Share
 
 
September 4, 2020

Greetings Spelman Community,

Welcome to the new academic year!

I am so pleased to welcome the newest members of the Spelman community -- more than 640 new students (597 first-year, 38 transfer and two Pauline E. Drake Scholars (non-traditional)); 1594 returning students and 10 new faculty members.
Please join us in welcoming our new faculty:

  • Daniel Ashley, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry & biochemistry,
  • Armita Davarpanah, Ph.D., assistant professor of environmental & health sciences,
  • Enahoro Iboi, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics,
  • Nikki Lane, Ph.D., assistant professor of comparative women’s studies,
  • Celeste Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology & anthropology,
  • Sequoia Maner, Ph.D., assistant professor of English,
  • Jaycee Holmes, co-director of the Innovation Lab and instructor of Art & Visual Culture
  • Nia Reed, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of sociology & anthropology
  • Augusto Rodriguez, Ph.D., lecturer of chemistry & biochemistry
  • Millicent Springs-Campbell, senior instructor of economics
This year is especially exciting because the College entered a new academic year that is chock full of innovative ideas about everything: teaching and learning, building community, celebrating our Spelman traditions, and reimagining and inspiring the activism that a national election year demands of us all.
I am especially pleased to welcome the newest members of our Spelman Student Government Association. Congratulations to SSGA President Fana Haile-Selassie, C’2021, and the entire SSGA. I celebrate their intent to forge a strong partnership with the College's administration and successfully represent every member of the Spelman student body. We look forward to working with you to ensure that 2020-2021 is a productive and memorable academic year.

During these challenging times, I have been moved and encouraged by the students, faculty and staff members who have come forward to create a caring community as we continue to cultivate the intellectual and educational excellence that is the hallmark of a Spelman education.
Just a few of the initiatives your classmates and colleagues developed to build community and encourage the kind of social justice activism and intellectual rigor that are vital to our future are featured throughout this letter.
Grappling With History Series
Stay tuned as I reveal next week the books we will be reading as a part of the 6th annual President’s Reading Circle! This season brings with it several exciting picks and I am eager to share them with you.
Until then, let’s all keep in mind the hopeful scripture that President Barack Obama read at the funeral for the late Congressman John Lewis: "Hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" -- 2 Corinthians 4:8-9.

Be well and keep the faith,
Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D.
President, Spelman College
 

Office of the President
Spelman College
350 Spelman Lane
Phone: 404-270-5001
presidentsoffice@spelman.edu
www.spelman.edu

Email Marketing by ActiveCampaign