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Spelman College was recently awarded a $600,000 grant from NASA that will help the College play a crucial role in the effective operation of earth observing satellites. The five-year grant is part of NASA’s efforts to increase participation of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in crucial Earth Science Division Surface-Based Measurement Networks.


The grant will not only provide instrumentation for Spelman but will also establish a research education program for Spelman students to work with Emory and Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) faculty and staff.

"We will establish a station of ground-based remote sensing for air quality monitoring," said Guanyu Huang, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Spelman College Department of Environmental & Health Sciences and the grant’s principal investigator. "This will give our students a hands-on experience in instrument operation, data collection and data analytics. This project will also support our students to work with research teams at Emory University and Georgia Tech to prepare them for their future graduate studies."

To read the full release, visit Spelman’s Our Stories page.

Just over a week ago, we were reminded of the spirit and sisterhood of Spelman College during Homecoming 2022. However, it was also a memorable collection of firsts for the College.

For many students, the week of celebration was their first in-person Homecoming celebration since attending Spelman. The return to in-person activities gave second- year and third-year students, who entered during the Covid-19 pandemic, the opportunity to experience Homecoming first-hand.

"Homecoming made me feel like I got to experience the HBCU I grew up seeing on TV and the internet," said Wynter Stokes C’2025. "I’m excited to connect with more people next year, and to one day come back as an alumna and enjoy it that way, as well."

Dr. Helene D. Gayle also experience Homecoming for the first times as president of Spelman. In addition, the College hosted Market Friday on the Oval – a first, due to the increase in alumnae and guest attendance. The College also hosted its first gospel concert and welcomed both Spelman and Morehouse College alumni to the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art for a well-attended Day Party – a welcome addition to the planned festivities.
Renee Foster, director of Annual Giving, said, "Alumnae and their commitment to supporting our Homecoming giving campaign creates new opportunities for our students – we are so grateful for their continued generosity."
According to Jessie Brooks, senior vice president for Institutional Advancement, more than 1,700 gifts were made to support Spelman’s Homecoming fundraising efforts. "We were extremely pleased with the turnout over the two-day period (Friday and Saturday) with approximately 8,000 visitors to our campus."
Special thanks to the Office of Alumnae Engagement for their dedication, planning and hard work. Thank you as well to our Homecoming 2022 sponsors, Amazon Music, Morgan Stanley, HBO, Coca-Cola United Bottling, Proctor & Gamble and the CDC Foundation - Live to the Beat Wellness Program.

Campus Highlights


This month, advocate, student leader and creative Mallory Butts, C’2025, was named College Woman of the Year by Glamour Magazine.

The Atlanta native and honors chemistry and chemical engineering dual-degree major from Atlanta is actively engaged on campus in the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, Granddaughters’ Club, Chemistry Club, Society of Women Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Women in STEM (WiSTEM) Bridge Accelerator, Atlanta University Center Dual Degree Engineering Program and more. She is a staunch advocate for increasing health literacy, building cultural sensitivity, and eradicating health inequities in underserved communities.

"I’m so happy that Mallory is being acknowledged for the quality of her mind, the sincerity of her commitments, and the clarity of her approach to being an engaged student and citizen," said Michelle Hite, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program. "Through her, so many students like her at Spelman will be encouraged to continue making interdisciplinary connections, and I am also proud of the example that Mallory has set for young Black girls to emulate."

Following graduation from Spelman, Butts plans to become a cosmetic chemical engineer, formulating skin care for people of color in order to decrease the disparities in the cosmetic industry and mitigate the corresponding health issues. She spent her summer after freshman year with the Estée Lauder Companies in New York, working closely with cosmetic engineers and scientists to advance formulating practices, and gain initial exposure into the cosmetic industry.

To read more about Butts and her impact at Spelman, visit the Our Stories page.

Last week, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and American Express launched the Building Better Futures Program.

The program was established partly because African American students have faced greater financial challenges when it comes to accessing higher education opportunities. This partnership primarily centers around a $2 million donation from the American Express Foundation to ensure Building Better Futures accelerator grants are available to current HBCU students, while strengthening the support for UNCF’s K-12 initiative – a program that aids students, parents and community leaders in their efforts to prepare students for college.

The program will also feature recruitment initiatives like informative marketing campaigns and webinars that will inform HBCU students and alumnae of any available American Express internship opportunities and full-time job openings. In addition, American Express will further demonstrate its commitment to investing in these communities through their donation of student financial literacy materials with Zogo – a financial education app.

For more information, visit the UNCF website.

Powered by Amazon, Amp is bringing the Hottest Mic on Campus contest to the AUC. Each week, through November 17, students can host their own Amp show for the chance to win a weekly cash prize of $2,500. Winners are eligible to win more than once and can win up to $10,000.

To enter, interested students should do the following:

1. Download the Amp app from the App store.
2. Create an Amp account and profile.
3. Host a 45-minute -or longer radio show during the contest entry period about what YOU love. Make sure #AUCAmp and #promotion are in the title to be entered.
4. Promote the show to drive tune-in. Share your show link directly to your social channels on the days prior and day of to have all your friends tune-in.

For official contest terms and conditions, or to enter, visit the Hottest Mic on Campus website.

It’s a great time to work at Spelman College! With a variety of perks and benefits for staff, including tuition waivers, health and wellness resources, and a beautiful, historic campus, Spelman is more than a place to work.

The Spelman College Division of Institutional Advancement is seeking motivated candidates to fill the following positions:

The Spelman College Office of Public Relations and Communications is looking for motivated candidates to fill the following position:


Below are some staff positions that are also available:

To apply, or to learn more about these and other positions, visit Spelman.edu.
Alumnae Spotlight
 
 
Scholar-activist Sarah Thompson Nahar, C’2006, was recently honored as one of only three recipients of the 2022 Alumni Ministry and Service Recognition by the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. The annual award of the Elkhart seminary honors alumni who have made outstanding contributions in congregational ministry, teaching, mission or peace work, spiritual direction or other ministries.

During her time at Spelman, Nahar majored in international studies and comparative women’s studies. She also served as president of the Spelman Student Government Association and co-founded the AUC Peace Coalition.

She later received her Master of Divinity from the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in 2011. Since then, Nahar’s spiritual activism has allowed her to serve communities around the world, lead multiple organizations and be the recipient of numerous awards.

Nahar is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at Syracuse University in the Religion Department and in environmental studies at the State University of New York’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

 
 
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