Home
About Us
Contact Us
National Chairman
National Officers
Chapters
Committees
Convention
Scholarships
Capital Campaign
Photo Gallery
Email Addresses
Benevolence
Projects
Classes' Web site
Newsletter
Featured Spartan
Constitution
Make a donation
Take a Survey
FAQ
MESSAGE Board
Birthday Calendar
Board Members
Tech Support
Press Release
Public Relations Team DiscussConvention
SpartNet
MySparta
Hall of Fame
Great Ball Players

Milton "6'2" Ricks

Milton "6'2" Ricks also a Great Ball Player

Back in his high school days, Milton Ricks earned the nickname “6' 2''” because of his taller than average height on the basketball court.

Today as a civil engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ricks is pursuing goals of a different sort. Currently living in Adana , Turkey , he's managing the construction of two subdivisions with over 400 housing units for the U.S. Air Force and has managed construction projects in Middle East hotspots in addition to working in Europe and the United States .

“In places like Iraq and Afghanistan and Kuwait (after Saddam's invasion), you get to see the devastation of war and appreciate peace,” said

Ricks, is a member of the Class of 1978 of B.W. Harris High School .

“This experience has taught me to value life and savor peace — that reconstruction after conflicts is a lengthy, distressed, tedious and extremely expensive process.”

But no matter where in the world Ricks' profession takes him, his dedication to his alma mater doesn't change. Technology allows Ricks to stay connected and offer help in areas such as evaluating bids for renovations at the school and donating jerseys for the basketball team.

“We played basketball pretty well and distinguished ourselves because we were a close-knit group,” Ricks recalled the days he wore similar Spartan jerseys. “My strong academic foundation acquired at B.W. Harris prepared me to become an engineer.”

Gudrun Harris, who succeeded Ricks as chairman of the TriState chapter of the B.W. Harris Episcopal High School Alumni Association USA , recalls chants of “Milton Ricks is full of tricks” while he played.

John T. Gabbidon, a former classmate and close friend, isn't surprised with Rick's success off the basketball court. He attributes Ricks' professional achievements in part to a strict upbringing by his now deceased father, Willie G. Ricks.

“As far as academics is concerned, he was always among the top five or maybe top 10 in the class every period,” Gabbidon recalled. “He had no choice in the matter anyway. Ultimately, academics had to be first and everything else came second.”

Ricks actually wanted to become an architect in part at the urgings of his father, who was a surveyor/ engineer at both the ministries of Public Works and Land and Mines.

But two years into his undergraduate studies at Prairie View A&M University in Texas , Ricks sensing limits to people of color advancing in the architecture field changed his major to civil engineering. He had gotten exposure earlier to drafting from summer jobs at the Liberian ministry of Public Works.

Upon graduation, Ricks worked as a roadway design engineer with the Texas Department of Transportation before joining the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to manage a wider variety of construction projects . Ricks also has a master's degree in environmental management from the University of Maryland and has received recognitions including a certificate of achievement for African Americans in government from the federal government, from a member of Congress and from the Afghanistan Ministry of Health.

Although his current role with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a civilian job, Ricks isn't immune from close calls that the troops face in danger zones and must take the same precautions as the soldiers. “The challenge is maintaining your professionalism amidst the changes in your work environment,” Ricks added. “You've got to be able to maintain your focus and accomplish your objectives even though there's disorder.”

Being a former U.S. Marine helps. “The Marines — will change your mentality,” Ricks said. “It's not about the physical, it's more mental strength. With the Marines Corps, you are conditioned to face your challenges – head on.”

Besides being TriState chapter president five years ago, Ricks has served on multiple national committees, created the association's first Web site and was its original Webmaster. Several months ago, the association asked Ricks to take a look at bids related to the renovation of the school. His expertise came in handy in making the final decision.

Gabbidon sees Ricks' dedication to B.W. Harris School as a testament to the spirit of togetherness that now deceased former principal Father Edward G.W. King and others created. “Something happens when you walk through the walls of that school,” Gabbidon said. “The togetherness Father King instilled in us – the Spartan spirit – brought us a long way.”

Ricks would like to see more done to encourage younger alumni to get involved by attending conventions and participating at the local chapter levels. “You need fresh infusion of ideas to sustain the association's future momentum,” he said.

The basketball jerseys Ricks donated were in honor of his friend the late Bob Adighibe, with whom he played, and Lafayette Jenkins. It was also at B.W. Harris that Milton met his wife, the former Margaret Decontee Brumskine, who also graduated in 1978 and held positions such as vice president of the TriState chapter and national treasurer. The association taps her expertise when it's in need of legal assistance.

Much like his father, Ricks is also a farmer. He currently maintains several farms back home with plans to return to Liberia in the near future to engage in larger-scale commercial farming. “I will take off my engineering hat, and put on my farmer's hat,” he added, enthusiastically.