By the Numbers - Spelman College
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SPELMAN
By the
Numbers
Data Analytics Professional
Continues Spelman’s Legacy of
Pioneering Women in STEM
Daphne L. Smith, Ph.D., C’80 President Mary
Schmidt Campbell’s
Message of Hope at a
Time of Crisis
THE ALUMNAE MAGAZINE OF SPELMAN COLLEGE | SPRING 2020 | VOL. 131 NO. 1
SPELMAN
EDITOR All submissions should be sent to:
Renita Mathis Spelman Messenger
Office of Alumnae Engagement
COPY EDITOR 350 Spelman Lane, S.W., Box 304
Vickie G. Hampton Atlanta, GA 30314
OR
http://www.spelmanlane.org/SpelmanMessengerSubmissions
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Garon Hart Submission Deadlines:
Fall Issue: Jan. 1 – May 31
ALUMNAE DATA MANAGER Spring Issue: June 1 – Dec. 31
Danielle K. Moore
ALUMNAE NOTES
EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Alumnae Notes is dedicated to the following:
Jessie Brooks • Education
Joyce Davis • Personal (birth of a child or marriage)
Linda Patton, C’88 • Professional
Please include the date of the event in your submission.
Angela Wood, C’90
TAKE NOTE!
EDITORIAL INTERNS
Take Note! is dedicated to the following alumnae
Melody Greene, C’2020 achievements:
Angelica Johnson, C’2019 • Published
Catherine A. Myrick, C’2021 • Appearing in films, television or on stage
Asia Riley, C’2021 • Special awards, recognition and appointments
Please include the date of the event in your submission.
WRITERS
Maynard Eaton BOOK NOTES
Connie Greene Freightman Book Notes is dedicated to alumnae and faculty authors.
Vickie G. Hampton Please submit review copies.
Adrienne S. Harris
IN MEMORIAM
Donna Williams Lewis, C’79
We honor our Spelman sisters. If you receive notice
Alicia Sands Lurry
of the death of a Spelman sister, please contact the
Kia Smith, C’2004 Office of Alumnae Engagement at 404-270-5048 or
Linda Patton, associate director of alumnae engagement, at
PHOTOGRAPHERS lpatton@spelman.edu. For verification purposes, please
Scott King include a printed program, newspaper acknowledgment or
Ben Kornegay electronic link with your submission.
Curtis McDowell
Furery Reid CLARIFICATION
Spelman College Archives On page 15 of the fall 2019 Spelman Messenger, we featured Dr.
Juvonda Hodge, C’92. In the article, Hodge questioned if there
were other surgeons prior to her class year. Well, there are.
www.spelman.edu
In addition to Dr. Ruby Skinner, C’89, who was mentioned
The Spelman Messenger is published twice a year by
in the article, there was her classmate, Dr. Anita T. Johnson.
Spelman College, 350 Spelman Lane, S.W., Atlanta,
Johnson is director, Breast Surgical Oncology, Cancer
Georgia 30314-4399, free of charge for alumnae,
Treatment Centers of America-Atlanta, and adjunct clinical
donors, trustees and friends of the College. Recipients
professor of surgery for Morehouse School of Medicine.
wishing to change the address to which the Spelman
Messenger is sent should notify the editor, giving both
Also, before the 1989 graduates, there was Dr. Hueldine
old and new addresses. Third-class postage paid at
Webb, C’73, who became an orthopedic surgeon.
Atlanta, Georgia. Publication No. 510240
CREDO
Founded in 1885, the Spelman Messenger is the alumnae magazine of Spelman
College and is committed to educating, serving and empowering Black women. The
content of the Messenger is designed to share news and events about the College and
alumnae, as well as discuss Spelman’s leadership role in addressing a wide range of
issues relevant to our community.
T H E A L U MN A E MA G A Z I N E O F
SPELMAN S P E L MA N C O L L E G E
S P R IN G 2 0 2 0
4 12 16 22
On the Cover It is Rocket Science Saluting Women in STEM
Daphne Smith is a pioneering woman in For many, it’s rocket science, but for these four Approximately 34% of Spelman students
continuing the legacy of STEM professionals. women, physics is second nature. major in a science, technology, engineering and
mathematics-related fields. Here are just a few
COVER PHOTO BY SCOTT KING
STEM alumnae.
contents
FEATURES SPECIAL FEATURE
12 Daphne Smith continues the 2 President’s Message 22 Women in STEM
Spelman legacy of pioneering A salute to women in STEM-
4 Spelman Scenes
women in mathematics. related fields.
B Y C O N N I E G R E E N FR E IGHT MAN 10 ARTS@Spelman
16 Four exceptional physics 26 Faculty Highlights
majors fuel the “Why
Spelman?” question. 29 Granddaughters Club
B Y D O N N A L E W I S, C ’7 9 , AND
B Y F R A N K MC C OY
30 Book Notes
33 Alumnae Notes
34 Take Notes
40 In Memoriam
41 Donor Roll
SPRING 2020 » 1
Fr o m t he
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE
A Message of Hope
W
hen I frst set out to safely. And we did. Through the tireless
write this column, it efforts of our provost, Sharon Davies,
was an opportunity to J.D., and vice provost for global educa-
thank you, our Spelman tion ’Dimeji Togunde, Ph.D., all of our
alumnae, for your unwavering support. students returned home safely.
At the same time, I was eager to share Then, the virus arrived in Atlanta.
news of the continuing success of our As spring break approached, it
extraordinary Spelman students and the became clear that with the virus crossing
dedicated faculty and staff responsible for the ocean and landing with such ferocity,
their outstanding education. I was look- housing students in residence halls was
ing forward to letting you know that the akin to having a cruise ship on campus.
