May 18: Class of 2020 Valedictorian and Salutatorian Credit Spelman with Much of Their Success

Class of 2020 Valedictorian and Salutatorian Credit Spelman with Much of Their Success
Seniors Kendra Grissom and Jasmine McClam have been named valedictorian and salutatorian of the 2020 graduating class. Grissom, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, is a first-generation college student. She considers being named valedictorian confirmation that how one begins does not determine how one ends. "I am incredibly proud of my Baltimore roots and I hope this moment serves as evidence that inner-city youth should not be underestimated," she said. McClam, a fourth-generation historically Black college and university graduate, said one lesson she learned while at Spelman is the power of persevering after failure. "Spelman taught me how to pick myself up after I fall," said the Missouri City, Texas, native. Spelman will celebrate the success of the Class of 2020 at a formal in-person Commencement ceremony, which will be held at a later date. Profiles of Grissom and McClam, as well as the other Top 10 graduates, can be found on Spelman.edu. To celebrate the stellar work of the Class of 2020, the College hosted virtual events organized to honor this year’s more than 480 graduates on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16.

Spelman Holds Virtual Senior Salute to Celebrate Class of 2020
Persistent, tenacious and resilient are just a few of the words used by members of the Spelman community as they encouraged and celebrated the graduating class of 2020 during the College’s virtual graduation salute. More than 56,000 people tuned in to the Spelman Senior Salute livestream on the College’s official Facebook page and more than 4,500 tuned in on Spelman.edu. The tribute, which took place on Saturday, May 16, included footage of previous commencement speakers including Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to President Barack Obama, and Rosalind Brewer, C’84, group president Americas and chief operating officer for Starbucks and Spelman Board of Trustees chair. Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., notable alumna, Pearl Cleage, C’71, and others also provided words of encouragement. In their messages to their fellow graduating class, Kendra Grissom and Jasmine McClam, class of 2020 valedictorian and salutatorian, reassured their fellow classmates while encouraged them to celebrate themselves. "Our ability to survive in the midst of a global crisis is a testament to our strength," said Grissom. "Be assured that we will reunite and we will have a celebration that we rightly deserve. In the meantime, be sure to celebrate you and all of your accomplishments." On Friday, May 15, prior to the tribute, 6,000 people tuned in to watch a discussion between Spelman Student Government President Nia Page, C’2020, and two-time Grammy-nominated recording artists Chloe x Halle on @Spelman_College, the institution’s official Instagram channel. The event segued into a live performance by the duo in tribute to Spelman seniors on the @ChloexHalle Instagram platform.

Spelman Professors Receive Tenure Appointments and Promotions
Three Spelman professors have been awarded the classification of tenure. "The award of tenure is reserved for those who have exhibited the highest commitment to our students' learning through their teaching, scholarship and service and standing in their fields," said Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D. Spelman’s newly tenured professors include Lynn Maxwell, Ph.D., associate professor of English; Yan Xu, Ph.D., associate professor of history; and Robert Brown Ph.D., associate professor of political science. Their tenure will become effective during the 2020-2021 academic year. Dr. Campbell also announced the promotion of Spelman faculty to full professorship. They include mathematics professor Naiomi Cameron, Ph.D., biology professor Aditi Pai, Ph.D., computer and information science professor Raquel Hill, Ph.D., chemistry professor Lisa Hibbard, Ph.D., art and visual culture professor Myra Greene, philosophy and religious studies professor Nami Kim, Ph.D., psychology professor Karen Brakke, Ph.D., and political science professor Kasahun Woldemarium, Ph.D.

Spelman Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Welcomes 50 New Members
Fifty Spelman students have been inducted into the Epsilon of Georgia Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. The nation’s oldest undergraduate honor society, Phi Beta Kappa identifies exceptional students who excel in the liberal arts in general, with intellectual interests that extend beyond the requirements of their majors. Eight of this year’s Top 10 graduates, including seniors Kendra Grissom and Jazmine McClam, this year’s valedictorian and salutatorian, are among the newest inductees. Spelman’s is one of four historically Black colleges and universities granted a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. The chapter, Epsilon of Georgia, was installed on February 10, 1998, becoming the fifth chapter in the state of Georgia.

Alumna Named Executive Vice President, COO of Civil Rights Organizations
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund have named Monica M. Woods, C’93, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the organizations. For more than 15 years, Woods has managed complex organizations and operations, driving strategies to improve organizational performance. Most recently, she served as vice president for human resources and chief administrative officer at the Urban Institute. In that role, she led strategic and business-driven talent management programs, operations, and initiatives, and served on the organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.