The Belle Ringer - Summer 2020

The Coronavirus Chronicles

• Belles Cope With COVID-19 • Campus Goes Virtual Page 14

Alumnae House Makeover Page 18

Celebrating Summer Scholars Page 25

Welcome to Summer Greetings All, It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to the 2020 summer edition of the Belle Ringer.

Since our winter edition, our world has completely changed. As we endure this COVID-19 pandemic and witness and participate in protests against injustices toward people of color in America, we know that the world may never be the same. I’m grateful to know that one thing endures: our sisterly bond.

In this issue, we look closely at how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the college—leadership decisions, education delivery, and the lives of students and their families. As a Black women’s college, we are also concerned about how this is affecting all our sisters (and brothers) across the country.

Beginning on page 14, we hear from our sister alumnae how this virus is impacting women in a variety of fields.

While we were all disappointed not to be able to gather in person for commencement and Alumnae Weekend, we made the best of it with a creative online event. See scenes from our virtual graduation and read about the dynamic young commencement speaker on page 22.

When we gather again on campus, you may notice changes to the Alumnae House. The college received a healthy grant to restore our treasured building. On page 18, read about the plans for the renovation.

Starting on page 26, read about the exciting things our faculty, staff and students are doing. Rev. Natalie McLean gives us a tour of the new interfaith prayer room on campus and Aishia Griffin talks about providing needed services in our counseling center.

Belle Ringer Team

Even a pandemic can’t stop us from doing great things. Starting on page 11, read about chapter activities. Also, thank you for responding to the alumnae questionnaire that was attached to my last message.

We love to hear about the important and interesting things that are going on in your life—engagements, marriages, births, new jobs and promotions, new books and projects, travels and celebrations. Please keep sending us news about the things you do that are special to you. We have amazing sisters and we want to share your good news in the “We Thy Daughters” section on page 2.

Deborah Love

In each issue, we honor the memories of our Belles who have left us. While many gave their time, talents and treasures to support our alma mater, I would be remiss not to personally honor the life of my beloved mentor and forever friend Trustee Andrea Harris ‘70. We spent many years working together on the Board of Trustees and other organizations to support our HBCUs. She is forever in my heart! See our tribute to her on page 6.

I am proud to serve you and thank you for all that you do for Bennett!

Editorial Director

Tamara Jeffries Senior Director of Alumnae Relations and Annual Giving

Designer

Greg Monroy Writers

David French Kristina Martin Anne Hayes Copy Editiors

Penny Speas Althea Sample Truesdale Design and Web

Aziz Peregrino-Brimah Photo Editor

Shaakira Jones Vice President, Institutional Advancement

LaDaniel Gatling II Editorial Production

RLF Communications On the cover:

Sisterly, Deborah Tillman Love ‘79 Senior Director of Alumnae Relations and Annual Giving

Yvette Shelton ‘80

Always Improving!

When you know better, you do better! We’ve corrected some omissions in our last Belle Ringer.

We gratefully acknowledge the Detroit Chapter’s generous contribution of $26,773. Your gifts to our alma mater are always appreciated.

Some pictures for the reunion class page were missing or too small. You’ll see that we’ve corrected that in this edition beginning on page 14. We tried our very best but were unable to find photos from the class of 1964.

The last Belle Ringer’s “In Memorium” page listed Denise Dungee Green ‘85. We are happy to note that Denise is still with us!

Please charge any mistakes to our heads and eyes, not our hearts. We sincerely apologize for the omissions.

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Living Lives of Purpose 1960s 1970s Maryann Musgrave Royall ’60 was recently nominated for the Maryland Senior Citizen Hall of Fame. The award recognizes and honors the volunteer, civic and humanitarian accomplishments and achievements of senior citizens across the state. Part of Maryann’s community service involves providing lunch for the medical staff at Southern Maryland Hospital in Clinton, Maryland during the pandemic.

Bernice Green Otudeko ’63, is enjoying the retired life in Mountain View, California—but she’s as busy as ever.

Bernice worked for the Santa Clara County Public Health Department in California for 35 years as a Public Health Educator before she retired in 2007. These days she is a CASA volunteer and looks after the welfare of children in the foster care system in her area. She also serves her parish as a volunteer cantor and hymn leader. Classmates will remember that she was a soprano soloist at Bennett; she continued as a professional soloist for many years.

Grace Davis Todd ’70 is working at the Cares Shelter for homeless women and children in Petersburg, Va. The shelter provides workshops and training, a food pantry and clothes closet for those in need, and helps women with networking and job searches. Their children are given school supplies, enrichment activities, tutoring, and other academic support.

Barbara Johnson-Davis ‘77 has won this year’s Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize for her new story, “The Last Straw.” The story, about a girl choosing between her education and working on her family’s farm, received $1,000 and publication consideration in The Carolina Quarterly.

Joyce Bass Valentine ’78 was inducted into the United Negro College Fund’s 2019 National Alumni Council Hall of Fame as Outstanding Alumni of Bennett College.

The honor, awarded at the UNCF gala in Charlotte last February, is presented to alums who have made great contributions to their Alma Maters. She is currently the BCNAA Secretary and a former president of the Raleigh, N.C. alumnae chapter.

PERSONALIZED LICENSE PLATES! Bennett College has personalized license plates!

We currently have plates for North Carolina, Maryland and Washington, D.C. It is an exciting and huge task to accomplish, so hold on, as other states will follow. If you are interested, contact Konica Haynes at kocobelle97@gmail.com.

1980s

LaTanya Leung Potts ’84 is celebrating 16 years in education as the Lead Special Education Teacher at Humes Middle School in Memphis. When she’s not with children in the classroom, she’s enjoying time with her own brood–3 children, 3 stepchildren, 4 grandchildren and 7 step-grandchildren.