2019 U.S. News & World Report rank- Large gatherings for classes, events or
ings continue to place Spelman College just casual socializing made “physical
in the forefront of all liberal arts colleges distancing” as a major preventive strategy
– No. 6 among liberal arts colleges on a near impossibility.
social mobility and innovation – and still Moving quickly, Spelman, along with
the No. 1 HBCU. its academic partners in the Atlanta
Because the Spelman community University Center — Morehouse School
is especially excited about the launch of Medicine, Morehouse College and
of the Atlanta University Center’s new Clark Atlanta University — made sev-
Data Science Initiative, this issue of the eral key decisions. We extended spring
Messenger celebrates that launch by fea- break for a week, and under the guidance
turing star alumna Daphne Smith, Ph.D., of our vice president for student affairs,
C’80, the frst African American woman Darryl Hollman, Ph.D., moved students
to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from the out of the residence halls and, through the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. offce of provost Davies, transitioned 800
Dr. Smith is renowned as a healthcare courses from in-person to online instruc-
data analyst, specializing in disease man- tion. Our dean of Sisters Chapel, the Rev.
agement. I am pleased to present our fea- Neichelle Guidry, Ph.D., established “For
ture on such an accomplished career. the Soul of Spelman,” a virtual gathering
However, with the coronavirus out- to provide solace and spiritual community
break, I decided to use my message to for our students during this time. Also, a
focus on how Spelman has responded to number of faculty and staff set up virtual
this health crisis and share with you why gathering spaces. Our vice president for
I am so hopeful. institutional advancement, Jessie Brooks,
Our frst sign of the virus’s impact and his team quickly set up an emergency
showed up through our study abroad fund for those students who would expe-
programs. Two dozen Spelmanites were rience hardships as a result of the abrupt
studying during the spring semester in changes. Your generosity to that fund, my
countries all over the globe: Japan, Italy, Sisters, has been overwhelming.
South Africa, Morocco, London and To protect the health and safety of
Brazil were just a few of the destinations. faculty and staff, as well as students, our
As the virus spread around the globe, it chief fnancial offcer, Dawn Alston, and
became apparent we needed to do every- her team instituted a telecommuting pol-
thing possible to bring our students home icy that allows some employees to work
2 » SPELMAN MESSENGER
remotely from home. Because we still enthusiasm in shift-
have 65 students who remain on campus ing from in-person
because they are not able to go home, the to online instruction.
College retains on-campus staff essential Some were completely
for their health and safety, as well as the new to online and
ongoing operations of the campus. Ms. participated in week-
Alston and her team have also expertly long training sessions.
managed the fnances of the College as Students are working
the disruptions brought unexpected costs. their way through ini-
Our associate vice president for gov- tial barriers to adjust
ernment relations and my chief of staff, to a new learning for-
Helga Greenfeld, and Ms. Alston worked mat. Staff members are
closely with our Georgia legislators and shifting roles to accom-
the United Negro College Fund during modate the new real-
the spring break and beyond to assemble ity. The College has
a fnancial assistance program for higher purchased laptops, tablets, new soft-
education with particular attention to ware, internet hot spots, cloud storage
HBCUs. Their good work has paid off. and additional capacity for our various
Though the federal assistance will not online platforms. In the process, we are
cover all of the additional costs incurred fnding that we are re-writing the script
by the College, as a result of the health for higher education every day with resil-
crisis, it will certainly go a long way ience, resolve and imagination.
toward mitigating the impact. That is why I am hopeful.
For our students, the abrupt move off I am hopeful, because we have dem-
campus was a major upheaval in their onstrated we have resilience, resolve and
lives. To watch them pack up and leave imagination to re-envision ourselves.
was to witness young people in mourn- Spelman and every college and university
ing. They are experiencing real loss. They in the country will be forever changed by
are losing the enduring face-to-face rela- this crisis and will need every bit of that
tionships they have forged with friends, imagination, as well as a spirit of inno-
faculty and staff. They are losing the vation, to shape its future. What shape
spellbinding spirit of spring at Spelman, will higher education take? As of now,
a time that brings many of the ceremonies we don’t know, but we do know that
we hold dear: Founders Day, Class Day, Spelman can rely on its deep reservoirs
the walk through the arch, baccalaure- of faith and its capacity to remain, in
ate, commencement and, of course for the words of our hymn, “undaunted by
you, my Sisters, reunion. Our Offce of the fght.”
Alumnae Engagement is working hard
to have a virtual experience for Founders Keep the faith,
Day and replace many of our other cer-
emonies for later this year.
Despite the disruptions, I remain hope-
ful. In the past weeks, I have witnessed a
community rally as I have never before Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D.
seen. Faculty responded with energy and President, Spelman College
SPRING 2020 » 3
s p e l man
SCENES
COLLEGE ORGANIST JOYCE JOHNSON IS A GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING TO SPELMAN
BY ALICIA SANDS LURRY
Dressed in a long-sleeved, gray knit dress complemented by a The concert has vastly changed since its founding at Spelman
silver necklace and matching earrings, a spry and cheerful Joyce in 1928 by the late Kemper Harreld. As late as 1953, the pro-
Finch Johnson, D.Mus., sits as comfortably poised at the gram was an intimate program featuring the Atlanta-Spelman-
Holtkamp organ in Sisters Chapel as she would in the solitude Morehouse Chorus and the glee clubs. The prelude was quiet
of her own home. and meditative, candelabras were lit, the choral groups were
For Johnson, Sisters Chapel is home. It’s the home she’s smaller, and Spelman students wore short white dresses.
known since first arriving at Spelman College in 1953 to teach As the groups grew in size, the stage was extended and risers
music theory and serve as fac- became necessary. Candle-lighting
ulty accompanist for the cho- became hazardous and was discon-
ral groups. After two years, tinued. The Spelman women began
she became the College organ- wearing long black choral gowns.
ist, a role she still fulfills, and Even the organ prelude changed,
one that allows her to share becoming more robust and excit-
her musical gifts and talent ing, rather than reflective and quiet.
with the Spelman and Atlanta In the early years, the chorus
communities. sang mostly spirituals and folk
According to Johnson, “it’s Christmas songs from other coun-
all in a day’s work, but it does tries like Poland, Hungary, France
require lots of preparation. and Spain. In the past 25 years or
“As the College organist, so, the concert’s repertoire became
it has been my job to support more diverse and now includes
both the chapel-related activi- anthems, spirituals, gospel music
ties, including the chapel wor- and even rap. Also, in the earlier
ship services, and the concerts, only the organ and piano
College-related events such as were used to accompany.
convocations, Founders Day, “I remember when the selection
commencement, baccalaure- ‘Betelehemu’ was first introduced,”
ate and any other services that Johnson recalls. “It was novel and
occur in the chapel,” says people resented the use of African
Johnson, whose warm, gra- drums in the concert. Now, drums
cious and witty nature has and a variety of instruments are
made her a beloved member used extensively to enhance the
of the Spelman community. singing and make the program
“It’s just my job and one that Dr. Johnson recently received the American Guild of Organists’s exciting.”
