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Spelman College was recently named a 2020-2021 Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program Top Producer. The highly competitive Gilman scholarship broadens the student population that studies and interns abroad by supporting Pell Grant recipients who might not have otherwise participated due to financial constraints.

"Spelman College has again earned the distinction of being a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program Top Producer," said Spelman College President Helene Gayle, M.D., MPH. "We are so proud of our students and are grateful for the faculty and staff who support them in their international endeavors."

Since 2001, the Gilman Program has enabled more than 36,000 American students to study or intern abroad in 160 countries. Scholars serve as unofficial representatives of the United States, leading to stronger relationships between the U.S. and other countries.

For more information, visit the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program website.


As winter break approaches, Spelman College COVID-19 Operations wants to share some specific steps you can take to help protect you, your loved ones and our community.

Free COVID-19 Test Kits

Through December 9, 2022, students, faculty and staff can pick up a distribution of rapid antigen kits in the Beverly D. Tatum Suites Private Dining Room from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please note that the expiration date of our free antigen self-test kits has been extended, so you may continue to use them as needed. See the new expiration dates.

COVID-19 Booster
We encourage everyone who is eligible to get the new bivalent booster authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bivalent booster helps reduce the risk of COVID-19 related illness and hospitalizationand provides broader protection against variants.Masks

Masking while traveling, especially in crowded indoor spaces, can also limit your risk for COVID-19, as well as RSV and influenza all of which are circulating this winter season.

Return to Campus Precautions

We highly recommend that students, faculty and staff who travel or attend large gatherings during the break should take a rapid COVID-19 self-test 48 hours before returning to on-campus activities.

For more information on Spelman COVID-19 Operations and campus efforts to manage and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, visit Spelman's Path Forward page.
Campus Highlights

Marking the in-person return of one of the Atlanta community’s most anticipated annual events, pure excitement stirred amongst the guests of Sisters Chapel during the 96th Annual Spelman and Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert.

A grand processional entrance accompanied by "Hail To The Lord’s Anointed," and Spelman community staple and organist, Joyce F. Johnson, lifted sprits to great heights as the program commenced. Though the occasion featured traditional holiday carols such as "Joy To The World" and "O Come All Ye Faithful," the event also featured contemporary renditions of other holiday classics and the musical stylings of Spelman College Glee Club Director, Kevin Johnson.

Some of the concert’s most special moments featured selections accompanied by acoustic instruments and awe-inspiring student solo performances. Spiritual songs like "Hallelujah" and "Glory to That Newborn King" only attested to the insurmountable talent between both glee clubs.

Not only does this event continue to showcase the talent amongst the campuses in the Atlanta University Center (AUC), but it also serves as a reminder for how the holiday season brings the community together.

To watch the 96th Annual Spelman and Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert, visit YouTube.

Candice Price, Ph.D., was recently named the inaugural Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM (COE‐MWS) Falconer Scholar‐in‐Residence at Spelman College. Dr. Price is currently an associate professor in the department of Mathematics at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Born and raised in California, Dr. Price earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Chico (2003) and a master's degree from San Francisco State University (2007) both in mathematics. She earned her doctoral degree in mathematics from the University of Iowa (2012) under the advisement of Isabel Darcy, Ph.D.

Dr. Price's area of research is applied mathematics, with an emphasis on mathematical models for biological questions. She also has research interests in math education and problems in the intersection of mathematics and social justice. In her teaching, research and service, she focuses on a collaborative approach and views her work through the lens of inclusion and diversity.

"The legacy of Dr. Etta Z. Falconer and the Spelman College mathematics department is a strong and inspirational one to the mathematics community, but especially to Black women pursuing degrees in mathematics," said Dr. Price. "…I hope that at the end of my time here, I will provide the same to the mathematics department and the legacy of Dr. Etta Z. Falconer."

To read more, visit Spelman’s Our Stories page.


Forbes has named Jaycee Holmes, C’2016, to its 2023 30 Under 30 list for Social Impact. Holmes is a Spelman art and visual culture professor and co-director of the Innovation Lab.This honor recognizes the business innovation Holmes – along with co-founders and Morehouse College graduates Ernest Holmes, C’2019, and Tavis Thompson, C’2020 – bring to advocacy efforts that ensure there are more students of color who have access to opportunities that lead to careers in STEM. Holmes and Thompson were also named to the list.Holmes and her partners are making waves through their nonprofit, CodeHouse. To date, CodeHouse has raised more than $3 million in funding from industry-leading technology companies like PayPal, Google and Microsoft to further promote their mission to bridge a stronger connection between students of color and tech giants. Through exposure and resources to enhance students’ skills, CodeHouse is building momentum in seeing their dream become a reality.

Even with the growing success CodeHouse is experiencing, Holmes continues to have fun leveraging design and technology to create new experiences through her influence on Spelman’s campus and numerous features in exhibitions and panel discussions. As Holmes once explained, this passion will make sure that her students "are in a position to lead the next generation of technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation."

For more information, visit the CodeHouse website.

Alumnae Spotlight
 
 
Before becoming an actor and writer/producer, Karen Ceesay, C’92, did not always have a well-defined career path. However, after moving to Atlanta and attaining a degree in theater from Spelman College, Ceesay found a home for her artistry.

Some of Ceesay’s most notable roles include Mrs. Sinclair on Netflix’s "Stranger Things," Nadine the realtor from OWN’s "Greenleaf," Bertie from the Hilltop on AMC’s "The Walking Dead," and appearances on The CW’s "Black Lightning."

Ceesay continues to cement herself as a staple in Atlanta’s entertainment community by advocating for the arts. Currently serving as an active member of the Georgia Production Partnership (GPP) and the organizing committee for the local chapter of SAG/AFTRA, she has previously served on the Board of Directors for Women in Film & Television Atlanta (WIFTA) – acting as the chapter’s co-chair for their 40th Anniversary Gala.

In addition, Cessay serves as a frequent panelist for some of Atlanta’s largest entertainment festivals, like the BronzeLens Film Festival, DragonCon and the Atlanta Film Festival. She also works with clients as a career and acting coach, encouraging others to hone their crafts while imparting important lessons along the way.

 
 
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Spelman College is known for educating global change agents who are leaders in the classroom, in the community, and in their careers. If you have an idea for a news story about Spelman faculty, staff, students, or alumnae, we would love to hear about it. Submit your story ideas to spelmanconnection@spelman.edu. Check out the submission guidelines for the weekly e-newsletter.
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