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Daphne Maxwell Reid
Actress, Producer, Photographer and Entrepreneur |
Daphne Maxwell Reid received the Honorary Doctor of Arts Degree during Randolph-Macon College’s Commencement on Saturday, May 26, 2012. Reid is an actress, producer, photographer and entrepreneur. She has appeared in numerous television programs and is best known for her role as Vivian Banks (Aunt Viv) on the hit comedy "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Reid is the director of operations for New Millennium Studios, which is located in Petersburg and was the first full-service film studio in Virginia. In 1997 Reid co-founded New Millennium Studios with her husband, actor/filmmaker Tim Reid.
“We are delighted to confer this special award to someone as distinguished and deserving as Daphne Maxwell Reid,” said R-MC President Robert R. Lindgren. “Her outreach and contributions to the community in all areas, including the arts, are nothing short of extraordinary and we welcome her to our campus.”
An avid supporter of education and access to higher education, Reid generously shares her knowledge by discussing the entrepreneurial aspects of the entertainment field with college students. She has also been a guest speaker and moderator for various forums through University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. Reid and her husband created The Tim Reid Scholarship Foundation to annually raise scholarship funds for students in Virginia, who without financial aid and scholarship assistance would not have the opportunity to receive a college education.
Reid is a member of numerous boards including the Virginia State University Board of Visitors; Virginians for the Arts; Petersburg Library Foundation; and the Richmond Forum. She has also accepted and served several appointments by Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, including Federal Commissioner for the Jamestown 2007 Commemoration.
Reid earned her bachelor’s degree in interior design and architecture from Northwestern University. She can be heard on NPR's "Art on the Air," an ongoing two-minute radio spot that considers the arts of Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Reid co-produces “Art on the Air” with the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.