I have enjoyed immensely Edward A. Hansen Leadership Award for her long and In 1979, shortly after Morehouse
with the hope that it has been distinguished career at Spelman, her devotion to the Guild, and for built the Martin Luther King Jr.
enriching the lives of others through teaching and performing.
appreciated through the years International Chapel that seated
by this community and the wider Atlanta community.” nearly 2,500, it was decided that two of the three performances
For decades, Johnson has served as organist for the annual should be there in order to accommodate more people.
Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert, where her “The crowds had become so large at Spelman, with people
performances are just as anticipated as those of the Spelman standing around the walls and other people not admitted, we
and Morehouse glee clubs. An accomplished, award-winning took the opportunity to go to Morehouse for some perfor-
organist and concert pianist, she participated most recently in mances,” says Johnson.
the 93rd Annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol concert As the choral programming continues to evolve, so does
in December. Johnson’s organ repertoire. Each year, she takes the opportunity
4 » SPELMAN MESSENGER
For decades, Dr. Joyce Johnson has served
as the Spelman College organist.
One year for the Christmas carol concert, Dr. Johnson also directed the glee club.
to learn new Christmas organ music to share with audiences. season, so I’m happy that we’re able to give something meaning-
Preparation for the Christmas carol concert is intensive. In ful and enriching to the community and that we can continue
addition to spending many hours practicing the music, the the tradition of excellent music here,” she says.
larger challenge is that of programming the organs at Spelman Carnella Stewart, C’69, and her classmate Carolyn Davenport,
and Morehouse — which she says are two totally different C’69, are among the droves of Atlantans who love the concert
instruments. She decides on registrations (the colors), puts them and have made it an annual tradition. Both agree that Johnson
into the computer-like mechanism to ensure the music is perfect, makes the program particularly special.
or “camera ready,” as she calls it. “Dr. Johnson does such a wonderful job performing, and
“My heart is warm and with deep appreciation for the the music is spiritually uplifting, which is always so important,”
College continuing to offer this quality music of various genres Stewart says. “The array of music is so powerful and
for the city of Atlanta and largely our African American com- interesting.”
munity,” says Johnson, who recently received the American “She’s amazing,” adds Davenport, who received organ les-
Guild of Organists’s Edward A. Hansen Leadership Award for sons from Johnson and has attended the concert since 1975.
her long and distinguished career at Spelman, her devotion to “I’ve always regarded Dr. Johnson as a role model of excellence.
the Guild, and for enriching the lives of others through teaching She is so talented and skillful.”
and performing.
“The Christmas carol concert is a gift to our people. Families Alicia Sands Lurry is a writer, communications and public
bring their children and their neighbors to start their Christmas engagement officer.
SPRING 2020 » 5
s p e l man
SCENES
CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT
As always, the 93rd Annual Spelman-
Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert held
from Dec. 6 - 8, 2019, was performed to a
packed house at Spelman, Saturday, Dec.
7. In addition to the traditional favorites
— including “Glory to God,” “We Are
Christmas” and “Betelehemu” — new
songs to the repertoire included “Children,
Go Where I Send Thee,” “Ave Maria” and
“Jesus, What a Wonderful Child.”
This was the 93rd Annual Spelman-Morehouse Christmas Carol Concert.
Morehouse College Glee Club performing the
classic “Betelehemu.”
Spoken word artist and former glee club member, Iyana Davis, C’2009, raps in the
new song “Children, Go Where I Send Thee.”
Spelman College Glee Club performing a
concert favorite “We Are Christmas.”
6 » SPELMAN MESSENGER
A DREAM TO RETURN TO SUDAN AN ENTREPRENEUR
EARNS STUDENT INTERNSHIP WITH BRIGHTHOUSE
B Y R E N I TA M AT H I S
In the dead of night, some 20 years ago, 4-year-old Julia Julima, Also, she took the company to task on diversity in their
her mother, father and year-old sister left war-torn Sudan to workplace, asking what it was like to be Black in the presti-
travel by boat up the Nile River into Egypt. It is a forever- gious firm. After a few milquetoast answers, Julima wanted
memory etched in her mind. to know more.
“I remember being mesmerized because it was night, and “I went to their [office]. Usually, when you go to the [office]
there was fire and torches we used to walk to the boat,” says of any company, it’s White,” says Julima. “It was the opposite.
Julima, C’2022, an economics major. “I’ve never returned home I have been impressed every step of the way with BrightHouse.”
since leaving, but my dream is to someday return and start my Although the company has Atlanta University Center stu-
own company creating bedding using African fabrics. dents throughout its parent company BCG, and BrightHouse
“There’s a level of hope I want to be able to impart… to was founded and is headquartered in Atlanta, this was the first
help my people and my country … that I’m not able to do right concerted effort to recruit within the AUC.
now. I hope that in the next five years, I’m ready,” she says. “For us, the visits to the AUC, and Spelman specifically, were
That purpose-centered vision is why Julima was selected two-fold. First, it was to be more intentional in our recruiting
from a pool of student applicants to receive a summer intern- within Atlanta. We think Atlanta has a very unique role as a
ship at BrightHouse, a global creative consultancy and a Boston center of culture and is similar to our other growing offices in
Consulting Group company. Berlin and Paris,” says Ryan Taylor, group creative director
“As we recruit interns, we look for candidates who will in Atlanta. “[Atlanta] provides a valuable point of view for
enable a strong ‘value exchange’ during their time with us,” our purpose-centered work. Our clients expect that we will
says Chip Gross, BrightHouse managing director, Atlanta. “Julia bring teams that are representative and celebrate a diversity of
from the start had done her homework and came prepared to thought. Spelman aligns well with our objectives.”
ask thoughtful questions about the consultancy and our work.
