Summer 2006 by Spelman College

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Founders Day 2006 Celebrates 125 Years of Women Who Change the World

pelman College celebrated Founders Day 2006 with several grand events commemorating the 125th anniversary of the College. The theme and vision of the yearlong celebration, “125 Years of Women Who Change the World,” honors the past, celebrates the present, and inspires the next generation of Spelman women who will change the world. The Founders Day events kicked off on April 1 with WOMENomics – financial literacy and planning workshops for women of all ages, co-sponsored by the Spelman College Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (LEADS) and the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation. On Thursday, April 6, Maenelle Dixon Dempsey, C’33, and former Spelman President Audrey Forbes Manley, C’55, were honored with the 2006 Founders Spirit Award at the Awards Convocation in historic Sisters Chapel. Also, during the convocation, the True Blue Award was presented to staff memeber Delores Hill, system administrator for enrollment management, and the Fannie Lou Hamer Awards were awarded to faculty member Victor Ibeanusi, chair of environmental science and studies and

associate professor of biology, and staff member Laurisa Claytor, administrative assistant for the office of institutional research, assessment and planning. The next day, the College hosted "An Evening with Donnie McClurkin, A Scholarship Fundraiser and Gospel Music Celebration." The Grammy Award-winning national gospel recording artist was introduced by his cousin, Stacey McClurkin, C'2007, before taking the stage in a packed Sisters Chapel. Prior to the concert, President Beverly Daniel Tatum hosted a lively cooking presentation with TV One's celebrity chef G. Garvin for those guests who supported this scholarship fundraiser at the President Society level. On Sunday, April 9, the College welcomed The Rev. Dr. William Guy, pastor of Friendship Baptist Spelman College Church of Atlanta, President Beverly Daniel Tatum as the speaker for

Gospel recording artist Donnie McClurkin and his cousin Stacey McClurkin, C’2007.

the 125th Founders Day Palm Sunday Worship Service. Organized in 1866, Friendship is Atlanta’s oldest historically Black Baptist church and is the birthplace of Spelman College, founded in the basement of the church in 1881. On Monday, April 10, the College held a campus brunch in the Hopps Atrium in conjunction with the 125th Signature Event. The brunch, sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, was hosted by President Tatum and featured celebrity chef G. Garvin. Honorees, presenters and VIPs of the 125th Signature Event attended this occasion. The celebration continued with the 125th Anniversary Signature Event held at the spectacular Georgia Aquarium. The evening began with VIP tours of the new Georgia Aquarium and a private reception before dinner in the facility’s elaborate Oceans Ballroom. Hosted by talk show host, journalist and actress Rolonda Watts, C’80, the evening of music, drama and dance told the Spelman story and honored those whose lives, legacies and achievements bore witness to the Spelman mission of academic excelContinued on page 4.

The 2006 Gateway graduates l-r: Dorothy Neason, Torshau Cole Moore, Kimberly L. Matthews, LaShanda Bryant-Holmes, Audrey Rivers, Claudine Harrison, Bené Williams, Jasmine Martin Printup and Nancy Goler Freeman; Octavia Ivy, not shown.

A D I A L O G U E W I T H D R . T.

Where in the World Are Spelman Students? Developing a Global Perspective at Spelman College Contents 1 3 3

Features Founders Day 2006 Celebrates 125 Years of Women Who Change the World Dr. William Cosby Tells Graduates “It’s Your Turn!” 2006 Baccalaureate: The Reverend Dr. Cynthia L. Hale Encourages “Daughters of Destiny” to Heed God’s Calling LEADS Conference Focuses on BridgeBuilding

Departments 2 A Dialogue with Dr. T. 6 News Briefs 6 Spelman Salutes

350 Spelman Lane S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30314 www.spelman.edu EDITOR

Jo Moore Stewart COPY EDITOR

Janet M. Barstow GRAPHIC DESIGN

Garon Hart EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Eloise Alexis, C’86 Andrea Barnwell, C’93 Tomika DePriest, C’89 Renita Mathis Olivia A. Scriven CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lorraine Robertson PHOTOGRAPHERS