Lisa Lunsford ‘85 was named to Crain’s Detroit Business Notable Women in Manufacturing list for 2018. As the CEO and co-founder of Global Strategic Supply Solutions (GS3), she oversees supply chain management, manufacturing, distribution and transportation of goods around the world. Her work has also garnered her recognition as one of Crain’s Most Influential Women in Michigan and one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry.

Valerie Callendar, M.D. ’82 received the 2019 Clark W. Finnerud Award. The Dermatology Foundation presents the award each year to an individual who has devoted extraordinary time and talent as a part-time teacher and clinician. Valerie was recognized at the foundation’s annual meeting in Denver in March.​

Kim J Frost ’87 recently completed two terms as a board member of the YMCA in Charlotte. In this role, she was able to create a partnership between the Y and the Charlotte Chapter of BCNAA to mentor high-school students with the Level Up program. Now that her board tenure is over, she’s taken on the role of Charlotte Chapter President of the BCNAA.

Sarah Brodie Sharpe ’87 was promoted from accounting specialist in the North Carolina Office of the State Controller, to a position with the Payroll Financial Accounting department. Sarah will be responsible for ensuring accurate records in all state payroll systems. Working with numbers is a career pivot for Sarah. She started working in human services after receiving her BA in Social Work from Bennett College and her MSW at Clark Atlanta University. In 2016, she earned an MBA in Accounting from Strayer University. A member of the Eastern North Carolina BCNAA chapter, she lives in Raleigh.

Josefa Bethea Wall ’87 joined the Africa University Development Office team as the Director of Planned Giving.

Josefa brings more than 18 years of nonprofit management and fundraising experience to the role, including her time as a longstanding member of the Africa University Advisory Development Committee. She played an important part in the United Methodist Church’s “Seeding Hope. Shaping Opportunity.” $50 million campaign for the university.

Congratulations to Audra Washington Madison ’89, who married Yale Madison in a beautiful oceanside ceremony in Cancun, Mexico on November 9, 2019. Her Bennett sisters Anna Sumpter, Norita Phillips, and Tara Wood were there to celebrate her nuptials. She met Mr. Madison through Bennett sister Norita Philips at Morgan State University’s homecoming in 2017.

When she’s not (still) honeymooning, she’s working on her brainchild, Poised Magazine.

Wanda Edwards ’83, Director of Communications for Guilford County Schools, was named to the board of North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA). At GCS, Wanda leads a staff of five employees, including specialists in media relations, communications and volunteers/ partnerships, as well as a two-person team that produces and distributes content for a 24-hour television station and YouTube channel.

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1990s

Danielle Williams ‘90 was elected to a two year term as the UNCF National Alumni Council’s Vice President of Programs. In this role, she will help create programs for the National Alumni Council such as recruitment, advocacy and fundraising.

She received the post at the UNCF’s NAC/PNAC Conference in February in Charlotte, N.C. Her term extends until 2022.

Miji Bell ’92 was recently appointed as Senior Director of Communications & Media Relations at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Baltimore, Maryland.

Now she’s a member of the dean’s senior leadership team, responsible for leading communications strategy at the SAIS campuses in Washington, DC; Nanjing, China and Bologna, Italy. Miji has also been named to the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association (MMCADC.org), which helps to advance federal policy related to minority media ownership.

Alice Jones Schenall ’96 became Director of Quality Improvement at Rural Health Group, Inc. in Roanoke Rapids, N.C. In this role, she develops strategies to increase the quality and value of primary care for patients. Her work happens behind the scenes, where she works to optimize records, workflow and infrastructure, making sure providers are well supported, but she’s also working on the ground to support clinical providers with COVID testing for patients.

All of this is in addition to her studies as a third-year doctoral student in public health at East Carolina University.

Miesha Rice ‘96 recently started a new position managing the Drug Treatment Court program for Baltimore City’s Circuit Court. As the coordinator of the program, she oversees DTC’s treatment, supervision and monitoring of people who have committed nonviolent crimes related to drug abuse. The holistic program provides job, education and life-skills training. If that wasn’t enough, Miesha also launched a private practice providing mental health

counseling. Her business, Whole Family Healing Group, offers therapy to adults, children, teens, and families. Miesha, a social work major at Bennett, went on to earn her MSW and LCSW-C credentials.

Kweli Rashied-Henry ’97 is the first-ever racial equity officer for the Durham County Government in North Carolina. In her job, she leads and coordinates efforts to integrate equity principles into operations, projects, and services of county government.

Dr. Jenora Turner Waterman ’97 was one of four area winners of the 2020 Award for Excellence in Teaching. She was recognized for her work as an associate professor of functional genomics in the animal science department at NCA&T. Jenora was nominated by the university and selected by a committee of the N.C. Board of Governors. The honor comes with a $12,500 prize and a commemorative bronze medallion.

2000s

Stephanie Cambridge Mardis ’00, was recently named the Commanding Officer of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Greensboro Police Department. In this role, she oversees homicide, robbery, fraud and other crimes as well as the Criminal Intelligence squad and Crimestoppers.

Stephanie (that’s Captain Mardis to you) is the first African-American female commander of investigations in the history of GPD. Neda Brown ‘01 recently completed her assignment as consul general at the U.S. consulate in Matamoros, Mexico and is now at the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. for senior leadership training, preparing for her next diplomatic assignment.

Ayana Brody Parham ‘08 is the Chief of Staff of the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, a multi-agency team that helps recover American hostages abroad. Ayana works closely with people from the FBI, the

U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of State, and other agencies.

Through their work more than 300 Americans—kidnapped for ransom by criminal groups or held by foreign terrorist organizations—have been recovered.

The cell is expanding its efforts to be more proactive in hostage prevention by educating groups that often travel overseas to dangerous regions, such as faithbased institutions, non-governmental organizations, and journalists.