At BrightHouse, we describe everyone within our ‘house’ as
a thinker, and we expect all of our thinkers to engage and
bring new ideas to the table. That’s exactly what Julia did and
undoubtedly will continue to do once she joins us.”
A transfer student into the Pauline E. Drake Scholars Pro-
gram, a curriculum that offers mature learners an opportunity
to begin or complete their college studies, Julima, who is 25,
came to know about Spelman at first from a rap song and then
from a Morehouse College graduate while a student at San
Diego Mesa College.
Through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees
Program, which works to protect and assist refugees around
the world, Julima and her family landed in San Diego — not in
Australia or Amarillo, Texas, like her father was hoping — after
living in Egypt for three years. In San Diego, Julima thrived,
working several jobs and attending college.
Through her diverse job holdings, the erudite Julima realized
she learned best working in the field and developed an acumen
for numbers and business. After completing SDMC, she applied
to one school – Spelman – and was accepted.
Julima will join BrightHouse for a 10-week internship, June
1 to Aug. 7, as a strategy intern working with clients to research
and analyze who they are, their unique characteristics, and how
they are best positioned to execute a more comprehensive,
purpose-centric strategy across their organizations.
SPRING 2020 » 7
s p e l man
SCENES
JANE E. SMITH: A LEGACY OF EMPOWERING LEADERS
BY KIA SMITH, C’2004
On the desk of Jane E. Smith, Ed.D., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s body lay in with the National Hockey League. “I
C’68, sits the bust of educator-activist rest in the [Sisters] Chapel.” had never met a young woman who had
and women’s rights leader Mary McLeod It was these experiences that provided gotten her doctorate from Harvard, and
Bethune, the inspiration behind Smith’s Smith with the racial-equity lens that would she was this sassy, beautiful, young and
career as an educator, nonproft executive shape her work throughout her career. vibrant woman who was [assistant to
and maker of leaders. then-President Donald Stewart].”
“I used the Mary McLeod After working as the director of
Bethune model to engage freshman studies under President
Spelman students in training Albert E. Manley, Smith was pro-
that would prepare them to moted to assistant to President
be leaders anywhere,” says Stewart in 1976. The position
Smith. placed an alumna in the president’s
In December 2019, Smith offce, a compromise made with
retired from her position as students who had demanded the
vice president for college rela- Spelman College Board of Trustees
tions at Spelman after serving appoint an alumna as president.
four Spelman presidents. She assisted Stewart in navigat-
However, her Spelman ing the city and managing Title
journey began long before III funds and alumnae relations.
her presidential service. “The More importantly, Smith
adventure started in nursery emerged as a leader who inspired
school, and I walked out in students.
December saying, ‘Job well “She has always been an inspi-
done!’” rational leader, and I think the
women just gravitated toward
Let Her First Steps Be her leadership style,” says Davis.
Toward Spelman “She was an empowering force
“I was raised in a race-con- for those years and for the years
scious family,” says Smith, an she ran [Spelman’s] Leadership
Atlanta native whose grand- Center.”
father, the Rev. Harvey Smith, Smith left Spelman to serve in
was a Baptist minister and an senior leadership positions at sev-
associate of the Rev. Martin eral national nonprofts in the ’80s
Luther King Sr. “My parents and ’90s. She was president and
put me in the Spelman College Nursery Engaging and chief executive of the National Council
School because they knew it would mean Empowering Women of Negro Women and chief executive of
a foundation for upward mobility as a Kimberly Davis, C’81, frst encountered Business and Professional Women/USA.
person who belonged to the Black race.” Smith in 1977 during her frst year at She also held leadership positions at
Smith returned to Spelman as a sociol- Spelman. She quickly became an admirer. INROADS and The Carter Center, and
ogy major in 1964, immediately after the “Jane has this amazing way of engag- was appointed by President Bill Clinton to
sit-in era of the civil rights movement. ing and empowering women,” says Davis, the National Women’s Business Council.
“Eight of us started a group called who currently works as the executive vice In 2004, Smith returned to Spelman
Sisters in Blackness as the next step to the president responsible for social impact, as executive director of the Center for
sit-ins, and our class was there to witness growth initiatives and legislative affairs Leadership and Civic Engagement at the
8 » SPELMAN MESSENGERrequest of President Beverly Daniel Tatum. In addition to directing WOCC, Smith
Davis, who worked with Tatum as an also established Spelpreneurs and advanced
executive on loan from JPMorgan Chase the Women of Excellence Leadership Series,
to establish the Leadership Center, felt two programs that helped students develop
Smith was the perfect leader to inherit the skills needed to become national and global
program she’d begun. leaders. It was Smith’s commitment to
“Jane’s passion has always been around leadership and the College that led cur-
the leadership and the empowerment of rent President Mary Schmidt Campbell to
Black women,” Davis says. “She was the appoint her vice president for college rela- “JANE’S PASSION HAS
perfect one to take the helm of LEADS tions in 2015.
because she could shepherd it and integrate
ALWAYS BEEN
it with the pedagogy of the school so it Full Circle AROUND THE
would be sustainable.” One of Smith’s students, Farris Christine
LEADS was a safe space for women Watkins, C’2019, applied for the WEL LEADERSHIP AND THE
of color to gather annually to discuss the Series during her senior year. She says EMPOWERMENT
unique challenges of their work experi- the lessons on integrity and intention are
ences, and it empowered students with standouts for her as she prepares to become OF BLACK WOMEN.”
the leadership skills needed to navigate chief executive offcer at Willie A. Watkins
their future workplaces. Funeral Home Inc. — KIMBERLY DAVIS, EXECUTIVE VICE
PRESIDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR SOCIAL
It was under Smith’s leadership that “What Dr. Smith taught me has def-
IMPACT, GROWTH INITIATIVES AND
the Spelman College Women of Color nitely translated. I literally take something LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS WITH THE
Conference became the pre-eminent from the WEL Series every day, if not twice NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
leadership conference for professional or three times a day, in my feld,” says
women of color in the Southeastern region. Watkins. “She has defnitely had an impact
Hundreds of Black, Asian, Latina, Native on my life.
and White women congregated annually “And it’s not just the WEL Series, but
in Atlanta to discuss leadership strategies it was more so her demeanor on cam-
that fostered innovation and advance- pus,” continues Watkins, whose great
ment through workshops, speeches and aunt, Coretta Scott King, worked with
testimonies. Smith at the Martin Luther King Center
One of Smith’s most memorable for Nonviolent Social Change.
moments from LEADS was convening “From watching her on campus, I could
a conversation between Anna Eleanor tell that everything she’s done – the long
Roosevelt, granddaughter of former career and the longevity that she’s had with
frst lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and former Spelman – was not by happenstance. She
Spelman College trustee the Rev. Mazie did that with intention.”