Wilford Harewood J.D. Scott Bud Smith Julie Yarbrough, C’91

2 INSIDE SPELMAN

Inside Spelman is published four times per academic year for a readership that includes alumnae, trustees, parents, students, faculty, staff and friends of the College. The newsletter is dedicated to informing our readers about news, upcoming events and issues in the life of the College.

n his best-selling book, The World is Flat, Thomas Friedman makes the point that the worldwide spread of technology has blurred national boundaries and created not only new opportunities for global connectivity but also new challenges in the form of global competition. As we celebrate our 125-year-old past, we must also look to the rapidly changing future and ask are we preparing our students to live and work in a “flat world”? Friedman argues that those who will be best prepared to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that a “flat world” offers will be those who become lifelong learners – who know how to constantly acquire new skills, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum knowledge and expertise. Such adaptability is the hallmark of an excellent liberal arts education – the kind Spelman College seeks to provide. We want to ensure that our learning environment is a challenging one, one that encourages students to ask questions, think critically and develop the problem-solving skills that our complex world requires. We must also foster global awareness – expanding the horizons of their shared concern – if we are to fulfill our mission of “empowering the total person, one who appreciates the many cultures of the world, and commits to positive social change.” There is no better way to develop that global awareness than to travel to another country. Increasingly, Spelman students are doing just that – venturing far beyond our gates to travel and study abroad. The opportunity to spend a semester or two in another country can be a life-altering experience, one we hope that many of our students will have. The number of Spelmanites studying abroad has doubled from approximately 40 in 2002–03 to approximately 80 in 2005–06, and we want to continue this exponential growth. We know that one barrier for many students is finances – students who must work parttime to pay their tuition may find it hard to pause long enough to travel abroad. Fortunately, our students have been very successful in winning special scholarships provided by corporations, foundations and studyexchange associations to help support their international travel. For example, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides awards for U.S undergraduate students who are eligible for federal Pell Grant funding, making it possible for low-income students to study abroad. With the encouragement of Dr. Margery Ganz, director of study abroad, Spelman College students are applying for and winning Gilman Scholarships in record numbers, and more have been awarded at Spelman College than at any other liberal arts college. In fact we recently learned that 10 more Spelman women will receive Gilman Scholarships for study abroad this fall. Their pursuits include studying tropical ecology in Costa Rica, reconciliation and development in South Africa, business and economics in Barcelona, history and philosophy in Ghana, and theater and drama in London. Such undergraduate experiences prepare students to be competitive for postgraduate opportunities such as the Watson and Fulbright Fellowships. For four years in a row, we have had a Watson Fellowship winner at Spelman, and this year three Spelman students have won Fulbright Fellowships to study and work in places ranging from Prague to Argentina. But a semester or year abroad is not the only way to have an international experience at Spelman. Increasingly Spelman College faculty and students are traveling together for brief but exciting international learning opportunities. For example, this spring nine young women traveled to Beijing, China, with International Affairs Center Director Dr. Jeanne Meadows, to participate in the Model United Nations program, sponsored by Harvard University. This summer our robotics team, known as the SpelBots, under the direction of Dr. Andrew Williams, again competed in the International RoboCup, held this year in Bremen, Germany, and young Spelman artists will live and work at an art colony in Portabelo, Panama, under the guidance of Professor Arturo Lindsay. These and other experiences deepen our students’ understanding of the global world beyond our gates – and that is the goal. I look forward to the day when every Spelman student will be able to have a meaningful international experience as part of her Spelman education. I often say that Spelman women are everywhere – indeed they are and must be!