Dr. Julia S Charles ‘08 and her fiance conceived The Loving Luggage Project to help ease stressful transitions for children in foster care. The project provides foster youth ages 3-18 with new carry-on luggage filled with fun and useful items such as blankets, books and personal items. Julia, an English professor at Auburn University, was inspired by her own memories of being a foster child. She never wants another child to have the experience of keeping their belongings in trash bags. The Loving Luggage Project is providing 50 pieces of luggage and personal items for distribution in Alabama and Georgia. Belles can contribute by going to the www.thelovingluggageproject.com Tiffany Sullivan ’08, was elected as the Northeastern Regional Representative at UNCF’s NAC/PNAC Conference in February in Charlotte, N.C. Her job will be to help recruit membership with Inter Alumni Councils (IACs) and to help form new IACs within the region.

2010s

Latisa McLamb-Gilmore ‘10 is completing her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Special Education at Concordia College of New York. Latisa is currently a lead Montessori Teacher and course assistant for the West Side Montessori School in New York. She is also the Vice President for her tenant association, where they are supplying the community with face masks, gloves, sanitizer, and non perishable goods weekly.

They also serve hot meals daily.

Alexis Branch ‘19 won her first primary for a seat on the Prince George’s County Maryland School Board. If elected, the former SGA President will be the youngest African-American woman to represent District 7. She says, “The reason I chose to run is because Bennett taught me that closed mouths do not get fed, and I want to open the mouths of youth in my community in an effort to bring economic justice, mentorship, diversity, inclusion and opportunities for the youth. I choose to walk in my purpose and become the leader Bennett College has groomed me to be for others.”

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A Tribute to

Andrea Harris When we heard that our sister Andrea Harris passed away on May 20, 2020, we were devastated. We were not alone. From across the state and around the world came expressions of heartbreak, admiration and praise. She is remembered as a role model, a mentor, a friend and a force for good.

You knew from the arch of her brow and the slant of her smile that she was not to be underestimated. She had smart ideas and strong opinions—and she let them be known. But she listened, too. She encouraged others. That was the nature of her leadership, developed over a lifetime of service and decades of engagement in her beloved communities.

It was as a student here in the late 1960s that she began to work to improve the lives of people in her community. Soon after she graduated in 1970, she was drawn back to her calling as a community advocate and she followed that path for the rest of her life.

She was only 23 when she became one of the youngest community agency directors in the nation. That was the beginning of more than five decades of leading organizations that focused on economic justice for individuals and communities.

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In 1986, she co-founded the non-profit North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development, also home to the Women’s Business Center of NC, developing programs to create opportunities for minority- and women-owned firms.

“I decided to be a part of saving the world” She was especially proud of the institute’s research documenting the impact and value of HBCUs. Andrea Harris was Senior Fellow at SelfHelp Credit Union. Governor Roy Cooper tapped her to serve on the state’s Advisory Council for Historically Underutilized Businesses. She sat on the boards of many economic-development organizations while she remained an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

The thread that ran through her work was the desire to see people—all people— prosper. The caliber and significance of her contributions to the state of North Carolina will be felt for generations.

The value of her contributions to Bennett College can never be measured. She has been our steady and certain champion through our challenges and our triumphs.

She has contributed immeasurably as a member of Bennett College National Alumnae Association and on the Board of Trustees. But she did more than occupy a seat at the table. She was a presence on campus, carrying on the traditions of her alma mater, and engaging students, faculty and staff with warmth and wisdom.

“I decided to be a part of saving the world,” Harris once said of her youthful ambitions.

“I thought I was invincible.”

We thought she was, too. To us, she always seemed too resilient to be defeated, too resolute to be overcome, too wise to be outwitted. She was our sister whose devotion never wavered and we affirm that her light will never go out as long as we remember her name.

BELLE BIBLIOGRAPHY Your Bennett sisters have a word for you– and you can read all about it their in novels, self-help guides, business books and children’s stories. Here’s a list of the latest books by Belles.

Sarah Brodie Sharpe ‘87 How Big is My Basket is a workbook for women, taking them through a journey of self-awareness and acceptance. (independently published, 2018).

Join Your Sisters

Jen-Ai Childress ’94 Thirty Days of Loving You is an interactive journal Jen-Ai has designed to help you peel away pain and begin to understand and love you. (TariqSphere Publishing, 2019).

Deedee Cummings ’95 In the Nick of Time is about a little brown boy who helps Santa save Christmas. Her eleventh children’s book was inspired by her son and has been featured in Kirkus Magazine, Essence, and USA Today.

(Make A Way Media, LLC, 2019).

Edwina Davis ‘67 Edwina calls her first book Lessons in Mercy the redemption story of an African-American man navigating life. It’s loosely based on the life of Joseph Daniel Herring. (InSCRIBEd Inspiration, 2019) Evette Dionne ‘12 This year marks the release of Evette’s Lifting As We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box, a young-adult book about Black women suffragists. (Viking, 2020) She’s also the author of Fat Girls Deserve Fairytales Too: Living Hopefully On the Other Side of Skinny.

Dr. Sherrie A. Hill ‘77 Her first book titled Sweet, Innocent, Naïve was released in June.

Here she shares experiences that shaped her life and choices, leading her to trust God in all things. (2020) Timogi Jackson ‘11 Her most recent title is Hey Sis, With Love, but she has half a dozen other books designed to inspire, empower and educate.

Ke’Arra (Nunnery) Kelly ‘16 Ke’Arra self-published Bossin’ Up: Snatching Back my Power Through God’s Process. It’s a sister-help spin-off of her blog “Bossin’ Your 20s” for young women learning to navigate their life journey according to God’s timing. (The Literary Revolutionary, 2019).

