Regina D. Hendrix

HERstory

Regina D. Hendrix is the director of Help Yourself Programs at Beloit College. The programs aim to intervene early in the lives of low-income, first-generation, underrepresented students to expose them to college and careers and prepare them for the college-going process. Under her leadership, the program has seen massive success, boasting a 100% graduation rate among participants, with 98% enrolling in four-year institutions of higher learning. In addition, she has visited hundreds of colleges with her students to ensure they make the most informed decisions possible. Regina is an advocate for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She is committed to advancing our future leaders, co-founding the Rising Knights HBCU College Tour with her sister, which is now in its 14th year. They have taken over 200 students nationwide to visit these fantastic institutions. As a result, many of the programs' participants are attending or have recently graduated from these schools.

In 2014, Ms. Hendrix made her debut into the world of politics by becoming the first African American female to hold the office of City Councilor in the history of the city of Beloit. She used her role as City Councilor to help give a voice to those in the community who felt they did not have one, especially the youth. She has also served as a Commissioner on the Community Development Authority and was on the Board of Directors for Visit Beloit and Community Action. She has been, most recently, appointed to the Board of Project 16:49, a local non-profit organization serving Rock County's unaccompanied homeless teens.

Regina is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, the Beloit Branch of NAACP, and Rising Professionals. She is the Coach and Co-Founder of the Knightingales Cheer, Dance, and Step Teams, a Challenge Day Moderator, former Beloit College Black Students United (BSU) Co-Advisor, and former Minority Excellence Organization (MEO) Co-Advisor. Regina is also one of the co-founders of BRAVE (Beloit Residents Against Violence Everywhere), a group started by local mothers and educators to help protect little ones from violence.

She is a proud graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. Though she is interested in and loves the sciences, she wanted to explore the array of opportunities offered. After pursuing her graduate education in optometry and public health, she returned home to Beloit, Wisconsin to make a more significant impact on her hometown and beloved community. She has done so using her background in Science, Public Health, Music, and Education. She holds a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration on Equity, Ethics, Justice, and Community Engagement from Concordia University. Regina is currently pursuing her doctorate in Leadership, Innovation, and Continuous Improvement. Her dissertation is focused on the young Black woman's perception and perspective of self and its impact on college choice.

Because of her tireless dedication to the young people in her community, she is often featured in the daily news and called upon to be a featured speaker. She was awarded the 2016 Woman of Distinction Award from the YWCA and was recognized by her alma mater with a 40 Under 40 Young Alumni Award. In 2022, she was named one of Wisconsin's Most Influential Black Leaders. She firmly believes that you can't be what you can't see. She believes her calling is to be an image of excellence for young people - especially those who look like her.  While she knows she cannot save them all, she wears her cape – Confidence, Assertiveness, Passion, and Energy – with pride!

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An acclaimed singer, Regina has shared her vocal gift across the country in front of thousands for as long as she can remember. She is also a trained violist and plays piano, violin, and cello. Regina is a talented visual artist who enjoys drawing, painting, and ceramics. No stranger to the stage, she has been acting and performing since age five and knows the power of the arts on education and the importance of education to the next generation. She has one daughter, Ryann, who is also naturally artistic in many ways, so it was no surprise when she was identified as Gifted & Talented in Creativity - it's innate!

As a lifelong learner with creativity beyond this world, Virtuoso's Mind Inc. is the culmination of all of Regina's loves and passions intertwined. It's her literal dream come true.