Ferguson, great-grandniece of Mary
McLeod Bethune. Kia Smith is an Atlanta-based writer, com-
“When you want to talk about the munications consultant and cultural critic.
highest moment of my professional life, When she’s not writing or tweeting, she
[it would be] the embrace of those two enjoys live music and beach vacations. You
women who looked like Mary McLeod can fnd her at kiaspeaksalso.com.
Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt. I cried,”
Smith says.
SPRING 2020 » 9ART S @
SPELMAN
KARAN KENDRICK’S
JOURNEY TO ‘JUST MERCY’
B Y M AY N A R D E AT O N
F
Kendrick plays
the wife, Minnie
McMillian, her best
picture show charac-
ter to date, she admits.
or actress Karan She believes it was a role
Kendrick, C’98, it had been meant for her.
a divinely inspired, 21-year- “I do believe that,” she says.
long Hollywood journey before “There was a ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ on this
landing the feature role as Minnie role. I connected with this role in a way that I am
McMillian in the widely acclaimed so grateful for. I wanted to honor [Minnie’s] life and
movie, “Just Mercy.” honor Black womanhood. I did not want to dismiss or
It was well worth the wait, says Kendrick. take any part of her for granted. I wanted to share her
“LA has taught me that this journey as an actor is heart and her press and curl.”
a marathon, not a sprint,” she says. “You’ve got to Kendrick recalls a female fan’s favorable comment
commit. You can’t halfway do it. So, the best thing that “really stuck with me” about Minnie McMillian’s
we can do is honor the journey. We think it’s about portrayal: “Your work is like a love letter to Black
the destination; it’s about the journey.” women.”
“Just Mercy” is based on a true and tragic story Kendrick says, “I hope that signals this a defining
of racial injustice regarding the wrongful Alabama component to my career. I love us, and I want to show
conviction of Walter McMillian, who was sentenced us in the best possible way — which means showing
to die in 1987 for the murder of an 18-year-old girl, all of who we are.
despite evidence proving his innocence. The film stars “Minnie is not just strong, she is also scared. She’s
Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx as McMillian also conflicted. She’s also tired,” Kendrick says. “During
and popular actor/producer Michael B. Jordan as all this, she’s still got a job to go to and food to cook.
Bryan Stevenson, the advocate lawyer who ultimately She’s also supported by her community. We see that in
freed McMillian. a way that we don’t often see on camera.”
10 » SPELMAN MESSENGERIn “Just Mercy,” Karan Kendrick plays Minnie McMillian, wife of Kendrick stands by her man, who is wrongly convicted and
Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx). sentenced to die in Alabama in 1987.
Kendrick says she was inspired by the to this day and credits her English profes-
movie and the man behind it all, Bryan sor, Akiba Harper, Ph.D., for her success.
Stevenson. After graduating from Harvard, “She really helped me put my Spelman
Stevenson headed to Montgomery, experience into a workable context,” says
Alabama, where he founded the Equal Kendrick. “She helped me to understand
Justice Initiative to defend those wrongly that life is so much more than getting it
condemned and those not afforded proper right. And, that it’s OK to mess up and
representation. learn. It’s OK to have a journey that con- KENDRICK CALLS HER
“The real superhero in this story is Bryan sists of ups and downs, and it’s really the
Stevenson,” Kendrick says. “He is a man only way to grow.” SPELMAN EXPERIENCE
without a cape who is changing the world. Harper, Spelman’s Fuller E. Callaway
This movie, when you see it, will change Professor of English since 1987, recalls “ONE OF THE BEST
you. You can’t walk into this movie and advising Kendrick that “success is built
DECISIONS I’VE EVER
walk out the same. It’s not just a movie, it upon survival” and rejoices that her former
is a movement. It’s a change agent.” student is now enjoying “glowing days.” MADE; FOUR YEARS
Kendrick’s acting career launched at “I am always excited to support her as a
Spelman College, where she was coached, budding actress and certainly as an actress OF SISTERHOOD AND
counseled and mentored by a cast of who is going to be really big!” she says.
premier professors, including the “late, “Karan epitomizes the Spelman
EMPOWERMENT.”
great theater department chair” Glenda woman. She’s been and continues to be
Dickerson, Paul Jackson and theater profes- an inspiring young woman. She deserves
sor Joan McCarty, who curated her career. a leading role because she can do it, but
“We knew we had somebody special,” that’s coming because people now see what
McCarty remembers of Kendrick’s Spelman she can do.”
career. “We always expected great things,
so we weren’t surprised. She was very pas- Maynard Eaton is an eight-time Emmy Award-
sionate, and she was very dedicated. The winning TV reporter, who is managing editor
theater department became another home of the SCLC National Magazine and execu-
for her. She just distinguished herself. She tive editor of “The Maynard Report” and
was gifted in acting and voice, as well.” “Newsmakers Live/Journal.” He is also presi-
Kendrick calls her Spelman experience dent of The Eaton Media Group and a jour-
“one of the best decisions I’ve ever made; nalism professor at Clark Atlanta University.
four years of sisterhood and empower-
ment.” She says that sisterhood continues
SPRING 2020 » 11Cover
STORY
12 » SPELMAN MESSENGERDaphne Smith
Data Analytics Professional Continues Spelman’s
Legacy of Pioneering Women in STEM
BY CONNIE GREEN FREIGHTMAN
W hile growing up in Ocala, Florida,
Daphne L. Smith, Ph.D., C’80, never
thought she’d become a pioneering
mathematician. She just knew she loved math and
science. So, when her high school assistant princi-
pal, Thelma Menchan Parker, C’34, encouraged her
is not lost on Spelman. As the demand for data science
and analytics experts continues to intensify, so has the
College’s commitment to giving Spelman women a
competitive edge in the fields.