Carmen M. Smith’s ‘11 Email Marketing: Business Guide & Planner: How to Get Clients to Listen is an interactive workbook and planner that offers digital strategies to help grow your business. (Nice Media Group, 2019).

BCNAA Membership is FREE

for Alumnae during the first year after graduation.

Special Annual Membership of $50 (Graduation date less than 5 years)

Regular Annual Membership of $75 Life Membership of $750 Partial Life Membership (Initial payment $250)*

*Partial Life Membership payments must be completed within three (3) years or payment to date will be voided.

Payment Options:

By Mail: (money order or check) PO Box 20321, Greensboro, NC 27420 PayPal: available at bcnaa.org (Service fee is added for this method.)

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M E M O R I A M

Alelia Barrett Akigbe ‘ 55 Lillian Miles Bellamy ‘58 Emma Lea Dunston Beshir ‘56 Mary Wiggins Boland ‘51 Janice Robinson Bragg ‘62 Eloise Vaugh Bright ‘42 Barbara Armstrong Buchanan ‘51 Geraldine Wiley Campt ‘54 Barbara Graves Clayton ‘74 Monte Vick Cowan ‘40 Linda Bost Ebron ‘70 Athalene Dancy Emory ‘50 Edith Powe Fleming ‘52 Velma Hayes Friende ‘48 Charity Nix Harrell ‘51 Andrea Harris ‘70 Clara Mae Lewis Harris ‘52 Audrey Phillips Highsmith’53

Mildred Farrish Hinton ‘53 Barbara Johnson ‘78 Ruth Brower Johnson ‘63 Charlene Sanders Jones ‘65 Lela Belle Johnson Jones ‘57 Bernice Russell Liddie ‘50 Louise Reid McKesson ‘62 Betty McConnaughey McLaurin’49 Paula Mickens ‘94 Dorothy Thomas Mobley ‘53 Margaret Studevent Neely XX Brenda Nelson XX Gwendolyn Utilda Parker ‘74 Nikki Elizabeth Peterson ‘96 Atia Resper ‘14 Julia Scott ‘78 Clara Ann Hall Shelton ‘55 Jean Gerst Stewart ‘61

Beverly L. Stokes ‘72 Sarah Ferguson Taylor ’63 Katheryn Williams Timmes ‘53 Myrtle Alston Weekes ‘44

She whom we love and lose is no longer where she was before.

She is now wherever we are.

–St. John Chrysostom

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DECEASED FACULTY Dr. David C. Pinnix Dr. Eugene C. Torbert Dr. Albert N. Whiting

2019-2021 BCNAA OFFICERS PRESIDENT Mrs. Natalie Renee Parker ‘01 3306 Carlisle Court Ft. Mill, SC 29715 Cell: (856) 986-5885 Email: president@bcnaa.org 1st VICE PRESIDENT Ms. Melissa J. Watson ‘13 308 Knight Avenue Cary, NC 27511 Cell: (919) 744-1011 Email: melissajwatson1873@gmail.com 2nd VICE PRESIDENT Mrs. Breah P. Robinson ‘15 7038 Church Wood Lane Huntersville, N.C. 28078 Cell: (510) 828-2631 Email: 2ndvicepres@bcnaa.org RECORDING SECRETARY Mrs. Joyce Bass Valentine ’78 4240 Bay Laurel Ct Wake Forest, NC 27587 Cell: (919) 272-2671 Email: jbvalent74@gmail.com Alternate email: recordingsec@bcnaa.org FINANCIAL SECRETARY Ms. Wendelin Douglas ‘91 600 Edgehill Road Richmond, VA 23222 Home: (336) 255-4798 Email: pendie1@yahoo.com TREASURER Dr. Marilyn King Lewis ‘76 209 E. Montcastle Drive Unit C Greensboro, NC 27406 Home: 336-337-0930 Email: maxie.kinglewis15@gmail.com PARLIAMENTARIAN Dr. Frankie Penn Powell ‘75 2895 Trevor Drive Lumberton, NC 28358 Cell: (516) 991-7995 Email: fpowell003@nc.rr.com IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Mrs. Gwendolyn Mackel Rice ‘61 8600 South Prairie Avenue Chicago, IL 60619 Home: (773) 230-9514 Email: gwendolynmrice@gmail.com ALUMNAE AFFAIRS (Ex-Officio) Mrs. Deborah Tillman Love ‘79 Senior Director, Alumnae Relations and Annual Giving Bennett College 900 E. Washington Street Greensboro, NC 27401 Office: (336) 517-2247 Email: deborah.love@bennett.edu ALBANY, GEORGIA Dr. Judith Hatch ‘77 1306 Bay Hill Lane Albany, Georgia 31701 (229) 434-9686 Email: Judithhatch2014@gmail.com AUGUSTA, GEORGIA Dr. Stacy Copeland Davis ‘90 697 Heggies Ridge Drive Appling, GA 30802 Home: (706) 836-1917 Email: pearls27.sd@gmail.com BALTIMORE, MARYLAND Ms. Constance Lindsey ‘87 3039 Brighton Street Baltimore, MD 21216 Home: (443) 413-7122 Email: cjlindsey15@yahoo.com

CHARLESTON, SC

GREATER NEW YORK

RICHMOND, VA

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Mrs. Eugenia D. Johnson ’48 169 Saint Margaret Street Charleston, SC 29403 Home: (843) 577 – 5133 Email: ej122501@aol.com

TBD Email: lenore72lab@aol.com

Mrs. Terressa Campbell Oten ‘96 12143 Point Placid Drive Midlothian, VA 23112 Home: (704) 392-1899 Email: rvabelles@gmail.com

Ms. Charmaine D. Wilson ‘99 3013 Feather Green Trail Fresno, TXC 77545 Cell: (703) 407-4260 Email: Cdwilson5@hotmail.com

