SPELMAN
F A L L 2 0 0 6
I n s i d e
W I N T E R 2 0 0 7
Spelman Breaks Ground for a ‘Greener’ Future
S
pelman College took a bold step toward environmental responsibility and made history at the same time with the groundbreaking for a new “green” residence hall on Friday, October 20, 2006. This new residential facility, the first new construction of the 21st Century at Spelman, is on track to become the first in the Atlanta University Center community, and the first HBCU to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. The building will be designed with a high priority on health, reduced environmental impact and increased resource conservation. The groundbreaking took place at the site of the new building on the land recently acquired from the AUC, at the corner of Westview Drive and Lee Street, behind the Milligan Building on West End Avenue, SW. Spelman’s President, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum said, “Building ‘green’ is a smart investment in the future.” Expressing her concern about the sustainability of the environment, she added, “The very future of our planet is at stake. I believe we have an obligation to increase our
own environmental responsibility at Spelman and to educate students about it. With the groundbreaking for this new ‘green’ residence hall, we are, like the founders of Spelman, building for the next 100 years and doing our part to protect the environment for the generations to come.” Arthur Frazier, Spelman’s director of facilities management & services, detailed the additional firsts that will become part of Spelman’s legacy of leadership. “Out of the 237 Educational Institution members of the U.S. Green Building Council, Spelman is the first and only HBCU member and the first member in the AUC. And our ‘green’ residential facility will be the first LEED Certified Residence Hall in the state of Georgia.” Frazier clarified that actual certification will be awarded after the building is completed in Spring 2008. The residence hall will be more than 201,455 square feet and will house 303 beds, raising current housing capacity from 1,176 to 1,479. There will also be a 175-seat dining hall and a 100-car parking deck. Student occupancy is projected for July 2008. ●
The new “green” residence hall, housing 300, is projected for student occupancy in July 2008.
Elder Bernice A. King, C’85 (center), founder of the Be A King Scholarship poses with her cousin, Dr. Angela Farris Watkins, C’86 (left), and her aunt, Mrs. Christine King Farris, C’48, at the announcement.
Endowed Scholarship in Honor of Coretta Scott King Established at Spelman lder Bernice A. King, C’85, established on January 30, 2007 an endowed scholarship at Spelman College in memory of her mother and founding president of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, the late Coretta Scott King. Appropriately titled the Be A King Scholarship in Honor of Coretta Scott King, the scholarship was announced on the one-year anniversary of Mrs. King’s death. “This endowment pays tribute to my mother’s life service to human rights and the philosophy of nonviolent social change,” said Elder King, the youngest child of Mrs. King and the late civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “The scholarship will provide financial assistance to deserving students with financial need who demonstrate a commitment to civic engagement, community service and volunteerism.” Elder King currently serves as president and CEO of Be A King Inc. The Be A King Scholarship in Honor of Coretta Scott King was established with a gift of $75,000 from Elder King, $25,000 from her brother Martin Luther King, III and a contribution from the The Home Depot, Inc. for $75,000.
E
Continued on page 3.