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A Founder’s Day to Remember For Agnes Scott College, this year’s Founder’s Day, which marked the 132nd anniversary of the college's founding, was like no other. Not only was the event all virtual, but it was also a weeklong celebration instead of being held on a single day. Syndi Perry ’21, a fellow in the Office of the President, led the planning and coordination of Founder’s Day. Perry collaborated with other departments across campus. This year’s theme was “Agnes Scott: Past, Present and Future,” encouraging the community to reflect on the college’s past, celebrate its present and look toward its future. Throughout the celebratory week, there were Founder’s Day trivia and prerecorded videos featuring Portia Morrison ’66, a retired partner of the global law firm DLA Piper; Ché Carter ’21, president of Witkaze; Katja Quintero MA’21, a writing and digital communication graduate; and Jayla Norman ’23, a Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation intern in the Gay Johnson McDougall Center for Global Diversity and Inclusion. The week culminated with an hourlong program that included a performance by Agnes Scott’s gospel choir Joyful
Noise, which was followed by a conversation with Morrison, Carter, Quintero and Norman moderated by Yves-Rose Porcena, vice president for equity and inclusion. The participants shared powerful, insightful and moving thoughts on their time at Agnes Scott and talked about what Founder’s Day means to them, how it is changing and what it could be in the future. Norman, who conducted research on Samuel Harper, a Black blacksmith who contributed to the building of Agnes Scott “Main” Hall’s bell tower, stressed the importance of not only recognizing the known figures but also celebrating the hidden ones — the firsts who have not been celebrated and were people of color who were integral parts of the college’s founding. During the program, President Leocadia I. Zak took time to acknowledge that Founder’s Day takes place during Black History Month — two important events that have not been typically acknowledged together in the past. “There are still many areas of improvement for the college, but we are taking the right steps toward lasting, positive change for our future — releasing ties with ideals
and views that no longer represent who the college is and where we are going,” says Zak. “After today’s program, I hope we will have more conversations and instill more change as we grow.” There were many changes in this year’s Founder’s Day celebration, but these changes reflected the college’s ability to adapt, our Agnes Scott community’s willingness to take on challenging situations, have open conversations and, overall, our steps toward positive growth and lasting change. View the Founder’s Day videos and full program at agnesscott.edu/founders-day.
Agnes Scott Stays Committed to Keeping the Campus Community Safe and Informed
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Since the onset of the pandemic, Agnes Scott College has remained dedicated to keeping the campus community informed, raising awareness about COVID-19 protocols and providing a safe and supportive learning environment. The college’s robust Be Well Campaign, which launched last fall, has played an instrumental role in this commitment. Be Well informational videos are featured on the college’s website and social media platforms. Also, students have been recruited to serve as Be Well ambassadors for their peers. The Be Well campaign will continue to promote wellness on campus when fully in-person instruction begins in August. Agnes Scott’s Wellness Center, which oversees COVID-19 testing on-campus, has administered more than 2,930 tests since last year.
Through webinars and podcasts, faculty have also educated the campus community and beyond on issues surrounding COVID-19. For example, public health professors Amy Patterson and Erin Bradley, along with Charles Loridans Associate Professor of Biology and Neuroscience Stacey Dutton, shared their expertise in the COVID Conversations: The Truth and Myths about the COVID Vaccination webinar, which offered people an opportunity to learn more and ask questions about the vaccines. The podcast, Understanding the COVID-19 Vaccine: An In-Depth Look with Professors from Agnes Scott College, featured Bradley, Dutton, Assistant Professor of Psychology Janelle S. Peifer and Assistant Professor of Psychology Maryam Jernigan-Noesi. Agnes Scott sought early approval to serve as a vaccination site for members of the college community.