ROCHESTER, NEW YORK

SOUTH CENTRAL

Ms. Lillie Stone ‘74 419 Walnut Hill Dr. Penfield NY 14534 Home: (716) 787-1706 Email: Lillie.Stone@rcsdk12.org

Beckie D. Kirby’78 2020 Calista Circle Fayetteville, NC. 28304 Home: (910) 426-1410 Cell: (919) 354-9383 Email: beckidawnkirby81@yahoo.com

CHARLOTTE, NC Kim Jones Frost ‘87 8224 Early Bird Way Charlotte, NC 28277 Home: (704) 531-9399 Email: bcnaa.charlottemetro@gmail.com CHICAGO, IL Mrs. Kimberly Walls Kirk ‘98 5020 S. Blackstone Chicago, IL 60615 E-mail: kimberlywalls35@gmail.com Phone: (219) 614-3322 CINCINNATI, OH

GREENSBORO, NC Mrs. Aisha Hart Miller ‘04 709 Townsend Farm Drive Browns Summit, NC 27214 Home: 336-621-8979 Cell: 336-681-7849 Email:dranhm2021rr@gmail.com LAS VEGAS, NEVADA Ms. Tisha Harris ‘63 1201 Eleanor Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89106 Home: (702) 646-7068 Email: tharris60@aol.com METRO ATLANTA, GA

Rev. Jeaninne Lewis Walker ‘85 3236 Fairfield Avenue Cincinnati OH 45207-1830 Email: nean727@juno.com

Ms. Francena Brown ‘86 3174 Sandy Shoals Lane Decatur, GA 30034 Home: (678) 641-8265 Cell: (404) 244-7048 E-mail: francena.brown@comcast.net

COASTAL CAROLINA, NC

METRO WASHINGTON, DC

Ms. Renee R. Purvis ‘85 700 Hyman Street Williamston, NC 27892 Home: (252) 792-4955 Cell: (252) 809-9832 Email: msnicet@yahoo.com

Ms. Rhonda Slade ‘91 14652 Governor Sprigg Place Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 Home: (301) 88-1207 Email: metrodcbelles@gmail.com

DALLAS/FT. WORTH

NEW ENGLAND

Wendolyn Abel-Whitehead ‘86 5550 Spring Valley Road D-16 Dallas, TX 75254 Home: (214) 929-6160 wendy@abel-arnoldandassociates.com

Ms. Lensley Gay ‘75 461 Whalley Ave. #304B New Haven, CT 06511 Home: (203)624-9181 Cell: (203) 984-6972 Email: lensL9@aol.com

DELAWARE VALLEY

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Khia K. Naylor ‘97 220 W. Tabor Road Philadelphia, PA 19120 Home: (614) 772-0652 Email: Phillybelle97@yahoo.com

Ms. Sarah Brunson ‘90 6413 Prospect Street Fredericksburg, VA 22407 Home: (919) 210-7961 Email: Sarahbrunson411@aol.com

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

NORTH JERSEY

Mrs. Sandra Philpott-Burke ‘70 18877 Bretton Drive Detroit, MI 48223 Home: (517) 706-9503 Cell: (313) 835-4468 Email: detroitbennettnaa@gmail.com

Ms. Samantha Dow ‘97 4 Michelangelo Court Somerset, NJ 08873 Home: (908) 590-1889 Email: Samantha_dow08@yahoo.com Email: NJBelles@msn.com

DURHAM, NC

ORANGEBURG, SC

Mrs. Jacqueline Brimmage Anderson ‘70 1209 Phils Ridge Road Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Home: (919) 967-3058 E-mail: jandersonbenn@gmail.com

Dr. Grace Heyward Salters ’55 2111 Chestnut Street Orangeburg, SC 29115 Home: (803) 536 – 0895 Email: gsalters@bellsouth.net

EASTERN CAROLINA

PEE DEE COUNTY, SC

Ms. Carlinda Purcell ‘87 125 Clark Road Macon, NC 27551 Home: (252) 314-0588 Email: cpurbask@embargmail.com

Mrs. Yulaundra Ferguson-Heyward 2220 Woodridge Lane Unit G Florence, SC 29501 Home: 843-669-1126 Email: yfheyward@gmail.com

GASTONIA, NC

RALEIGH, NC

Treda Berry 13613 Porter Creek Charlotte, N.C. 28262 (704) 562-4934 Email: alto2@carolina.rr.com

Ms. Melissa J. Watson ‘13 308 Knight Avenue Cary, NC 27511 Home: (919) 744-1011 Email: melissajwatson1873@gmail.com

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA Dr. Myra McCoy Pope ‘73 2507 Little John Court Savannah, GA 31406 Home: 912-547-3150 Email: drndanu@bellsouth.net SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Sandra Davidson 367-1-2 E 116th Place Los Angeles, CA 90061 Home: 310-594-6797 Email: davidson0425@gmail.com TIDEWATER AREA, VIRGINIA Dr. Judith Brooks Buck ‘71 6400 Old Westham Drive, N Suffolk, VA 23435 (757) 483-7824 Email: jbec2000@msn.com SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CALIFORNIA Ms. Carolyn J. Silvers ‘70 67 Heritage Court Oakland, CA 94605 Home: (510) 430-1264 Email: cjsil48@aol.com Melodi Dice ‘97, (co-leader) 4138 Mt. Isabel Road Antioch, CA 94537 (510) 915-5788 E-mail: melodikd@yahoo.com.

