March 15: Draft: Spelman College Announces Comprehensive Capital Campaign

Spelman College Announces $250M Comprehensive Campaign

Spelman College recently announced the public phase of Spelman Ascends, the largest comprehensive campaign in the history of the institution.

With a goal of $250 million, the campaign is focused on the strategic initiatives of increasing financial aid, endowing faculty professorships, funding a technology infrastructure transformation and building the Center for Innovation & the Arts, which will house programs in the arts, innovation and entrepreneurship.

In just over three and a half years, hundreds of generous donors have made gifts to Spelman, resulting in more than $240 million – 96 percent of the goal – that will support the College’s strategic priorities.

"The excellence of Spelman College has significant impact on our global community. The investment that our generous supporters continue to make to our beloved institution transforms lives and lifts communities," said Rosalind "Roz" Brewer, C’84, chair of the Spelman College Board of Trustees. "Their gifts enrich the experiences of our students, invest in exceptional faculty and support initiatives that address society’s most pressing challenges. We are grateful for their magnanimous contributions."

Spelman’s Commitment to First-Generation Student Success Recognized by NASPA

The Center for First-generation Student Success, an initiative of NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) and The Suder Foundation, has named Spelman to the 2021-22 First-gen Forward cohort.

The First-gen Forward designation recognizes institutions of higher education who have demonstrated a commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes for first-generation college students. Selected institutions receive professional development, community-building experiences and access to the Center’s research and resources.

"Under the leadership of our president, Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell, every effort undertaken at Spelman is to ensure that every student, regardless of background, obtains a Spelman degree. Receiving this honor makes us all proud," said Darryl Holloman, Ph.D., vice president for student affairs. "As a first-generation student, I am well aware of the challenges involved with the daunting task of navigating college without the benefit of family members who could provide guidance. Supporting the needs of first-generation college students, including accessing mentors, academic coaching, career development and leadership opportunities is my passion and our commitment."

Professors Join Panel to Discuss Race Beyond Borders

In commemoration of Black History Month, two Spelman professors participated in a multi-institutional panel about understanding race in the global context of power, access and policy.

Pushpa Parekh, Ph.D., professor of English and the chair of African Diaspora and the World, and Dorian Brown Crosby, Ph.D., C'91, assistant professor of political science, joined professors from Emory University, Morehouse College, Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University for the conversation.

During the discussion, which was hosted by the Atlanta Global Studies Center, a collaboration between Georgia Tech and Georgia State, Dr. Parekh noted her experience with race, describing it as both personal and academic. In other parts of the world, like her native India, race is understood differently, she said.

Dr. Crosby highlighted how African refugees are unfairly relegated to the socially constructed racial category of Black when they arrive in the United States, and shared that she is optimistic the country can tackle the racial issues it faces.

"What we are experiencing now is the perfect storm," Dr. Crosby said. "The United States has never gone through a reckoning of its past, which is built on white supremacy, and this is the moment that we have to face."

Spelman Alumna Among NASA Leaders with HBCU Roots

In a feature by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center internal newsletter, Tawnya Laughinghouse, C’95, credited Spelman with preparing her to excel.

Laughtinghouse was featured as part of NASA’s Black History Month celebration of the contributions made by alumni of historically Black colleges and universities within NASA’s workforce.

"Those of us who attended these institutions have long known the value of an HBCU education and experience," said Laughinghouse, manager of the technology demonstration missions program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. "It’s important for all communities to recognize the high potential and extraordinary accomplishments of HBCU graduates."

Laughinghouse named Spelman Board of Trustee’s Chair Rosalind Brewer, C’84, and political pioneer Stacey Abrams, C’95, as examples of the College’s legacy of cultivating changemakers -- a legacy, she said, that drew her to Spelman initially.

"America is diverse. Our companies and federal agencies need to reflect that," she said. "The best leaders at NASA achieve success by ensuring a broad range of experience levels, perspectives, capabilities, cultures and backgrounds."