July 27: Spelman Announces Inaugural Recipients of the Dovey Johnson Roundtree, C’38, Presidential Scholarship

Spelman Announces Inaugural Recipients of the Dovey Johnson Roundtree, C’38, Presidential Scholarship

Twenty high achieving first-year students have been selected to receive the Dovey Johnson Roundtree, C’38, Presidential Scholarship.
Named for Spelman alumna and civil rights activist Dovey Johnson Roundtree, C’38, the scholarships are funded by a $40 million gift from philanthropists Patty Quillin and her spouse Reed Hastings, co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Netflix.
"The Dovey Johnson Roundtree Scholars represent the essence of intellectual curiosity, determination and hard work represented in the life of Ms. Roundtree," said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman. "We are appreciative to Patty Quillin and Reed Hastings for their significant and generous gift, which allows us to extend the opportunity to study to stellar students, who will be able to engage in the full Spelman experience without the concern of creating debt via their academic pursuits."
In addition to the $40 million awarded in June to Spelman by Quillin and Hastings, the couple also awarded $40 million each to Morehouse College and the United Negro College Fund. The $120 million gift to all three institutions represents the largest contribution in history by an individual in support of scholarships at HBCUs.

Atlanta University Center Consortium Announces Appointment of Inaugural Data Science Initiative Director

Talitha M. Washington, Ph.D., C’96, has been named the director of the AUCC Data Science Initiative.
Launched in 2019, the AUCC Data Science Initiative endeavors to dramatically increase the number of underrepresented minorities with credentials in data science and data analytics. The initiative also seeks to advance research using data science methods, especially in areas that impact minority communities.
Serving most recently as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Dr. Washington has extensive experience that includes leadership in math education, research methodologies and partnership development.
A tenured associate professor at Howard University, Dr. Washington was recently recognized by NSF as a Women’s History Maker and received the Black Engineer of the Year STEM Innovator Award.
"With our broad goal of impacting the trajectories of societies throughout the world, Dr. Washington is uniquely suited to lead the development of data science expertise across the Atlanta University Center institutions," said Todd Greene, executive director of the AUCC. "Her unique combination of experience in program development, education, funding, and alliance-building will help forge connections among and between the Atlanta University Center students and faculty with global corporations, government agencies, and other colleges and universities."

Spelman Junior Supports Houston's Essential Workers Through The L.O.V.E. Project

As she adjusted to virtual learning at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic this spring, Gia McCrae, C’2022, started The L.O.V.E. Project (Lifting Our Valuable Essentials), a nonprofit organization designed to support essential workers in her native Houston.
Through The L.O.V.E. Project, McCrae, with the help of her mother, presents care baskets that include freshly made cookies from a local bakery, as well as coffee, and in some instances lunch or dinner, to essential workers. McCrae also developed a section on the organization’s website for people to submit letters of appreciation.
"I founded THE L.O.V.E. Project because I believe that, more than ever, these essential workers need to be shown gratitude and celebrated for all they’re doing throughout this pandemic," she said. "I think having someone my age show gratitude with one-on-one and face-to-face encounters pleasantly surprises them."

Alumna to Lead ORICeLearn Sessions on Graduate Research Fellowships

Frances Carter-Johnson, Ph.D., C’99, will serve as the featured presenter for a virtual research-focused session sponsored by Spelman’s Office of Research, Innovation and Collaboration.
As a data scientist in the Human Resources Division of the National Science Foundation's Education and Human Resources Directorate, Dr. Carter-Johnson is responsible for broadening participation programs and contributing to the advancement of groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM.
During the one-hour workshop, Dr. Carter-Johnson will share the requirements and strategies to successfully apply for the National Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship program with special attention to writing an awarding-winning graduate research plan statement.

The sessions will take place at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2020.