2006 Commencement:

Dr. William Cosby Tells Graduates ‘It’s Your Turn!’

omedian, philanthropist, author and community servant, Dr. William H. Cosby returned to Spelman College informing the class of 2006 that it’s their turn to take charge. A longtime friend of the College, Dr. Cosby passionately delivered words of wit and wisdom to more than 500 graduates during commencement on May 14 at the Cathedral at Chapel Hill in Decatur, Georgia. “It is time for you all to take charge. You have to seriously see yourselves, not as the old women where the men stood in front and you’d stand behind, because the men, most of them, are in prison . . . . “I’m looking at you and I’m looking at your sisters and I want you all to spread the word: it’s your time. You can’t back away from it now. Your predecessors, your grandmothers, your great grandmothers did their job and they carried the load as well. But now there’s another step for you to take and you’ve got to do it. It’s not time for you to be cute, think that you’re cute; it’s not time to rest. It’s time for you to pick up the pace . . . because the men are not there. “. . . It’s your turn. Look at this world and examine the faults that you see and then you pick the one you want and say ‘I want that job.’ You can do it. You’re educated and I’m telling you that you can do it. And every person surrounding you this evening, they believe you can do it – they signed the checks. “There’s a mayor sitting here and how many of you sitting out there can’t see yourself running for anything? Well you’d better change your mind because it’s your turn. And when you

step up and you pick up your diploma there’s not time for you to fool around anymore. You’ve got to, because our race depends upon you and your sisters graduating all across this United States to realize that what’s left – it’s you!” Also during the ceremony, the honorable Shirley Clarke Franklin, mayor of Atlanta and former member of the Spelman College Board of Trustees, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Other honorary degree recipients included Dr. Evelyn Boyd Granville, professor emerita of California State College and University System and the second known Black woman in the United States to be awarded a doctorate in mathematics, who received a doctor of science degree, and Haki Madhubuti, nationally known poet, publisher, essayist, editor and

educator, who received a doctor of humane letters degree. John Hope Bryant, chairman and chief executive officer of Operation Hope was honored with the National Community Service Award. ●

Commencement Speaker Dr. William H. Cosby congratulates a graduate.

Dr. William H. Cosby and President Beverly Daniel Tatum (second and third from the left) stand with the 2006 Commencement Honorees, l-r: John Hope Bryant, chairman and chief executive officer of Operation Hope, National Community Service Award; Atlanta Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin, Doctor of Humane Letters; Haki Madhubuti, nationally known poet, publisher, essayist, editor and educator, Doctor of Human Letters; and Dr. Evelyn Boyd Granville, professor emerita of California State College and University System, Doctor of Science.

2006 Baccalaureate: Reverend Dr. Cynthia L. Hale Encourages ‘Daughters of Destiny’ to Heed God’s Calling he Reverend Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, founder and senior pastor of the Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Ga., encouraged graduating seniors to hear God’s calling and make no excuses at the 2006 Baccalaureate service. President Beverly Daniel Tatum, members of the Spelman community, graduates and their families received Dr. Hale’s inspiring words on the Spelman College campus oval Saturday, May 13, 2006. Following are excerpts from Dr. Hale’s speech: “You are daughters of destiny. God has a plan, God has a purpose; God has an assignment for you with your name on it. You are not here by accident but rather by appointment . . . . It seems that He won’t leave you alone. Why does God work so hard to get and keep your attention focused on Him? It’s because God loves you. God has great things in store for you. God has already invested much in you. You are a daughter of destiny.

“Now when God reveals his plan for your life all he needs you to do is to cooperate. Opportunity requires obedience. In other words, “just do it!” “. . . As a graduate from one of the premier women’s colleges in the nation, you have everything you need to succeed in the world. The knowledge that you have been Reverend Dr. Cynthia given over the last four years has infused you L. Hale with power to enter any arena and master it. The discipline, the determination, the perseverance that has been pressed into you has prepared you to reach the unreachable, achieve the unachievable and do the impossible. You are set to change the world.” ●

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Founders Day 2006 Celebrates 125 Years Continued from page 1.

