Bennett College 2021 Virtual Commencement Program

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The Honor Class of 1971

Ms. Irene Adderly Mrs. Cynthia Battle Allison Ms. Dimples L. Armstrong Rev. Patricia Austin Mrs. Mary Barber Worthy Mrs. Lasenia S. Barnes Mrs. Ethel Littlejohn Bonds Mrs. Nancy Tyson Boone Mrs. Stephanie Bosley-Greene Ms. Savannah Cotman Bowen Mrs. Vernelle Clements Boykin Mrs. ZaraTherease-Novella Miller Brown Mrs. Rita Deans Brown Mrs. Millicent Stukes Brown Ms. Lorraine Bryan Ms. Ethelene Bryan Dr. Carolyn Burrell Buck Dr. Judith Brooks-Buck Ms. Geraldine Mackey Burnett Ms. Margie Butler Ms. Judith Keeling Byrd Dr. Suzanne C. Carothers Mrs. Margie A. Cephus Ms. Birthene Gordon Chandler Ms. Evelyn Chapman-Lawrence Mrs. Verna Chesson-Winn Dr. Linda Silver Coley Ms. Delores Corsey Cotman Mrs. Beverly Monk Daniel Dr. Florenzia Watson Davis Mrs. Sharon Mitchell Embry Dr. Constance Epps Mrs. Gwendolyn Evans Ms. Carolyn Everette Mrs. Doristine Futrell Faulk Ms. Christine L. Fitch Dr. Linette Pratt Fox Mrs. Fannie Carter Freeman Ms. Carla J. Friend Ms. Joyce Bethel Goode Ms. Jimmie Arlene Gravely Ms. Harriet Lancaster Graves Ms. Phyllis Poteat Hadley Dr. LaCheata Graves Hall Ms. Carolybn Harrison Ms. Brenda Steele Hawkins Ms. Linda Hayes Ms. Juanita Hicks Ms. Cynthia Holloway Mrs. Sharon Hudson-Timmons Mrs. Shuronia B Jacox Ms. Laura Tolbert Jamerson

Dr. Barbara Frierson James Mrs. Rose Jewell-Jordan Ms. Willette Owens Johnson Ms. Joycelyn V. Johnson Mrs. Sherry Peterson Keith Dr. Betty King-Sutton Ms. Janise Kyle Ms. Edwina White Langaster Ms. Beverly Lucas Ms. Barbara A. Martin Mrs. Betty Martin Wheeler Ms. Alfardretta Marshall Mason Ms. Deborah Moore Mathis Ms. Mary Davis McGriff Mrs. Janetta Campbell McMillan Mrs. Paula McNair-McEachern Mrs. Joylette Mills-Ransome Ms. Deborah Moore Mrs. Linda E. Morehead-Slade Ms. Norma Lynn Morgan Mrs. Pamela Morton-Simpson Mrs. Dorothine Murphy-Speller Ms. Esther Peggy Oliphant Ms. Linda Gerald Peters Mrs. Julie Pope-Douglass Ms. Barbara A. Powell Dr. Carolyn Prince Dr. Darwin Prioleau Ms. Lois L. Ratliff Mrs. Carolyn Riley-Payne Trustee Gladys Ashe Robinson Mrs. Belinda Robinson-Todd Dr. Joyce A. Russell Dr. Myra Sampson-Wilson Ms. Cheryl Hagans Savage Mrs. Winona Griffin Sheppard Ms. Patricia Shouse Ms. Carolyn Lee Simpkins Ms. Marilyn Womack Spears Mrs. Edna Williams Stanback Ms. Ann Batts Sye Dr. Susanne Tropez-Sims Ms. Ivana Trollinger Ward Ms. Sharon Gittens Weaver Ms. Barbara Williams Whitehead Ms. Jacqueline Butler Wilson Ms. Katherine Stewart Wilson Mrs. Judy Wilson-Odds Ms. Linda Wright Mrs. Dorothy Corbett Yarborough Dr. Bernadette Gregory Watts

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WELCOME

Commencement Program

Suzanne E. Walsh, J.D.

President of Bennett College

INVOCATION

Rev. Dr. Natalie McLean ‘80

Chaplain

Lift Every Voice and Sing

THE NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN ANTHEM

James Weldon and Rosamond Johnson

SCRIPTURE READINGS Old Testament New Testament

Shevon King ‘21 Princess Bush ‘21

GREETING

Sen. Gladys A. Robinson ‘71

Chair, Bennett College Board of Trustees

50TH CLASS PRESENTATION

SENIOR ADDRESS

Taylor Adkins ‘21

VALEDICTORIAN ADDRESS

Anaya K. Wells ‘21

POEM

Jasmine Faison ‘10

INTRODUCTION OF COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

Poet Laureate

COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

The Senior Class

CONFERRING OF DEGREES INDUCTION INTO BCNAA

President Walsh

Dr. Willietta Gibson & President Walsh

Natalie Renee Parker ‘01

President of Bennett College National Alumnae Association

PRESIDENT’S CHARGE TO THE CLASS

President Walsh

Words on next page

ALMA MATER

BENEDICTION

Reverend McLean

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Alma Mater

Words by Carol Cotton and Music by Edith Player Brown Bennett now our voices raise, Harmonies of grateful praise; We thy daughters find thee fair Loyally thy colors bear, Truth and honor in thy halls, Faith and love within thy walls; Ever dear to us thou art.

