each other
She also experienced racism by from church. They married
being criticized for her appearance, in September 2005. Now the
during her senior year while doing a Dean of the Texas Tech Library,
library internship. Earnstein continues to thrive.
In 1975, Earnstein and her sisters Our families (mine and
all graduated from college. Almost Earnstein’s) know each other
three years later, Earnstein applied through our church ministry,
to Atlanta University and received a and we have bonded ever since.
full scholarship to graduate school Earnstein Dukes has taught me
at Atlanta University, an HBCU that life is short and to live life
(Historically Black Colleges and to the fullest. She has impressed
Universities) famous for graduating on me to be compassionate with
Black librarians. She did a lot of the people you love because
praying and took some money out time is limited. I wanted to
of her retirement account to pay spend my senior year focusing
for living expenses. In May of 1979, on my studies, but Earnstein
Earnstein earned her graduate convinced me to enjoy it. Advice
degree in library sciences. that Earnstein remembered from
her mother is, “If that’s what
Later, Earnstein applied for you want to do and are willing
a position at Memphis State to work for it then do it, and
University for a brand-new then you can make it happen.”
catalog position. (Ed. Note: A It seems that Earnstein took that
cataloger is in charge of a library's advice to heart and has adhered
data management. They're also to it her whole life.
responsible for updating the
available resources in a library
and identifying new resources.) That university had no
African American librarians. Out of all the applicants, she
was hired! Earnstein was promoted to head assistant of the
cataloging department and later hired as a cataloger at the
University of Texas at Dallas.

At each job, she learned new skills. It was a pattern for
Earnstein to be assigned as the first person to be placed in a
new position. That meant she was challenged to shape that
position—not walking in someone else’s footsteps.
In 2004, Earnstein Dukes met the love of her life, Matthews
Lee, at a church function held at his mother’s house. His

Article Submitted by
Kristina Hill TALKINGTON

Kristina Hill is a senior at
Talkington School for Young
Women Leaders. Her hobbies are
drawing, reading, and playing
video games with her family. She
hopes to earn a degree in the
mathematics field.

Lubbock Senior Link 17