Linda Jackson-Chalmers ’73 portrait unveiled in Wyckoff Center
Family and friends from the Skidmore community and beyond filled the Wyckoff Center on Sept. 20 for a momentous portrait dedication celebrating the legacy of Linda Jackson-Chalmers ’73, a longtime trustee, educator, activist, and champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The portrait, the first of a person of color from the Skidmore community to be displayed on campus, serves as a powerful expression of Skidmore’s ongoing efforts to recognize and celebrate the impact of underrepresented voices.
“Skidmore College is truly an amazing institution that has impacted my life from the first time I set foot on this campus some 55 years ago,” Jackson-Chalmers said to those gathered for the tribute, part of this fall’s In It 9 programming. “I was a first-generation student from Albany’s South End neighborhood who was able to attend this storied college as a student in the first class of the Academic Opportunity Consortium program, now known as the Opportunity Program.
“As you can imagine, it was not easy being one of very few students of color in the early 1970s. You had to take a stand during that time. As tough as it was, Skidmore took a progressive approach to student affairs, even way back then.”
Jackson-Chalmers, a studio art major, helped to make political and cultural activism part of campus life. She was involved in the use of Grove House on the downtown campus as a Black Cultural Center, planting an early seed for the Wyckoff Center.
Linda Jackson-Chalmers '73, surrounded by friends and family from the Skidmore community and beyond, reacts to the unveiling of her commissioned portrait in the Wyckoff Center during a Sept. 20 celebration of her legacy.
Twenty years later, while serving as principal of Arbor Hill Elementary School in Albany, she was visited by then-Skidmore President David Porter, who asked her to serve on the College’s Board of Trustees. “I said yes because I felt indebted for this excellent education I received here and I felt the need to give back,” Jackson-Chalmers recalled.
That visit kicked off a more than 30-year chapter for Jackson-Chalmers, who served the College as a trustee from 1992 to 2023. She continues to serve as chair of the Board’s DEI committee. Jackson-Chalmers has also volunteered for numerous capital campaigns and was part of the most recent presidential search. She received a Skidmore Outstanding Service Award in 2008 and the 50th Reunion Service Award in June 2023.
“Through it all, I was made to feel that my voice counted, was welcomed, and encouraged,” said Jackson-Chalmers, who also thanked current President Marc Conner for making social and racial equity a priority as he stewards the next phase of campus growth and academic excellence.
Prior to the unveiling of her portrait, created by , a Caribbean American multimedia artist based in Plattsburgh, New York, a video tribute presented heartfelt messages to Jackson-Chalmers from Steele and longtime friends and colleagues.
“Your substantial merits and unwavering commitment ensure that your community is supported, and I am a reflection of that,” said Steele, who was personally selected by Jackson-Chalmers to paint the commissioned work.
“I am astounded,” Jackson-Chalmers said of her portrait. “Thank you, thank you.”
Linda Jackson-Chalmers '73 hugs artist Winosha Steele after the unveiling of the portrait Steele created for display in Skidmore's Wyckoff Center.
Young Alumni Trustee Nigel Smith ’19 was among those in the video to honor Jackson-Chalmers’ Skidmore journey. “You are the epitome of what it means to not only matriculate, graduate, from such an esteemed institution, but to leverage the experience and use that to create a pathway for others that I can say I have personally benefitted from. Thank you for all that you’ve done not only for me but for so many.”
CBS 6 News Anchor Liz Bishop, who was the weekend sports reporter when Jackson-Chalmers began her career as a weekend weather forecaster for WRGB-TV before graduating from Skidmore, said, “My admiration for Linda’s generous spirit has only grown over time, her commitment to her profession, and the impact she’s had on so many young lives. My love and congratulations, Linda – no one deserves this moment more.”
Skidmore's Wyckoff Center was packed with friends and family who gathered to celebrate Linda Jackson-Chalmers '73.
After graduating from Skidmore, Jackson-Chalmers became an art teacher at Arbor Hill Elementary School while earning her master’s degree in education administration at the University at Albany, and she was chair of the school district’s elementary and middle school art programs for nearly 10 years. She then became principal, converting her school into one of New York state’s first community schools and forging partnerships with Parsons Child and Family Center, Urban League of Albany, the Albany Boys & Girls Clubs, Arbor Hill Community Center, and YMCA, among others. She would eventually become assistant superintendent for human resources and community relations, working with parents and diversifying the teaching workforce before retiring in 2012 after 38 years of service to the Albany City School District.
Jackson-Chalmers has received numerous honors recognizing her outstanding commitment to students, families, and community, and she and her longtime husband, Bill Chalmers, remain active in the Capital District. Linda is a member of the Albany District Chapter of The Links and the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, both of which honored her during the Wyckoff Center event. She also sits on the American Institute of History and Art Board of Directors, had a leadership role with The Albany Promise, and is a former trustee and president of the African American Cultural Center of the Capital Region.
Linda Jackson-Chalmers '73 extends greetings prior to the start of her portrait unveiling celebration.
The portrait dedication ceremony was led by Wyckoff Center Director Mariel Martin and Vice President for Strategic Planning and Institutional Diversity Joshua Woodfork, and the event was co-sponsored by Skidmore’s Opportunity Program and Office of Advancement.
The idea of commissioning a portrait of Jackson-Chalmers originated a few years ago when, in the wake of the national racial reckoning, Woodfork proposed honoring her significant contributions and ongoing commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at Skidmore.
The In It suite of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs is designed to raise cultural fluency and strengthen the Skidmore community.
In closing her remarks, Jackson-Chalmers expressed her profound appreciation. “My deepest gratitude, not only for this special day, but for all those ways that Skidmore College has impacted my life and has allowed me to play a role in its history and its mission of empowering students to become global citizens and leaders of the future.”
