She received a Director’s Community Leadership Award from the FBI and a Social Work Educator of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers’ South Carolina chapter.
CAYCE, SC, November 09, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Marquis Who’s Who, the world’s premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Shirley McClerklin-Motley, PhD, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Shirley McClerklin-Motley, PhD, celebrates many years’ experience in her professional network and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Driven by her escape from an abusive marriage, Dr. McClerklin-Motley’s journey to a career in social work is a testament to her resilience and determination. Her pursuit was not just to heal her own wounds, but to extend that healing to others. After earning a bachelor’s degree in social work with minors in child abuse and neglect from Benedict College, she established her career with Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Simultaneously, Dr. McClerklin-Motley expanded her professional knowledge, earning a Master’s of Social Work with a concentration in macro-social work from the University of South Carolina.
In the following years, Dr. McClerklin-Motley joined Coker College, now Coker University, as a tenured associate professor. At the behest of her friend, a South Carolina Department of Social Services supervisor, she assisted in establishing a social work program at the University, a significant contribution that continues to impact students today. Once again, she furthered her education, earning a PhD in human services from Capella University in 2018 before retiring from Coker University as a tenured professor three years later. Drawing on years of professional experience, she excels as an adjunct professor at Johnson C. Smith University and a live and recorded web-based trainer for the South Carolina Foster Parent Association. Additionally, Dr. McClerklin-Motley is a compliance officer with Premier Spinal Health and a consultant for Fact Forward.
Driven to remain abreast of changes in the field, Dr. McClerklin-Motley aligns herself with several industry organizations, including the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society, the National Association of Professional Women, the Association of Black Writers, Advocates Against Human Trafficking, the Council on Social Work Education, and the National Association of Social Workers. In addition to her professional endeavors and affiliations, Dr. McClerkin-Motley contributes to her community as an elected board member of the Cayce Board of Zoning Appeals.
Due to her vast knowledge and experience, Dr. McClerklin-Motley has authored several works, including “Reflections and Musings From the Book of Revelation, Volume I,” “Facing HIV/AIDS,” “African American HIV/AIDS Training Manual,” and “Domestic Violence: What is the Role of the Church? A Training Manual for Pastors and Other Individuals Ministering to Abused and Battered Women.” Given her outstanding achievements, she has been featured as a Top Professional in the Wall Street Journal and earned numerous educational scholarships, including the Minority Biological Research Scholarship, the Minority Fellowship from the University of South Carolina, and the Minority Access to Research Careers Scholarship. In recent years, Dr. McClerklin-Motley also received a Director’s Community Leadership Award from the FBI and a Social Work Educator of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers’ South Carolina chapter.
While her career has been filled with highlights, Dr. McClerklin-Motley takes the most pride in raising four children as a divorced mother and watching them succeed. Her son is an electrician with a journeyman’s license. One of her daughters and her husband own a trucking company.
Her youngest daughter is a chiropractor, and her eldest is an EdD, who is a literacy coach in Georgia. Her dedication to her children and their success is truly admirable. Though hard work and dedication have brought her far in her career, she credits her achievements to her hunger for success. Looking ahead, she intends to foster her recently established limited liability company, which helps minority college students learn how to write professionally. She aims to decrease college dropout rates and increase the success rates of students completing their college education. Dr. McClerklin-Motley’s other professional goals include finishing her tenure as a research consultant with Fact Forward, establishing a podcast, and writing a third Biblical commentary.
About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
# # #
