The University of Tulsa wasn’t the closest university to Dessie Nash’s hometown of Houston, but it was the only one to offer her a full-ride scholarship.
“It was a win-win,” Nash said. “It wasn’t that far away from home, I didn’t have to pay for college, and it had a great reputation.”
More than 30 years later, the 1994 marketing graduate has built an executive career with Bank of America Private Bank and now serves as president of UTulsa’s Alumni Association, reconnecting graduates with the university that helped launch her own career.
As a student, Nash immersed herself in campus life, serving in student government, the Association of Black Collegians, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the National Association of Black Accountants. She fondly remembers The Hut as the center of campus life, where students gathered between classes and lifelong friendships were built.
Beyond the classroom and student organizations, Nash found mentors who helped her navigate college life. She credits former Student Affairs leaders Yolanda Taylor and Vivian Green with checking on students, offering guidance and creating a sense of belonging for those far from home.
“They were like my mothers away from home,” Nash said. “They were always checking in, making sure I was at class, giving me wisdom.”
Watching those women lead left a lasting impression.
“My motto is, ‘You can’t be what you don’t see,'” Nash said. “Seeing those women, I knew this was the right place for me. I knew I could accomplish great things because I saw women do that.”
Looking back, Nash believes those experiences were just as valuable as her coursework.
“College is an experience,” she said. “It’s so important to enjoy college, get the exposure, get the experience and be involved.”
After graduating, Nash returned to Houston and began a career in financial services. She later earned an MBA in finance and a doctorate in business administration before joining Bank of America, where she has spent nearly two decades in leadership roles and now serves as managing director and market leader for Bank of America Private Bank in Washington, D.C.
Although she built a successful career, Nash didn’t return to campus until 2020, when she was invited to help establish the Black Alumni Leadership Council.
“The fire just got lit,” she said. “I feel now that I have to pay it forward. So many people paved this way for me, and my passion and my purpose is to pay it forward.”
Today, as Alumni Association president, Nash is working to strengthen engagement among more than 41,000 UTulsa alumni. Whether through mentoring students, attending regional events or simply reconnecting with classmates, she hopes graduates recognize they remain an important part of the university’s future.
“We want to meet alumni where they are,” Nash said. “You don’t have to live in Tulsa to stay connected. Wherever you are, we want you to be engaged.”
Her message to fellow alumni is simple: Your relationship with UTulsa doesn’t end at commencement.
“We are bound by a place, driven by a purpose,” Nash said. “The one thing we all have in common is that we went to UTulsa. We all have a responsibility to make sure the next generation of students has the same opportunities we did.”