By 2021, according to a 2017 Business-Higher
Education Forum report, college graduates with a skill
to attend her alma mater, Smith excitedly perused a set that includes a data background will be two times
Spelman College recruitment brochure that promoted more likely to be hired than their peers. The U.S. Bureau
women in the sciences. of Labor Statistics reports that growing data-science
“When I saw those pictures, I thought I could be one needs will create 11.5 million job openings by 2026.
of those Spelman students who study science, as well Yet, African American representation in the field is only
as math,” Smith recalls. “I came in on the first wave 1%, according to a 2019 Obsidian Security report on
of the effort in which the College was trying to steer decision-makers in data science.
more Spelman students into the sciences. I came in at To prepare students and help close the diversity gap,
a time when they were pioneering women in math.” Spelman professors have been working to integrate
In 1985, Smith became the first-ever Spelman gradu- data science into the curriculum.
ate to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics, and the first African In 2016, Brandeis Marshall, Ph.D., professor of com-
American woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics puter science at Spelman, and a colleague at Morehouse
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. College received a three-year, $400,000 grant from the
She started her career as a faculty member at the National Science Foundation to train faculty at both
University of Georgia, Spelman and Georgia State Uni- institutions on data science principles that apply to
versity. In 2004, her desire to use her math and statistics interdisciplinary areas ranging from business to biology.
skills to make real-world connections prompted a move The College also is part of an alliance that received a
from the classroom to the corporate world in analyst $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation
positions in the healthcare and insurance industries. two years ago to support faculty in the development of
Today, Smith works in a new position as a business data-science curricula and to increase diversity in the
analytics adviser with Cigna, a global health service data workforce.
company. The fields of data science and data analytics are
“There is so much data that companies want to ana- related, yet distinct. Data scientists write algorithms and
lyze now. Data has revolutionized the way businesses build statistical models to extract information needed to
plan and make decisions,” Smith says. solve complex problems. Data analysts examine large
data sets to identify trends and draw insights to help
Sharpening a Competitive Edge businesses make more strategic decisions.
That Smith has found success in a data-driven job Spelman students are engaged in a variety of inter-
market where African Americans are underrepresented disciplinary projects that examine the societal impact of
SPRING 2020 » 13Cover
STORY
data science and analytics. From shopping habits and healthcare
to education and criminal justice, data-driven decisions affect
everyday lives.
For instance, computer science majors Cameryn Boyd and
Thulani Vereen, both C’2020, are analyzing data to determine
which voters are purged from Georgia voter registration rolls.
Economics major Taylor Brown, C’2021, participated in a
2019 summer research program at the University of Virginia
Data Science Institute, where she used mortgage data to inves-
tigate the relationship between the rate of home loan denials
and factors such as income, race and gender. This photo was taken during a summer job after Daphne L.
“Many debate on how best to define data science,” says Smith’s junior year (1979) with two other math majors from
Spelman College. They were hired for summer positions at
Raquel Hill, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of computer
the IBM campus in East Fishkill, New York. Dr. Mikhail had
and information sciences at Spelman. “Most agree that it’s
been a visiting faculty member in the mathematics department
not just a combination of the traditional quantitative fields at Spelman College. (Shown left to right): Daphne L. Smith,
of computer science and statistics, but that it is far broader C’80; Theresa Carter, C’80; Dr. W. Mikhail (IBM statistician);
– encompassing various disciplines that enable us to not only Vaughn Morrison (former Spelman mathematics faculty);
analyze data but to consider, for example, the ethical use of data. Ylonda Fauntleroy, C’80; Dr. William Baker (former Spelman
Considering the ethical use of data is one way to limit bias that mathematics faculty).
may be introduced when we consider only the data values.”
Investing in Data Science data course in the fall, and a data science symposium. The goal
Spelman and other Atlanta University Center Consortium is to eventually offer a data science minor, major and graduate
members — Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College and introductory course.
the Morehouse School of Medicine — launched the AUCC Beyond the strong partnership with UnitedHealth, Greene
Data Science Initiative in 2019 with a five-year, $8.25 million says there is an active discussion on having the initiative join
investment from UnitedHealth Group. The initiative will offer with other potential partners representing a cross-section of
technical classes for AUC students who want to specialize in data industries.
science or learn data analysis, as well as provide students from “Jobs in data science are in highest demand and pay well
all majors with an expanded facility to extract value from data. above average starting salaries,” he says. “The AUCC Data
“Data literacy in our current and future workforce is abso- Science Initiative is well-positioned to be the largest pro-
lutely critical. This need is exacerbated by a dramatic shortage ducer of African Americans with data science credentials
of diversity in the profession,” says Patricia Lewis, executive vice and to develop leaders who bring diverse thinking,
president and chief human resources officer of UnitedHealth. especially given the social and ethical contexts
“It is our hope that UnitedHealth Group’s anchor investment needed to develop insights
in AUCC’s data science program will produce graduates to and to responsibly extract
address the acute shortage of data scientists, but importantly, value from data.”
contribute to a 21st-century healthcare workforce that increas-
ingly delivers culturally competent care.” Charting a Path
To that end, the AUCC Data Science Initiative’s work is Although the data revolution
well underway, says AUCC executive director Todd Greene. hadn’t emerged during her time at
One foundational aspect is providing opportunities for fac- Spelman, Smith credits visionary Spelman
ulty development in data science and data analytics. The AUCC math professors like the legendary Etta Z. Falconer, Ph.D., with
hosted a series of faculty development workshops in January. charting a path for her future achievement. As her adviser and
Other 2020 plans include an AUCC Pre-Freshman Data Science mentor, Falconer encouraged Smith to pursue graduate studies
Summer Program, an introductory undergraduate foundations and devised a program to help her get there.