REGIONAL COORDINATORS Carolinas: North Carolina, South Carolina Mrs. Jacqueline B. Anderson ‘70 1209 Phils Ridge Road Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Cell: (919) 967-3058 Email: and3058@gmail.com Mid-Atlantic: West Virginia, Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland Ms. Konica Haynes ‘97 4930 Walking Stick Road, Unit C Ellicott City, MD 21043 Home: (202) 425-1448 Email: konicahaynes@yahoo.com Pacific/International: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, International Dr. Carolyn Burrell Buck ’71 10251 Vivera Drive San Diego,CA 91941 Home: (858) 774-2694 Email: Carolyn.buck@alumni.cgu.edu

WESTCHESTER, NEW YORK

Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware

Mrs. Leilani Yizar-Reid ‘04 4 Howard Street, Apt. 2 Mt. Vernon, NY 10550 Home: E-mail: lyizar@gmail.com

Ms. Lenore Brathwaite ‘89 25 South Park Place Amityville, NY 11701 Cell: (631) 805-7199 Email: lenore72lab@aol

WESTERN NC

Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma

Mrs. Doris Luck Fullwood ‘61 209 Hilltop Street Morganton, NC 28655 Home: (828) 433-1420 E-mail: fullwoodda@bellsouth.net WINSTON SALEM, NC Ms. Gloria Ann Wilson ‘97 1582 Finwick Drive Pfafftown, North Carolina 27040 Cell: (336) 922-9815 Email: gloriawilson158@hotmail.com Reorganized Chapter Contacts: KINSTON, NC Mrs. Angela Greene Lanier ‘85 3421 Brothers Road LaGrange, N.C. Home: (252) 566-2182 Cell: (252)560-1578

Mrs. Deirdre Pecchioni Cummings ‘95 18917 Long Grove Way Louisville, KY 40245 Home: (502) 297-8296 Email: dpecchioni@yahoo.com Southern: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee Ms. Francena Brown ‘86 3174 Sandy Shoals Lane Decatur, GA 30034 Home: (678) 641-8265 Cell: (404) 244-7048 E-mail: francena.brown@comcast.net

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ENDURING THE STORM TOGETHER

Message from Bennett College National Alumnae Association President My phenomenal Bennett sisters, I greet you with the love of God, the solidarity of our sisterhood and the faithful prayers of the righteous, as they do avail much. In a normal season, it would be appropriate to recapitulate the successes and events of the Bennett College National Alumnae Association in a letter like this. However, these are unprecedented times.

We are in the eye of a perfect storm; winds to our left and waves to our right. Many of us have suffered great loss, while others are bravely waging war on the front lines. Some are facing the alienation and stresses of quarantine, and for some the evening shadows have fallen. Many of us continue to grieve and protest the demon of social injustice. We are indeed pressed on every side.

Our experiences may be different but our values are the same: Sisterhood. Solidarity. Service. You are lifting each other up and being your sister’s keeper. You are continuing to facilitate the business of the BCNAA and proudly showing your commitment to Bennett. I am honored to be within the ranks of this mighty sisterhood.

To those of you who were anticipating Alumnae Weekend 2020, including classes in reunion, I do salute you (from a socially safe distance). We commit to reconvening in person as soon as it is safe to do so. Also, I would like to welcome the newest alumnae, our superb class of 2020. The best is yet to come for you.

These are indeed unprecedented times, so we must call forth unprecedented resilience. Belles have a history of rising from oppression, obscurity, and uncertainty. We will do so again. We are enduring this storm together. The BCNAA will continue to adapt and practice agility so that we may serve you. Stay safe, be well. Although we may be physically distant, the love within our sisterhood will allow us to conquer all.

Yours in service, Natalie Renee Parker ‘01 President, Bennett College National Alumnae Association

BCNAA President Natalie Parker representing our Alumnae Association This semester Natalie Parker presented to students at an ACES program on campus and at the United Negro College Fund’s National Alumni Council/Pre-Alumni Council’s conference in Charlotte.

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WE THY

DAUGHTERS

STAYING CONNECTED, KEEPING CLOSE Detroit Golden Belles

In February, the Detroit Metro Chapter entertained the “Detroit Golden Belles” at a luncheon hosted by Chapter President Sandra Philpott Burke ‘70. This event was the first of several events planned in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Detroit Alumnae Chapter.

Founding members of the chapter were invited to the luncheon, including Ollie Webb Brown ’47, Roberta Favors Cottman ’45, Claudia Wells Hamilton ’50, Sydney Rowe Harvey ’45, Precious Aldrich Everett ’57, Mary Gaston Fritz ’53, Reida Dykes Gardiner ’55, Johnnie Lou Nelson Hunter ’51, and Jimmie English Jones ‘58.

Queen Simpson ‘75, and Marilyn Stewart ‘66, provided Bennett gift bags for the Belles who attended. The alums in attendance expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to “walk down memory lane.”

Sandra Philpott Burke ’70, Chapter President

Denim and Diamonds

The Western Carolina Chapter held its annual Denim and Diamonds Jazz Dinner on October 18, 2019. Chapter President Emeritus Ernestine Horton Shade presented a scholarship to Emori Lipford ’23, who is a biology major.

Doris Luck Fullwood ’61, Chapter President

White Breakfast

The Durham Chapter held their Twenty-Ninth Annual White Breakfast and Scholarship Fundraiser on December 7, 2019. Their 2019 Awards of Excellence were bestowed to Beverly B. Thompson, Public Affairs Director-City of Durham; Mavis Bolden, former educator; Kenneth W. Edmonds, Editor/Publisher of the Carolina Times; Bettie Battle Duell, licensed AME missionary; and Belle Carolyn Thornton Walker ’62, loyal chapter member and former educator.

Jacqueline Brimmage Anderson ’70, Chapter President

Holiday Hat and Gloves The Raleigh Chapter hosted a Holiday Hat and Gloves Social on Saturday, December 14, 2019 at the Piedmont Hall in Durham, N.C. This is an annual bonding event for Belles of all generations.

