Carolyn Gaines-Varner, local attorney, was named Parent of the Year by Tuskegee University in a recent honors ceremony held on the campus.

Mrs. Gaines-Varner, who is the managing attorney for Dallas County Legal Services office,

is a widow with four children in college.

Her oldest two children, Khari (22) and Kimani (19), both sons, are a senior and a junior respectively at Tuskegee and her youngest daughter Zakiyah (17) began her freshman year at the historically black institution this year. Her other daughter, Ebony (20) is a junior at Florida A&M.

“It is indeed an honor to be named Tuskegee’s Parent of the Year,” Gaines-Varner said during the ceremony. “My husband was a 1973 summa cum laude graduate of Tuskegee. He would be extremely proud that I received this.”

Having four children in college at the same time has been challenging for Gaines-Varner but she sites her strong support system as the foundation of her success.

“There were professors at Tuskegee that stepped in and acted as surrogates for my oldest son after his father died, even faculty members who helped out,” said Gaines-Varner. “They were all a tremendous help to me and some of them don’t even know it.”

According to Gaines-Varner, “Being a successful parent is determined by your support base and it would be difficult to raise my children without help.”

She said her church, family, and friends are also a very big support to her and her children and she is thankful.

Each year the University accepts nominations from students and faculty for parents who exemplify an outstanding commitment not only to their child’s education, but to the community as well.

Mrs. Gaines-Varner was nominated by her sons.