14 » SPELMAN MESSENGERDuring the fall semester of her senior year, Smith completed SMITH CREDITS VISIONARY
an independent study project on numerical analysis with then-
Spelman math instructor Sylvia Bozeman, Ph.D., who was SPELMAN MATH PROFESSORS
completing her doctorate in math at Emory University at the
LIKE THE LEGENDARY ETTA
time. That spring, Smith honed her research skills as an intern
at the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago. Z. FALCONER, PH.D., WITH
“They really put together a
special program for my grad-
CHARTING A PATH FOR HER
uate school preparation FUTURE ACHIEVEMENT.
because nothing of that
type existed at that
point,” Smith says. “I She had an amazing vision, and it has borne fruit with so many
saw Dr. Falconer as Spelman STEM graduates now.”
a pioneering Black Now it is Smith who is considered a trailblazer. Her success
woman in math. helped propel efforts to expand STEM programs at Spelman,
says Bozeman, who is now a math professor emerita and
co-founder of Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education,
a national mentoring program for women entering graduate
studies in mathematical sciences.
“Daphne was an advanced student. She was a pioneering stu-
dent. We were very excited about her achievement,” Bozeman
says. “Often, Ph.D. grads go into teaching, but Daphne has
been adventurous. She has used her skills in teaching and
industry. As she has learned, moved and experienced more,
she has given back to Spelman.”
Smith has been actively involved in the National
Alumnae Association of Spelman College since finish-
ing graduate school, joining the local chapter whenever
she relocated to a new city. In her role as a past chapter
president and the former Great Lakes regional coordina-
tor, she helped revitalize several chapters along the way.
In 2011, she received the NAASC Hall of Fame Award
– the organization’s highest honor. While serving as the
NAASC national president from 2012 to 2016, she
raised more than $100,000 for its Donald and Isabel
Stewart Endowed Scholarship.
“Daphne’s technical and very organized, and she loves
Spelman like most of us do,” says Sylvia Watts-Flippo,
C’98, an engineering manager at Lockheed Martin in
San Antonio, Texas, and a member of NAASC’s tech-
nology committee.
“Whatever she does, in her career or activities, she
gives 100 percent. She’s one of our trailblazers.”
Connie Green Freightman is an Atlanta-based freelance
writer and editor.
SPRING 2020 » 15ROCKET
SCIENCE
INTRO BY MELODY GREENE, C’2020
An experimental physicist who had dreams of
working with gamma-ray spectroscopy;
An engineer who heals sick buildings;
A director at a financial software company who
leads teams of leaders; and
A professor who received the Presidential Early
Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from
President Barack Obama in 2009.
These four exceptional physics majors fuel the “Why
Spelman?” question. They share a love for their alma
mater and credit the College for equipping them with the
confidence, self-efficacy and tools to handle whatever
comes their way. Like many other Spelmanites, they
are leaders, educators and trailblazers in their industry
– from Australia to the United States.
Melody Green is a graduating English major from Atlanta
and an aspiring broadcast journalist.
16 » SPELMAN MESSENGERCandace Harris
Answering the
Physics Call
BY DONNA WILLIAMS LEWIS, C’79
As Candace Harris, C’2009, puts it, she didn’t Starfish Initiative, which helped fill the fund-
choose physics. Physics chose her. ing gap for students unable to meet all their
It has turned out to be a perfect match. financial obligations before graduation.
In December, Harris joined the staff at “God really showed up,” Harris says. “I’m
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a getting teary-eyed thinking about it. I didn’t
facility responsible for ensuring the reliability think I was going to finish at Spelman.”
of the nation’s nuclear stockpile and for helping Because Spelman didn’t have many upper-
to reduce the global threat of terrorism. level physics courses, Harris took most of her
“I have always wanted to work in this lab, classes at neighboring Morehouse College. But
ever since I started dreaming of gamma-ray courses at Spelman helped set her path, she says.
spectroscopy at Spelman,” Harris says. “I’m McNeese introduced her to lasers, and Derrick
very fortunate to work with some amazing J. Hylton, Ph.D., associate professor of physics,
scientists.” introduced her to gamma-ray spectroscopy.
In her job as an experimental physicist,
Harris researches support of nuclear stockpile
management and works in nuclear forensics,
which is the investigation of nuclear and other
radioactive materials to determine their origin
and history.
One of her Spelman College physics instruc-
tors, Marta Dark McNeese, Ph.D., associate
professor in the Department of Physics, remem-
bers getting to know Harris during her years
at Spelman.
“She really to me displayed a lot of grit
and a lot of determination,” McNeese says.
“She seemed to just be coming into her own
as a scientist.”
Harris started at Spelman as a dual degree
engineering student, with plans to become an
engineer; however, when it was time to move
onto the engineering part of the program, she
was not accepted at Georgia Tech.
Since she had done well in her physics
courses, she decided to pursue a physics major.
PHOTO BY JASON LAUREA/LLNL
But, she would need a fifth year to earn the
degree. Her situation looked grim until a finan-
cial blessing happened. Spelman funded her
housing and tuition for that fifth year through
the President’s Safety Net Fund, also called the
SPRING 2020 » 17“Immediately, I took a liking to it,” she
says. “I thought it was pretty cool that you
can detect the undetectable by just building
Hope Pollonais
instrumentation.”
She started looking into where she could
Choosing Physics as
continue that type of research and set her sights a Path to Discovery
on Lawrence Livermore. BY FRANK MCCOY
After graduating as the lone physics major
in her class, Harris earned a master’s degree
in physics at the University of Massachusetts While many of us see art as color and an
Amherst. The following year, she landed an arrangement of shapes that tap the visual senses
internship at Lawrence Livermore, where she and emotions, this is an oversimplifcation
published papers on laser-induced plasmas. for Hope Pollonais, C’2009. She sees art as a
Then she was off to Florida A&M University, combination of components that speak to one
where she did research, published several another. Actually, that is the Spelman College
papers, traveled internationally to physics con- physics graduate’s perspective on all matter.
ferences and, in 2018, received her doctorate “It is all about how things work together
in physics. – balance, space, design,” she says. “When I
Upon graduation, Harris was back at look at art, it includes those things; thus, it is
Lawrence Livermore to participate in its not only art, it’s science — rather physics.”