Melissa Watson ’13 Chapter President

Jazzy White Breakfast

The Metro Atlanta Chapter held their Annual Jazzy White Breakfast on March 14, 2020. The theme was Belles Uplifting Belles and they celebrated the Metro Atlanta “Jewels”—graduates of 50+ years.

Eugenia Johnson ’54, president of the Charleston, South Carolina chapter, traveled to be a part of this event and celebrate her birthday with her southern sisters. Additionally, awards were presented to Carl Montgomery for Outstanding Leadership in Education and to the Westside Community CME Church for Outstanding Community Service.

Francena Brown ’86, Chapter President

UNCF Scholarship Assistance

Members of the Greensboro Chapter worked with students during an Academic Cultural Enrichment Series (ACES) program focused on applying for UNCF Scholarships. On Tuesday, January 28, 2020, chapter members reviewed and edited students’ personal statements and helped them complete scholarship applications.

UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarship funds annually.

Aisha Miller ’04, Chapter President

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The coronavirus pandemic is having an impact on Black women and their families. Here is how our Bennett sisters are coping--and helping to make a difference.

The “coronavirus is getting real” moment was different for everyone.

global pandemic, the federal government announced a national emergency and states began issuing stay-at-home orders and curfews. The disease got an official name: coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

LeTresa Swearingen-Williams ‘97 was on the road to sell her jewelry line at an AKA conference in Richmond, Virginia.

“My meetings for the following week in New York had already been cancelled,” she says. But the sorority was still holding their event so LeTresa went ahead--packing some sanitizing items for her booth just to be on the safe side.

“The conference started as scheduled on Thursday, March 12 but ended early Friday when Virginia’s governor declared a state of emergency,” she says. “That meant I had to shut down with lots of inventory on hand, not to mention making sure my staff members and I returned home safely. My only thought was ‘What in the WORLD…’”

The COVID-19 infection numbers quickly started to look like so many other health statistics: Black folks are hit harder. We were affected economically as well–more likely to lose work as businesses closed or working in essential jobs that put us at health risk. Dealing with isolation and quarantine puts everyone at risk of mental health challenges, but Black and Brown people have less access to behavioral health care.

But those are just numbers. What’s it like for Bennett Belles living and working in the time of corona? Here we get real with our sisters in a variety of fields about the impact of the pandemic on their lives.

STRANGE FLU In early days, lots of folks’ only thought was that China was dealing with some strange, deadly flu. Even when it began to sweep across Asia and Europe, we didn’t worry much. It wasn’t here.

Then in January, the U.S. reported its first case in Seattle. Before we knew it New Yorkers were falling ill and dying. By March, the World Health Organization (WHO) named this spread a

By then it was real for all of us. And it was especially real for Black people.

TEACHING IS A TEST When public schools closed early this spring, the process presented challenges for teachers and their students alike. Educators who had never taught an online course found themselves trying to figure out how to use Zoom and other technology, but also how to develop material that was effective in a remote context.

As the tentacles of the pandemic reached toward North Carolina this spring, Bennett sprang into action to make plans for student safety. Here’s the day-by-day.

January 21

First U.S. case of the coronavirus reported in Washington State.

March 2 Students leave for Spring Break.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation cancels all travel/meetings—a red flag for President Walsh.

March 3 North Carolina identifies its first case of COVID-19.

March 7 Dr. Veita Bland, campus physician, sends a letter to students with guidance about how to prepare for coronavirus.

March 8 Students return from spring break.

As a Durham County public school teacher, Tonisha Coburn ‘11 was challenged to teach high-school science remotely. Many students don’t have equal access to the educational tools and resources they need. Though Tonisha’s district sent students home with packets of work and eventually gave devices to some, there was still a significant gap between students with and without internet access and computers.

Tonisha made a decision to “meet [her] kids where they were” by using district resources where she could and re-thinking assessment policies. “[COVID-19] allowed me to truly rethink education from a digital perspective,” she says. “Though our response this spring was very reactive and, unfortunately, I know some students did not continue to receive a quality education, I encourage my colleagues and fellow educators to reflect on the opportunities digital education brings as we begin to reopen schools.”

It wasn’t all about the books for Tonisha. She also found time to host a virtual prom.

Randolph County, North Carolina—interacting with families dealing with substance abuse, domestic violence, homelessness and child abuse.

All of the above are on the increase since coronavirus shutdowns.

Her job is to quickly respond to reports of a child being in danger.

“Within days of a report being filed, we are expected to see and interview all family members to address the allegations and view the inside of the house to ensure it’s appropriate and safe,” she explains. But now those interviews and inspections have to be done according to new safety policies mandated by the Department of Social Services. The department has given field employees cloth masks, rubber gloves and hand sanitizer.

“Prom was on Zoom with a live DJ on Instagram,” she says.

“Everyone was so happy and the seniors appreciated that we were able to do something for them.”

“Field workers are provided with an industrial strength mask for added protection if the need arises,” she says. When possible, interviews are conducted outside and at a social distance. Social workers are making use of technology as well.

KEEPING A DISTANCE

“Some of my colleagues have used Facetime to interview families,” she says. They may also ask a parent to take a video of the home if they don’t feel it’s safe to enter.

For some students, school is a refuge when their home situations aren’t the best. As a social worker, Thomasina Stallings ’79 sees that first hand. She typically takes on child welfare cases in

Thomasina has learned to take care of her clients while also taking care of herself.

The Science Behind the Scenes

It’s a big title for an important job in an area that has been devastated

by COVID-19: she has to make sure 23 overstretched hospitals have the staff and supplies to keep running smoothly. That means assisting with the rollout of the COVID-19 testing process and managing schedules for the teams of people who were testing and triaging samples in the labs. She has to pull gloves on, too, working overnight shifts in the triage room to help sort patient samples and expedite testing.

