March 8: Newly Elected Student Body Leaders Prepare for Year Ahead

Newly Elected Student Body Leaders Prepare for Year Ahead

Election results for the 80th administration of the Spelman Student Government Association were recently announced.

Jillian Jackson, C’2022, who previously served as secretary of student affairs, was elected president, and Grace Hall, C’2022, former first year liaison, was elected vice president.

"I am honored to be the SSGA president for the 80th administration. I have found a safe space to further develop my leadership and planning skills," said Jackson. "Spelman blesses me every day. I am excited to lead as president and am very grateful for the example my predecessors have set before me."

Composed of elected and appointed student representatives, the SSGA acts as a liaison between Spelman students and the faculty, staff, and administration by presenting proposals, programs, activities and resolutions that reflect the tenor of student opinion.

Others elected to the 2021-2022 administration include Alannah Taylor, C’2023, secretary of student affairs; Julianne Borges Gordon, C’2023, secretary of institutional research planning and effectiveness; Monique Vaz, C’2023, secretary of enrollment management; Devan Stoeling, C’2023, secretary of institutional advancement; and Mikayla Sharrieff, C’2023, secretary of Spelman technology.

AUC Art History + Curatorial Studies Career Week to Connect Students with Industry Leaders

The Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective Virtual Career Week will feature Spelman alumnae who are making an impact in art and culture.

Slated for Monday, March 8, through Friday, March 12, the virtual event will feature presentations by notable Spelman alumnae, including Alicia McGeachy, Ph.D., C'2013, postdoctoral research fellow at Northwestern University Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts; Ashley Harris, C’2011, head of marketing for MANA Contemporary’s Arts and Culture Division; and Michelle Lanier, C’97, director of the North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites and instructor in the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University.

"As we graduate our first class of Art History majors and Curatorial Studies minors in May, our Virtual Career Week couldn’t be more timely," said Cheryl Finley, Ph.D., inaugural director of the Atlanta University Center Collective for the Study of Art History and Curatorial Studies. "It is our duty to expose students to career pathways in the art industry, from museums to artists' studios, to art and technology start-ups, blue-chip galleries and leading arts communications firms. Students will have the opportunity to engage one-on-one with leaders in the field."

Other notable participants include Morehouse College alum George Wells, chairman and founder of the Wells Group of New York, and Clark Atlanta University graduate and renowned artist Amy Sherald.

To learn more, or to register visit the AUC Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective online.

Gift to Spelman’s Social Justice Fellows Program Funds Community Advocacy Efforts

Through their Racial Equity Community Impact Fund, Gilead Sciences Inc., has awarded Spelman’s Social Justice Fellows Program with a grant to support its ongoing work with community advocacy partners.

The $525,000 gift, which will be awarded over three years, will provide stipends for students, and fund summer research and internship opportunities with grassroots organizations working to address inequities affecting Black communities.

"The Social Justice Program is elated to work with the Gilead Racial Equity Impact Fund as we continue to expose our students across all disciplines to grassroots organizing for racial equity and justice," said Cynthia Neal Spence, Ph.D., C’78, associate professor of sociology and director of Spelman’s Social Justice Fellows Program. "This grant will accelerate the opportunities for very intentional engagement and training in grassroots organizing and scholar activism focused on creating a more equitable and just society. We look forward to building alliances with the organization, and colleges and universities funded by this important initiative."

Spelman-themed Virtual Backgrounds Now Available

As many continue to work from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, virtual backgrounds have become a popular means of creating a clean and professional backdrop for meetings and other events.

In response, the College has created a set of professional, Spelman-themed backgrounds available for download for use on Zoom and other video conferencing platforms.

The images are the property of Spelman College and may not be used for promotional or marketing purposes without written consent.

To download visit Spelman.edu.

Spelman Alumna Pens Bestselling Book

In her new young adult novel, Namina Forna, C’2009, explores themes of fantasy and feminism through a story that centers around a young girl with brown skin and golden blood.

"The Gilded Ones," which has been praised for being "an adventurous and relevant fantasy" is currently No. 8 on the New York Times Young Adult Best Sellers List.

In a recent article published by Elle.com, Forna shared that she developed the basis of her novel while studying at Spelman.

"When I came to America, I started doubting myself. I was like, ‘Wait, maybe people in Africa only do live in huts,’" the native of Sierra Leone, West Africa told Elle. "That's the gaslighting America does, especially as it relates to Blackness. But when I went to Spelman, [African Diaspora and the World] classes started un-rewriting the gaslighting."