National Nuclear Security Administration’s Pollonais makes all things work together as
Graduate Fellowship Program. At its conclu- part of the Historic Preservation Design staff
sion, after a year, she was hired, becoming of Lord Aeck Sargent, an Atlanta architec-
the sixth Black female physicist hired at the ture, interior design and planning frm. There,
68-year-old laboratory. the self-described “doctor for sick buildings”
She is the second physicist to be recruited performs preservation, rehabilitation and
from Spelman, says Renée Breyer, director reconstruction on patients that are historical
of human resources at Lawrence Livermore landmarks and edifces.
National Laboratory. “And we are thrilled to “My path to discovery is driven by curiosity
have her at LLNL,” she adds. and problem-solving,” she says. “The fact that
According to McNeese, the state of women architecture, design, engineering and physics
in physics is much like the state of women in allowed me to be curious with how the world
the country. works and rely upon scientifc methods in order
“There’s more of a recognition that we need to describe the natural world is so cool to me!
to go beyond just diversity, and we need to see “Art is part of culture. You can’t speak
more equity and inclusion in physics,” she says. about art without speaking about science. Art
“Spelman provides an environment that helps and science are not separate,” says the young
students succeed in settings where they may not Trinidadian, who grew up knowing she wanted
see many, or any others, who look like them. to create and discover.
“I think Spelman … really helps them A dual-degree engineering major, Pollonais
develop their self-effcacy, so that they are able earned a bachelor’s in physics from Spelman
to see themselves as a physicist even though and a bachelor’s in civil engineering from
they might not ft that physicist stereotype,” Columbia University.
says McNeese. “The mind of an engineer is to make and
discover,” says Retina Burton, director of
Donna Williams Lewis, C’79, is a freelance Spelman’s Dual Degree Engineering Program.
journalist who previously worked for 30 years “The breadth of this program was perfect
as a reporter and editor at The Atlanta Journal- to prepare students like Pollonais to excel in
Constitution. diverse careers.”
18 » SPELMAN MESSENGERPollonais, who also received a master’s in that provided a feeling of sisterhood,” says
architecture from SCI-Arc, a world-renowned Pollonais, who is one of three sisters who
center of innovation and one of the nation’s few attended Spelman. “Students are able to
independent architecture schools, arrived on apply the knowledge gained in one discipline
Spelman’s campus with interests that included to another discipline to deepen learning.”
physics, art, cars and buildings. Burton says Pollonais is itching to widen her path at
DDEP assisted Pollonais in completing a phys- work by being more creative.
ics degree, infused her art interests and aided “[The work I do] is a specialization where
her in the transfer to Columbia University to repairs are creative, but not visual,” says
complete a civil engineering degree. Pollonais, whose current work includes every-
Such opportunities gave Pollonais “a sound, thing from conception to forensics to fling
broad foundation to pursue various employ- permits and more.
ment opportunities in her career – something “I want to do more than repair the
DDEP does for all its graduates,” says Burton. Sistine Chapel,” she says.” I would like to be
Pollonais says Spelman’s interdisciplinary Michelangelo who painted the Sistine Chapel.”
learning helped her growth and the welcoming
environment helped her to thrive. Frank McCoy is a freelance writer and executive
“I enjoyed being in a welcoming environment producer of STEMRules.com.
SPRING 2020 » 19Jolawn Victor She also credits Spelman with helping her, as
a Black woman, navigate and seek to diversify
tech/corporate environments where “we’re still
Making a one of very few or sometimes the only.”
“The confdence that the Spelman experience
Global Impact equips you with is enduring,” she says.
Victor leads a team of leaders who reports
BY DONNA WILLIAMS LEWIS , C’79 to her on everything from marketing to sales
to analytics of QuickBooks, now in use by 4.5
The smoke haze blurring the view of the offce million subscribers around the world.
buildings behind her was a constant reminder “I have team members in Sydney, India,
for Jolawn Victor, C’2004, that she was video- London and the Bay in California, so it’s a com-
conferencing from Australia, where wildfres plex environment, but also very fun,” she says.
had raged for weeks. Victor earned an MBA from New York
Victor works halfway around the world from University and has worked as a project engineer
her alma mater as director of emerging mar- for General Mills, as director of marketing for
kets and global expansion for Intuit, the fnan- Pepsico, and at Intuit since 2016 when she began
cial software company that makes TurboTax, as a principal product manager and moved up
QuickBooks and Mint. She is responsible for the ranks to her current position.
everything related to QuickBooks’ small business Last summer, her job moved to Sydney,
accounting software in 160 countries. Australia, where she lives with her husband,
Morehouse alumnus Kevan Victor, C’2004, who
is a consultant for Deloitte, and their three chil-
dren, ages 8 to 13.
“So we’re a Spelhouse family,” Victor says.
“It’s a team effort. I have a really great partner,
and we share the load.”
That’s especially vital because her job keeps
her on the road 40 to 50 percent of the time. On
one recent trip, Victor’s day began in Malaysia
to help set up a new sales team and ended in
Singapore, where she met with Intuit digital and
marketing agencies, local banks, and later with
customers at a feedback event.
“There is a vast world of roles that play in
technology,” she explains. “The fact that I have
Victor’s road to this pinnacle began at Spelman an engineering background, a marketing back-
College, where she majored in physics and elec- ground, and a product background makes me
trical engineering as part of the College’s Dual really well-suited to lead a team that has tech-
Degree Engineering Program with Georgia Tech. nical capabilities. But, I’m also still running a
The Spelman sisterhood helped fuel her choice business.”
of major, which, for scholarship purposes, was She believes that one of the keys to enhancing
between physics and chemistry. Spelman’s success with STEM students is giving
“I had a great relationship with two of the them exposure and access to the many different
women who were majoring in physics (Latoya and ever-changing career tracks.
Johnson, C’2003, and Lindsay Hopkins, C’2003), As for her future: “Intuit has so many oppor-
and I knew they would be great study partners,” tunities,” she says. “I’m just excited for whatever
she says, adding that placing herself around oth- the next one is.”
ers with shared values remains important to her.
20 » SPELMAN MESSENGERYou can also read