lence, service and social change. Legacy Award recipients included the family of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., philanthropists; Charles Merrill, Jr., philanthropist and educator; Drs. William and Camille Cosby, philanthropists; Theodore and Barbara Aronson, philanthropists; Dr. Joyce Finch Johnson, Spelman professor of music and College organist; The Reverend Norman M. Rates, dean emeritus, Sisters Chapel; and Jonnetta Patton, president and CEO, J-Pat Management. Internationally renowned opera singer Mattiwilda Dobbs-Janzon, C’46, received the Legend Award, and Trailblazer Awards went to Susan L. Taylor, editorial director, Essence magazine; Dr. Evelynn Hammonds, C’76, professor of the history of The Spelman College Glee Club science and of African and African American studies and senior vice provost for faculty development and diversity, Harvard University; Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, C’66, founding director, Women’s Research and Resource Center and Anna Julia Cooper professor of women’s studies, Spelman College; and Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, C’70, founder, Sweet Honey in the Rock and curator emerita, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History. The Founders Day 2006 celebration wrapped up on April 11 with a jubilant theatrical Founders Day Convocation, “The River That Flows Through Time.” The emotional and enlightening program, written by Jo Moore Stewart, director of publications, and staged by Kenneth Green, instructor for the drama and dance department, portrayed Spelman’s history President Emeritus Donald Mitchell Stewart, President Tatum and President Emerita through five parts – The Miracle Years: 1881 – Audrey Forbes Manley, C’55 1909, Coming of Age: 1910 – 1934, Cultural Awakening: 1935 – 1959, The Restless Years: 1960 – 1981 and The Praise Song: 1981 – 2006. The convocation script was based on Spelman: A Woman’s Place 1881–2006, a keepsake booklet written by Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, which in turn was derived and updated from the book Spelman: A Centennial Celebration (1981) by Dr. Sheftall and Ms. Stewart. The cover of the booklet features original artwork by renowned artist Varnette P. Honeywood, C’72, “The River That Flows Through Time.” The booklet was given to attendees at The Signature Event, Founders Day Convocation and the 2006 Reunion. ● Presenter Keshia Knight Pulliam, C’2001 Mistress of Ceremonies Rolonda Watts, C’80 4 INSIDE SPELMAN

of Women Who Change the World

Erinn Cosby, President Tatum and Evin Cosby, accepting the Legacy Award for Drs. William and Camille Cosby

Dr. Joyce Finch Johnson, Legacy Award

Valerie Rockefeller Wayne accepting the Legacy Award for The John D. Rockefeller, Sr. Family, with President Tatum

Reverend Norman M. Rates, Legacy Award, and President Emerita Audrey Forbees Manley, C’55

Jonnetta Patton, Legacy Award

Mattiwilda Dobbs-Janzon, C’46, Legend Award

Susan Taylor, Trailblazer Award, with her granddaughter Amina King

Dr. Evelynn Hammonds, C’76, Trailblazer Award

Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, C’70, Trailblazer Award

Dr Beverly Guy-Sheftall, C’66, Trailblazer Award SUMMER

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NEWS BRIEFS ª Dr. Sherry L. Turner has been named vice president for student development. In 2002, Dr. Turner came to Spelman as the assistant to the president and secretary of the College. Since September 2005, she served as the interim vice president of student development. ª On April 21–23, at a Spelman College Glee Club reunion, 110 former Glee Club members honored Dr. Joyce F. Johnson’s for her 53 years of service to the College. There was a reunion concert on Friday, a banquet on Saturday with 350 in attendance, including Dr. Johnson’s friends from the Atlanta music community, and the annual Spring Glee Club concert on Sunday. Dr. Johnson is retiring from her faculty position in the Music Department but will remain as the College organist.