Firm within each loyal heart.

CHORUS Alma Mater, now we sing, Hail the light that thou dost bring; True we’ve been throughout the past, True to thee while life shall last.

May we never smirch the good Gendered here in sisterhood; May we ever choose a-right, Guided but by honor bright; Ever lovelier shalt thou live, As thy daughters freely give; Ever glorious above, Testimonies of our love.

‘Til the evening shadows fall ‘Til we heed our last clear call Mother, may we offer thee, Lives of worth and purity?

Go with us throughout the years.

Smile on us in doubts and fears; Bless us with thy tender care, Mother, fairest of the fair!

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Candidates for Degrees

Bachelor of Science CHEMISTRY Aariella Kaitlyn Houston

DIVISION OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Bachelor of Arts and Science in Interdisciplinary Studies AFRICANA WOMEN’S STUDIES Nabila Aisha Mangum*

Bachelor of Science MATHEMATICS Olivia Simone Boatner Hannah Marie Ross Tyffani Kiara Royal

Bachelor of Arts and Science in Interdisciplinary Studies TRADITIONAL Taylor Kristian Adkins Jasmine Janey Jones

DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES Bachelor of Science BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Amayrani Gonzalez Shevon Monica King Janeal Marshall Makayla Jean Pryor* Nandi Makeda Reed-Bandele Precious Ronita Vornique Smith-Pinckney*

Bachelor of Arts ENGLISH Khadijah Cook* Randi Locke*

Bachelor of Arts POLITICAL SCIENCE Jazmyn Destinea Anglin Ashley Rose Bradley Monéte M. Herring Ebony Johnson

Bachelor of Science ELEMENTARY EDUCATION Anaya K. Wells

Bachelor of Arts JOURNALISM & MEDIA STUDIES Kyra Noreese Pierce Meredyth Mckayla Jenkins* Diane Celine Patterson* Felicia Marie Smith

Bachelor of Arts PSYCHOLOGY Zaelyn Johnson Zybrea Moné Knight-Prince Ciara Studstill

Bachelor of Arts THEATRE Ayanna Corintha Jimella Campbell

Bachelor of Social Work SOCIAL WORK Taylor Reneé Johnson Antaysha R. Meadows* Ashley Iyannah Robinson Jamie Larae Rose

Bachelor of Science BIOLOGY Seria Emmanuel Bullen Sata Princess Daeja Bush Meagyn Ianna Ferguson Ashlynn Lakeisha Lee Nancy Ngozi Martins* Taylor Nancy Pointer Zoe Sasha Vigilant

Final action cannot always be taken for candidates by the time the program is printed, thus, the list of candidates is tentative only. The College reserves the right to add or withdraw names.

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*December 2020 graduate

Graduating Seniors 2021 Honor Designations Summa Cum Laude | 3.80 – 4.00 Jazmyn Destinea Anglin Olivia Simone Boatner Anaya K. Wells

Magna Cum Laude | 3.60 – 3.79 Princess Daeja Bush

Ayanna Corintha Jimella Campbell Meagyn Ianna Ferguson Ashlynn Lakeisha Lee Zoe Sasha Vigilant

Cum Laude | 3.40 – 3.59 Aariella Kaitlyn Houston

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Bennett College Board of Trustees

Senator Gladys Ashe Robinson, Chair Dr. Prenard R. Mickens Kimberly Jessup Ripberger Susie Johnson Suzanne E. Walsh, J.D. Dr. James A. Anderson Dr. Santiba Campbell Charles E. Coote, Jr. Rev. Dr. Donnell FitzJefferies

Michael Godette Dr. Charlene Green Kwanza Jones Cassandra Jones-Havard, J.D. Dr. Mark Milliron Natalie Renee Parker LaNella Smith Ashley Robinson ’21 Madieu Williams, J.D.

Bennett College Leadership Team

Suzanne E. Walsh, J.D., President of Bennett College Catherine Hurd, Vice President, Enrollment Mgmt. & Student Experience Andrena Coleman, Associate Vice President, Operations & Logistics Ebony Kendrick, Director of Human Resources George Latter, Interim Chief Financial Officer Gwendolyn O'Neal, Chief Operating Officer LaDaniel Gatling II, Vice President, Institutional Advancement Santiba Campbell, Director of Academic Special Initiatives Willietta Gibson, Chief Academic Officer/Interim Dean of Faculty

Commencement Committee

Dawn Booker Kimberly Drye-Dancy Tennille Foust Marsha Francois Willietta Gibson

Catherine Hurd Yolande Johnson Tom Lipscomb Gwendolyn O’Neal Aziz Peregrino-Brimah

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Resources George Latter, Interim Chief Financial Officer Gwendolyn O'Neal, Chief Operating Officer LaDaniel Gatling II, Vice President, Institutional Advancement Santiba Campbell, Director of Academic Special Initiatives Willietta Gibson, Chief Academic Officer/Interim Dean of Faculty

Commencement Committee

Dawn Booker Kimberly Drye-Dancy Tennille Foust Marsha Francois Willietta Gibson

Catherine Hurd Yolande Johnson Tom Lipscomb Gwendolyn O’Neal Aziz Peregrino-Brimah

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