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The Spelman Switch
Exchange Student Kei Phillip Kei Phillip (KP) is currently a senior at Barnard College majoring in dance and psychology. Last spring, she participated in the Spelman Exchange program. Below is an interview conducted by Naomi Dubissette (ND) as Kei shares her experiences at Spelman. ND: Why did you choose to do the Spelman exchange? KP: It’s so easy to get comfortable in your own existence on campus. I wanted to go abroad but I couldn’t decide on a program or a country. I never had professors of color within my major, specifically psychology. It was something that I wanted--I needed that mentorship. Academically, I am accustomed to a predominantly white classroom setting and [the Spelman] program was a great opportunity. ND: Where are you from originally, you mentioned “going abroad”. KP: I have family in Antigua, I consider myself AfricanCaribbean American. And I live in upstate NY. ND: How is the campus culture at Spelman? What was the transition like from Barnard to Spelman? KP: Spelman has a strong sense of community and tradition. Some of the differences I see between BarnardColumbia and AUC [Atlanta University Center] is that here, we like to create small community safe spaces cross-culturally based on the different facets of our identity. What I found at Spelman is that there is a stronger sense of community holistically. Every week we had Hump Wednesday and Market Friday. There was a DJ, a vendor’s fair, and sometimes food. It is a longstanding tradition where the student body comes together and enjoys each other’s company. ND: How is Southern culture versus New York culture? KP: Atlanta is a lot slower than NY which is not necessarily a bad thing. You don’t feel like you are always in a rush. But there is not as much ethnic or cultural diversity as NY and the off-campus social scene was limited to a few activities. Something that I really missed was the NYC public transportation. The MARTA system was there if you needed to travel in Atlanta but it was better to drive. One of my friends from back home gave me a tour of downtown ATL and that was really nice. ND: Were you involved in any clubs or activities at Spelman? How are they different from the one’s at Barnard? KP: I supported different groups on campus and attended various events but I was really involved in Spelman Dance Theatre. They did several showcases that semester and I was able to perform in all of them. I participated in a production called “Mash-Up.” It was so much fun; the actors, dancers, and program directors collaborated and all of our ideas and experiences were incorporated into
the final work. It was a reflection of us and the culture of historically black institutions. ND: How did the Spelman Theatre program differ from the one at Barnard? KP: The difference is that for Spelman there is a dance program that is integrated with the theatre program. You can’t major in dance at Spelman; it’s a concentration under the theatre major. Versus here, at Barnard, there is a dance major under a separate dance department that focuses specifically on dance: history, body sciences, composition, and technique. Dancing at Spelman was a priceless opportunity and unique experience because I engaged in more of the performance and theater aspect. ND: What aspect of Spelman student life would you bring to Barnard? KP: I would want Barnard to start a weekly tradition that consistently brought the student body together. The theme could vary each week to represent the diversity of our campus but it would be an event that all the students would expect and could nurture a stronger sense of community.
Kei Phillip ICP Spelman Exchange student is currently a senior majoring in Dance and Psychology
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