ª The Spelman College tennis team defeated No. 1 seeded Piedmont College, 5-1, to claim the College’s first Great South Athletic Conference championship in its first year of full membership in the conference (only full members are eligible to participate in the tournament). ª Two Comparative Women’s Studies program students, Ms. Juliana Montgomery, C’06, and Ms. Sarah Thompson, C’06, have been named Fulbright Scholars. During her yearlong study, Ms. Montgomery will travel to Prague in the Czech Republic to start on a

documentary about feminism within current filmmaking practices in the Czech lands. Ms. Thompson will travel to Argentina to learn about Latin American politics in an Argentine university, to organize community and popular peace education within the ‘Educated Cites’ project and to start a young girls’ soccer team. ª History major Ms. Robinette LaTisha Dowtin, C’06, a Fulbright scholarship recipient, will travel to Africa this fall to research the intersection between Islam and women’s dress in Morocco. Upon her return, she will enter the doctoral program in African history at New York University where she has been awarded a fiveyear fellowship. Thanks to JP Morgan Chase and the School for International Training scholarships, her first experience in Africa occurred in 2004 during a study abroad experience in Rabat, Morocco. “Winning three Fulbright grants in a single year for an institution of our size is really an achievement and speaks to the quality of our students and their interest in the world,” said Dr. Margery Ganz, director of Spelman’s study abroad program. ª The Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program announced senior Ms. Ndija Anderson, C’06, as a recipient of the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship for 2006–2007. The Watson Foundation awarded 50 fellowships, in the amount of $25,000 each, to college graduating seniors for one year of independent exploration and travel outside the United States. Ms. Anderson, a double major in political science and French, chose “Braiding: Traditional Art, Esthetic Service or Cultural Expression?” as her topic of study. She will travel to Jamaica, Senegal, Egypt, India, Japan and Australia. ª On April 22, the Spelman College chapter of Phi Beta Kappa held its induction ceremony initiating 46 students. The scholars were selected based on their excellent academic performance and on recommendations from the faculty. Dr. Arturo Lindsay, professor (on-leave) of art, delivered a scholarly address at the ceremony.

Spelman Salutes Academic Achievements & Awards During her “State of the College” presentation on May 9, 2006, President Beverly Daniel Tatum announced that the following faculty members were approved for tenure and promoted to associate professor: Dr. Karen Brakke, psychology; Dr. Jean-Marie Dimandja, chemistry; Dr. Tarshia Stanley, English; Dr. Monica Stephens, mathematics; Dr. Andrew Williams, computer science. Associate Professor Dr. Jeffrey Ehme, mathematics, was promoted to full professor, and Dr. Joyce F. Johnson, professor of music, was awarded the title professor emerita in recognition of exceptional and distinguished service to the College. President Tatum presented the 2005–2006 Exemplary Customer Service Awards – in recognition of hospitality and generosity to internal and external customers – to Ms. Geneva Lane, executive assistant for institutional advancement; Ms. Margie Willis, administrative assistant in the assessment office; and the entire Office of Student Financial Services.

6 INSIDE SPELMAN

ª Cosby Endowed Professor Pearl Cleage, C’71, appeared on “Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Ball” television special that aired May 22, 2006. Ms. Cleage, a celebrated author, playwright, feminist and activist, wrote the poem “We Speak Your Names,” honoring Coretta Scott King, Cicely Tyson, Maya Angelou and several other Black women legends that Ms. Winfrey honored during a three-day weekend. Her work was featured throughout the program and was read by several of entertainment’s brightest stars, including Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys. Also in May, the poem was published as a keepsake book, “We Speak Your Names: A Celebration” (One World/ Ballantine) by Peral Cleage with Zaron Burnett, Jr. ª From June 14–20, the SpelBots team traveled to Bremen, Germany, to compete in the international RoboCup 2006. The team competed in its first RoboCup U.S. Open in July 2005, when the team members traveled to Osaka, Japan, for RoboCup 2005, where they competed against 23 other academic institutions from around the world. Earlier in April, the team earned its first tie (1-1), competing against Brown University in the 2006 KUKA RoboCup U.S. Open, at Georgia Tech. The U.S. RoboCup is an international project to promote research in artificial intelligence, robotics, computational perception and related fields. ª The Spelman College Dance Theatre won the Southeast Regional Competition of the American College Dance Festival and competed at the nationals on May 17. President Beverly Daniel Tatum attended the performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. ª On November 4, 2005, The Marian Wright Edelman Center held a party celebrating its 75th anniversary. The Spelman College NurseryKindergarten School, became a part of the resources of the College in 1930 under the leadership of Miss Pearlie E. Reed. It was the first laboratory school established in a Black college. Renamed in 1997 after Children’s Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman, C’60, the center is currently run by Ms. Gracie M. Hutcherson, C’82.

