DR. DIANNA A BNEY

My formal education actually began in a one room school in Shreveport, Louisiana with one teacher who taught pre-K through elementary school. It was one of the only places that would admit a 3 or 4 year old who wanted to go to school. I stayed there until I was old enough to enter first grade in the public school system. After graduating from high school, I studied biology and writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge Massachusetts. Then I returned to Louisiana to attend the Tulane University School of Medicine. I completed my pediatric residency at Howard University and DC General.

I have been a pediatrician in the community for almost thirty years. In that time I have had the privilege of taking care of thousands of our community’s children. Very many of them were my patients from a few hours after birth until they were too old to see a pediatrician. In fact some of those patients have given me the honor of allowing me to take care of their children--my “grandpatients.” It has always been important for me to contribute to our community. I felt the best way I could give back was to make a difference in the lives of all of the children of Charles County In addition to practicing pediatrics in Charles County, I have worked with many organizations, boards, and committees that improve the life of children and adolescents in the county.

William Lloyd Garrison Abney, my grandfather, who was born in 1884, is one person who inspired me. In 1934 he started a business that is still in our family. He traveled widely throughout the United States and around the world. He did all of this at a time when many people did not have those opportunities--especially not African Americans. He also encouraged me to become a physician. I talked of taking care of sick people like my mother who was a nurse. He let me know that I could be a nurse, but I could also be a doctor if I wanted to. That is when I decided I would become a physician. This was in the early sixties during the civil rights period and before women’s lib. My grandfather empowered his African American granddaughter to dream big. In college and in medical school, I kept a picture of him near my desk. I am Dr. Abney because of and in honor of W.L.G Abney.

My education was interrupted several times by life. It took me quite a while to complete my degrees while raising children and working. It’s one of the reasons the lives of community college students resonate with me.

The College of Southern Maryland is a community college dedicated to serving the learners in the Southern Maryland region. Our impact is deep. Nearly 90% of our graduates remain in the region and build our local economy.