Mildred Shirley Rawls received her Bachelor and Master degrees from the University of Illinois She retired in 2001 after 29 years as Director of Bradley Learning Center. Life Member of the University of Illinois Alumni
Association, Charter member of Delta Sigma Theta alumni Association, Charter member of National Council of Negro Women. Shirley is married to Henry Rawls and the mother of 4 children. They presently reside in Metro Atlanta. Mildred is the Queen bee of the Red Hat Society of the Lawrenceville Senior Center and Vice-president of the Center Site Council. She enjoys writing, poetry, reading and playing bingo.

She was a charter member of the National Council of Negro Women, Champaign County section.

Source: National Council of Negro Women, Charter Members Remembered, 2008