On April 22, 2006, the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness presented awards to President Beverly Daniel Tatum and Ms. Brenda Dalton, director of student health services, through the “Reach for Wellness” program. President Tatum was honored for encouraging healthier food selections in the Alma Upshaw Dining Hall. Ms. Dalton received her award for work she does with the Student Health Associates and Peer Educators (SHAPE) in preventing diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, HIV and AIDS at Spelman and in the community. On May 22, 2006, Dr. Olivia A. Scriven, special adviser for institutional advancement, successfully defended her doctoral dissertation at the Georgia Institute of Technology, focusing on a study titled “The Politics of Particularism: HBCUs, Spelman College and the Struggle to Educate African Americans in Science, 1950–1997.” With this accomplishment, Dr. Scriven became one of fewer than 10 African American women with a doctorate in the history of science. On April 26, 2006, Ms. Geneva Lane, executive assistant for institutional advancement, was honored as the Administrative Professional of the Year during the Administrative Professionals Day Brunch, sponsored by the Office of Human Resources.

Ms. Kimberly Cartier, executive assistant for institutional advancement, graduated magna cum laude from Atlanta Metropolitan College on May 5, 2006. She was awarded an associate of science degree in political science. Dr. Nami Kim, assistant professor of religion, was selected as a participant in the 2006–2007 Workshop on Teaching and Learning for Pre-Tenure Asian/Asian North American Faculty, Wabash Center. The Georgia Writers Association nominated Dr. Harry G. Lefever, professor emeritus of sociology, for Author of the Year in the history division of creative nonfiction for his book, Undaunted by the Fight: Spelman College and the Civil Rights Movement 1957–1967 on June 18, 2006. Spelman College received an award for Excellence in Restoration for Sisters Chapel from The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation at its annual meeting on April 22, 2006. Arthur E. Frazier III, director of facilities management & services, traveled to Athens, Georgia, on Spelman’s behalf to receive the honor.

Dr. Harry G. Lefever, professor emeritus of sociology, was one of two keynote speakers at the annual Southeastern Undergraduate Sociology Symposium on February 27, 2006 at Emory University in Atlanta. The title of his address was “In The Eye of the Storm, They Kept Their Eyes on the Prize: Spelman College and the Civil Rights Movement.” Dr. Lefever was interviewed on April 2, 2006 by C-Span2 Book TV Bus at the Charis Books & More store in Little 5 Points, Atlanta. Assistant Professor of English Dr. Patricia Ventura has edited and written an essay and introduction for a special issue of Genre, a literature and theory journal. The issue, volume XXXVIII, “Circulating ‘America,’” combines essays on diverse objects such as contemporary Hollywood blockbuster films, global literature, Bollywood, political theory and everyday practices such as yoga to investigate how we understand the idea of America today in a time marked by globalization and shaped by the United States’ foreign policy post-9/11. Dr. Ventura also presented a paper on Iraq War documentaries at the 2005 Modern Language Association conference in Washington, D.C. and organized and chaired the “Excess and Scarcity” panel at the 2005 South Atlanta Modern Language Association conference in Atlanta.

Dr. Andrea D. Barnwell, director of the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, has been appointed vice chair of the Mayor’s Arts and Culture Task Force. Led by Ms. Penelope McPhee, president of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and Dr. Barnwell, the Task Force has a goal of developing strategic recommendations on public funding alternatives for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Atlanta.

On September 16, 2005, President Beverly Daniel Tatum participated in a roundtable discussion in Washington, D.C., convened by DiversityInc to explore the critical issues facing Blacks and Latinos. Excerpts from the discussion – highlighting several topics, including Black-Brown tension, immigration, racial identities and building bridges – were featured in the article “Finding Common Ground, Building Bridges Between Blacks & Latinos” in the January/February 2006 issue of DiversityInc.

