WASHINGTON (November 26, 2020) – Dr. Francine Wright Anderson was a two-sport student-athlete (women's basketball and women's volleyball) at Howard University (1975-79), a time when funding and opportunity were very limited for female athletes.
 
After walking on for the women's basketball team in 1975, Dr. Anderson joined the women's volleyball team for a season (1976) in the same capacity. Before her junior year, she focused primarily on basketball after earning a partial athletic scholarship.
 
Dr. Anderson was appointed co-captain her senior year and invited to participate in the Partners of the Americas program, which was sponsored by the U.S. State Department. As the only African-American player selected, she represented the United States, along with other former college players throughout the country, as they played on different teams in Venezuela during the summer of 1979.
 
Graduating that same year with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy from HU's College of Nursing & Allied Health, Dr. Anderson spent the first half of her career employed at private physical therapy practices in the DMV area, as well as Texas and North Carolina. Within that time, she got married, raised three children, completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation, and earned two additional degrees (M.S. in Health Service Management & a Ph.D. in Physical Therapy).
 
In the second half of her career, she continued a variety of clinical practice in physical therapy (part-time) while working in higher education, teaching and assisting with health professions program development. This includes being a part of the founding faculty for multiple medical schools, physical therapy programs and physician assistant programs.
 
Moving into retirement, she remains active through her position on the Advisory Board at Morehouse School of Medicine's new Physician Assistant program (Ed. Consulting).
 
"Thank you, Howard University, for providing me an opportunity to further my education and work toward making a difference," Dr. Anderson expressed.
 
Dr. Anderson also continues to be a mentor to young minority students while becoming more involved in diversity seminars and conversations regarding on-going racial injustice and health disparities.
 
In her free time, she enjoys being with her family, especially her two grandchildren, along with civic activities, such as the Special Olympics.
 
About Where Are They Now?
 
The new weekly series of "Where Are They Now?" appears each Thursday throughout the year.
 
The series will feature former student-athletes from all sports and eras, highlighting their careers as athletes at the University and what they are presently doing.
 
All interested former athletes and their coaches should submit a short bio, a recent head shot and contact information on how they can be reached via email to Lauren Stewart (lauren.stewart@bison.howard.edu) and Derek W. Bryant (derek.bryant@howard.edu).
 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.