Dorothy Inghram spent most of her career as an educator in San Bernardino. She was a teacher, principal and District Superintendent of the Mill Creek School District in San Bernardino. Inghram also was the first black teacher in San Bernardino County. She was inducted in the SBVC Hall of Fame in 1989.

Dorothy Ella Inghram has lived nearly all of her 105 years in San Bernardino. She attended Mt. Vernon Elementary and Sturges Junior High School. Inghram graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1923 and SBVC in 1934. She went on to receive a Bachelor's in Music in 1936 and a Master's Degree in Education in 1958 from the University of Redlands. While a student at SBVC in 1929, she composed the music and her classmate, Marie Brodeur, wrote the lyrics for the college's alma mater. She earned an elementary teaching credential in 1939. Her career in education included teaching at Prairie View College in Texas and as a teacher, principal and District Superintendent of the Mill Creek School District in San Bernardino. Inghram was the first black teacher in San Bernardino County and the state's first black administrator. She retired from education in 1971. She is an accomplished church organist and the author of four books, including "Beyond All This,'' the story of her family and other African-Americans living in San Bernardino from 1888 to 1971. She also wrote "The Incredible You: Spirit Within.'' Inghram has received many awards and honors over the years. The Dorothy Inghram Library, a branch of the San Bernardino County public library system, bears her name. Her 90th birthday - Nov. 9, 1995 -  was designated Dorothy Inghram Day in San Bernardino. She is a lifetime member of the Alumni Association and was inducted into the SBVC Hall of Fame in 1989.