Ms. Sandy Anderson, special events coordinator, was recently appointed fundraising chair for the Snapfinger Woods chapter of the American Business Women’s Association. In this capacity she will serve on the committee for membership drive, co-chair the Business Associate event for the Snapfinger Woods chapter and will be responsible for monthly business meeting “fund-raising” through member gift drawings.

On May 10, 2006, Ms. Brenda Twyner Robinson, counselor in counseling services, was featured in the Living section of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Real Living article, “Pink Ink Sings Praises, Blessings of a Singular Mom,” highlights Twyner Robinson’s successful handling of being a single parent and the heartfelt thank-you letter she received from her daughter, Alexandra Robinson, one month earlier.

Dr. Lisa Hibbard, associate professor and chair of the chemistry department, was named a Fellow of the Georgia Academy of Science at the Academy’s annual meeting in March 2006. Dr. Hibbard has served in several leadership capacities in the organization, most recently as president during 2003–2004.

In April 2006, noted African feminist-scholar and Endowed Cosby Chair of Social Sciences Dr. Patricia McFadden hosted a three-day seminar, “Building Bridges, Traversing Feminist Solidarities,” to discuss effective ways to build true global solidarity and politically effective feminist scholarship.

In February 2006, Ms. Barbara Nesin, associate professor of art, was elected to the Board of Directors of the College Art Association. As the largest association for visual arts professionals, the College Art Association promotes the highest levels of creativity and scholarship in the practice, teaching and interpretation of the visual arts.

In February 2006, best-selling author and award-winning playwright Pearl Cleage, C’71, Cosby endowed professor of humanities, hosted a three-part series of conversations titled SisterSpeak & More. Programs included an evening with Cleage as well as dialogue with nationally known authors Tina McElroy Ansa, C’71, and Tayari Jones, C’91. In addition, the Spelman college drama department presented two of Cleage’s one-act plays, Chain and Late Bus to Mecca. Also in February, Baby Brother’s Blues, Cleage’s fifth novel, was released, and Sweet Honey in the Rock presented her with a Trailblazer Award during their annual concert at Sisters Chapel.

Appointments

Performances, Exhibitions & Published Works Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, C’66 , Anna Julia Cooper Professor of Women’s Studies and English and founding director of the Women’s Research and Resource Center, published the article, “A Revolutionary Woman, Coretta Scott King,” in the spring 2006 issue of Ms. Magazine. Dr. Eddie Bradley Jr. and R. Paul Thomason, assistant professors in the department of drama and dance, attended the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) in Orlando, Florida, during spring break. Their PowerPoint presentation, “The Collaborative Process on a Shoestring Budget,” described how artists could realize their vision in spite of miniscule budgets. A recent production of Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage, C’71, served as the model for this dialogue. Dr. Bradley wrote and directed “A Night for Dancing: Celebrating the Legacy of Mozell Spriggs,” presented on January 28. This spring, Dr. Bradley was also featured in the play, Permanent Collection, at the Horizon Theatre Company in Atlanta. Mr. Thomason recently served as set designer for Theatrical Outfit’s production of Mahalia, a Gospel Musical in February 2006. Dr. Nami Kim, assistant professor of religion, won a New Scholar award from the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion for her article,“My/Our Comfort Not at the Expense of Somebody Else’s: Toward a Critical Global Feminist Theology.” The article was published in the November 2005 issue, vol. 21, no. 2. In addition, she coauthored, with Rita Nakashima Brock, “Asian American Protestant Women: Roles and Contributions in Religion,” in the Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America, edited by Rosemary R. Ruether and Rosemary Keller, Indiana University Press, 2006.

