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A native of Nigeria, Osarugue Otebele, the class of 2021 valedictorian, grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. She was drawn to Spelman College after a conversation with an alumna she met at an HBCU college fair.

Graduating a year early, Otebele was a student in the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors program, and a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society and the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society.

After graduation, she will continue her studies at the University of California Berkeley, pursuing a fully funded Ph.D. in Film and Media Studies.

Kiara Mahoney, an Atlanta, Georgia native, is this year’s salutatorian. Mahoney was drawn to the Spelman sisterhood and it’s legacy of providing a strong foundation for educational leaders.

During her time at Spelman, Mahoney, a member of the "Sweet" Mu Pi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., mentored elementary school students as an active member of Sisters Keeping It Real Through Service. After graduation, she will continue to teach as a fellow with the Atlanta Urban Teacher Residency Program while pursuing a master’s degree in education.

Otebele, Mahoney and Spelman’s top 10 graduates will join their classmates for a
virtual Class Day celebration at 1:30 p.m. EDT, Friday, May 14.

Visit the Spelman YouTube channel to learn more about where members of the class of 2021 are headed after graduation.  

In honor of their lifetime of achievements, Spelman will name a renovated theater, lobby, dressing rooms and supporting areas the LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson Performing Arts Center. Located in the John D. Rockefeller Fine Arts Building, the updated arts center is being made possible by a lead gift from the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation along with generous donations from Richardson Jackson and Jackson, Bank of America and David Rockefeller Jr.

At the height of the Black Arts Movement in the 1970s, actress-producer-director LaTanya Richardson Jackson, C'71, was honing her significant talents on the stage of the Baldwin Burroughs Theatre in Spelman's John D. Rockefeller Fine Arts Building. She performed, alongside then Morehouse College student, Samuel Jackson, as a member of the Morehouse Spelman Players in productions like "The Sale" by Pearl Cleage, C’71. Their auspicious debut in plays produced by Spelman’s Department of Drama catapulted the couple into award-winning careers spanning nearly 50 years of artistic excellence and theatrical success.

"The love that both LaTanya and Sam continue to exhibit for Spelman since their time on stage decades ago is heartwarming," said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman. "These living legends met and acted together on stage on our campus. Their dedication to their artistry will leave a legacy that will inspire students in the Atlanta University Center for years to come. We are grateful for their gift and that of the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation, Bank of America and David Rockefeller Jr. to renovate the space where these beloved talents got their start. Pioneers and leaders in producing important stories, LaTanya and Sam’s excellence will forever resonate in the arts center named for them."
Campus Highlights
Spelman Board Chair Discusses Business and Life on the Today Show

Rosalind Gates Brewer, C'84, CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, is one of just two Black women leading Fortune 500 companies.

In a recent interview with Hoda Kotb, co-anchor of the Today Show, Brewer, Spelman’s Board of Trustees chair, spoke about her innovative approach to business and life.

During the interview, Brewer discussed how Walgreens supported the national distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. She said her move from Starbucks to Walgreens in the midst of a pandemic was intentional for her, as she always wanted to "have impact, make change happen [and] lead something that would leave an impression on people's lives."

"I think sometimes that a lot of who I am came from my experience at Spelman. The faculty here nurtured me in a way that I've never seen in my life," said Brewer, a first generation college student. "This is the place where I came alive."

Watch the full interview on the Today Show website.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Alumnae Highlights

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New Harvard University Award Honors Spelman Alumna

Harvard University has named an award in honor of Evelynn Hammonds, Ph.D., C’76.

The Evelynn Hammonds Award for Exceptional Service to BGLTQ+ Inclusion honors individuals and teams at Harvard who strive to make the university more inclusive for bisexual,  gay, lesbian, transgender and queer students.

In both her scholarship and service, Dr. Hammonds champions social justice, equity and excellence. As Dean of Harvard College, her leadership was vital in the creation of the Office of BGLTQ Student Life, which is approaching 10 years of providing essential resources to Harvard’s undergraduate community.

"Professor Hammond's outstanding efforts set an example for us all, and presented us with a clear and exceptional choice for whom to name this award after," said Daniel Arias, co-president of Harvard LGBTQ at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Association. "We are incredibly honored to be naming this award after such an extraordinary member of our community."
 
Calendar

Feb. 14 - May 17
Yoga in the Museum

May 31
Memorial Day (College Closed)

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