Iowa native Ms. Jo Moore Stewart, director of publications, will serve as a Conference Legacy Speaker at The African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa’s first “Laying Claim to Our Spirit: The Iowa African American Women’s Leadership Conference.” The event is scheduled for September 29, 2006, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and will explore the legacy of African American women past, present and future, with specific emphasis on the identity of African American women in Iowa. In April 2006, Joseph Jennings, instructor of music and director of the Spelman College Jazz Ensemble, traveled to Europe to the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES Abroad). While overseas he visited the Amsterdam Music Conservatory and the Amsterdam Academy of Art. He also traveled to Berlin where he performed a mini solo concert for students and representatives from different colleges and universities participating in the program. Mr. Jennings wrote and directed the original composition, “The River that Flows Through Time,” performed by the Spelman College Jazz Ensemble at the 125th Founders Day convocation. He is scheduled to premiere another original piece composed for “The Quilts of Gee’s Bend” exhibition at the High Museum of Art Atlanta in June. Dr. Anne B. Warner, director of The Comprehensive Writing Program and associate professor of English, delivered two papers during the spring 2006 semester: “Working with Multiple Literacies” at the Southeast Writing Conference Association on February 17, 2006 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and “Pens, Pans and Needles: Writing, Work and Consumption in Jacobs and Keckley,” at the Society for the Study of Southern Literature, April 1, 2006 in Birmingham, Alabama. SUMMER

2006

LEADS Conference Focuses on Bridge-Building

he third annual Spelman College 2006 Leadership and Women of Color Conference, “Building Bridges Among Us and With Others,” took place May 10–11 in Atlanta. Spearheaded by Dr. Jane E. Smith, executive director of the Spelman Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (LEADS), the conference explored and identified the unique leadership skills of women of color and how these attributes help them to build the bridges necessary for successful communities, governments and businesses. Through the conference, Spelman continues its 125-year tradition of empowering women of color to recognize and exercise their natural talents to accomplish their goals. The conference addressed three essential questions: 1) Why is building bridges an important leadership attribute? 2) What is the leadership role of women of color in building bridges domestically and globally? 3) How do we maximize the leadership role of women of color in building bridges domestically and globally? Liberia’s Minister of Gender and Development Vabah Kazaku Gayflor delivered the keynote address to more than 650 registrants.

Minister Gayflor has been appointed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female leader elected in Africa, to redevelop the public sector with a particular focus on women’s needs. Her mission exemplified the theme of the conference – to showcase how women of color around the world are natural bridge builders, and can maximize their inherent leadership characteristics to improve circumstances for themselves and others. The two-day event also featured workshops and interactive sessions that allowed attendees to glean valuable information and discover vital tools for bridge-building. Powerhouse speakers from the public and private sectors shared their insight and experiences, including: U.S. Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral; Patricia Francis, executive director, International Trade Centre, World Trade Organization; City of Atlanta Mayor Shirley Clarke Franklin; Andrew Young, former ambassador, humanitarian and international businessman; Aurelia Brazeal, C’65, Ambassador to Ethiopia, Kenya and Micronesia and Spelman trustee; Dr. Rohini Anand, senior vice president and chief diversity officer, Sodexho; Jacqueline Johnson, executive director, National Congress

of American Indians; and C. Payne Lucas, founder of Africare. During the conference, the LEADS Center shared the results of a newly commissioned survey regarding the opinions of men and women concerning women in leadership positions both domestically and globally. The nationwide study of more than 1,100 participants reveals six out of 10 Americans strongly agree that building bridges would more effectively address or solve critical global issues such as race relations (nearly 61 percent), AIDS and other health epidemics (56 percent) and disaster relief (nearly 54 percent). While nearly 54 percent agree that building bridges could also assist with economic issues, only one-third believe that it would have great impact on the war in Iraq. “Women of color have been elevated to top leadership positions in several nations around the world,” said Dr. Smith. “This is an opportune time for us to identify how people in the United States – men and women – view the capabilities of women of color and the way in which their leadership talents can be maximized to better address national and global issues.”

125TH FOUNDERS DAY PALM SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE PARTICIPANTS Speaker: Reverend Dr. William Guy

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