While some Belles on the front lines of the pandemic are taking care of sick patients, other sisters are using their medical science skills behind the scenes.

Yvette Shelton ’80 (cover picture) is a Pharmaceutical Research & Development Chemist at Mikart, LLC in Atlanta, a company that develops and manufactures medications. But since the onset of the pandemic, Mikart has shifted focus to testing: the company has committed to produce a million virus detection test kits per month.

That means Yvette’s workload and work schedule have shifted into high gear. The company is staggering work hours so fewer staffers are in the lab at one time, but all (gloved) hands are on deck.

Lenore Brathwaite ’89 has seen her job ramp up as well. She is Medical Technologist Project Coordinator for the VP of Hospital Laboratories Operations and Integration at Northwell Health Laboratories in Long Island, New York.

March 9 First meeting of campus emergency leadership team.

VP Catherine Hurd and Dean Kimberly Drye-Dancy identify students with special circumstances who can’t leave campus.

How did Bennett prepare them for this?

“I don’t think you are ever ‘prepared’ for such a pandemic,” Lenore says. “I believe what is instilled in you under extreme pressures will rise to the surface.”

What Bennett instilled was good organizational skills, the value of working with a team, and the importance of keeping the faith.

“My roommate Miriam Whitehead ‘89 taught me by her example that prayer was enough,” she says. “I had to learn that standing on your own prayer was enough.”

March 10 Governor Cooper declares a N.C. State of Emergency.

March 11 U.S. coronavirus cases top 1,000; Trump bans travel from Europe.

March 12 Senior Day ceremony at social distance.

(President wears earbuds for emergency call with governor.)

Faculty required to create remote learning plans by 3-16.

Global Studies Anne Hayes, Sarah Akiwumi call BC student in London; she has 24 hours to leave U.K.

Student studying in London returns home to North Carolina.

College cancels Spring Open House, Interdisciplinary Research Day, Ebony Soul.

PREPPING FOR PROTECTION

TRYING TO STAY AFLOAT

Cheryl (Williams) Grant ‘84, has an even more elaborate prep process at work. She puts on a face shield, gloves, a mask, hair nets, a smock and packs disinfectant spray.

As an ultrasonographer for Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center in Georgia, she’s in direct contact with COVID patients all day every day.

“I am constantly performing vascular study exams on pending and confirmed COVID-19 patients,” she says. She has to check their veins to ensure the patients don’t have blood clots in the lungs. Those procedures can last from 30 minutes to an hour--and during all that time, she’s exposed.

If she has a patient on a ventilator, they have to be checked for blood clots and other existing conditions. She has even longer exposure to them because “multiple exams must be performed to check on their other medical issues,” she says.

“At this point, I’m just grateful that so far, no one in the ultrasound department has been sick or had to quarantine.”

While essential workers are focused on not getting the virus, entrepreneurs like LaTresa SwearingenWilliams are trying to stay afloat in an economy declining because of it. This year was supposed to be her most profitable year in business. Instead she’s spent the majority of 2020 fighting to keep her business afloat.

She was awarded a small PPP loan, but still has to strategize about how the business can generate revenue in a volatile environment.

“I had to be sensitive to the fact that many people were experiencing loss of employment or their work hours being cut significantly,” she explains. She thought that might put a damper on people wanting to spend money on jewelry. But despite the fact that all of her major conferences for 2020 have been cancelled or rescheduled, her jewelry sales have gone up.

Boosting her social media presence may have helped. “It has been a lot of fun connecting with my customer base and new customers by going live on social,” she says.

“My business has struggled like many other businesses,” she says.

“However, we continue to be hopeful and remain positive because of our customers and supporters.”

Being hopeful, positive and resilient is a hallmark of a Belle.

Coronavirus offers a different kind of threat to Black women.

“Social isolation may be a drag for you, but for some sisters, it’s literally putting their lives in danger.” The coronavirus pandemic has caused a surge in domestic violence, according to an Essence.com article by Bennett College journalism professor Tamara Jeffries. The article, titled “For Black Women Suffering Domestic Abuse, Coronavirus Quarantines Are Life Threatening,” says “...sisters [are] at an even greater risk of physical, emotional or financial abuse.” The article gives recommendations for women who are in danger. The story can be found at essence.com/news/domestic-violence-coronavirus/

March 13 White House calls COVID-19 a national emergency.

March 14 Announcement: vacate campus March 22, remote instruction, postponed graduation.

Tom Lipscomb hosts a session for faculty about effective online teaching.

Residence directors Rachel Pridgen, Dorthea L Taylor plan for student move out.

Faculty submit Remote Access Plans to Dean Willietta Gibson for review.

Crisis Management Center and Emergency Call Center established.

March 15 President Walsh Zooms with seniors upset about graduation.

Dining Hall moves to take out.

Staff does daily check-ins with students.

REDUCING RISK AND HARM While many of us are keeping up with COVID-19 in sound bites, Belles in the public health fields are delving deep into the science and spread of the disease, and influencing policies to ensure our health.

Doreleena Sammons Hackett ’76, is Project Director for the Society for Public Health Education’s (SOPHE) Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Program in Washington D.C. which is funded through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sharrelle Barber, ScD, ‘07 is an Assistant Research Professor in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health. She is also national advisor and coordinator of the COVID-19 Health Justice Advisory Committee, convened by her father, Rev. Dr. William Barber, as part of his Poor People’s Campaign. Here, we ask them about their roles in educating communities and influencing health policy in the age of pandemic.

First, explain what public health does.

Sharrelle Barber: I’m trained in social epidemiology. We try to understand how diseases operate in populations. How is it going to spread? What social factors, such as structural racism, are going to make people more at risk? We work on understanding the issues and advocate for policies and prevention strategies that center the most impacted populations.

Hurd, Drye-Dancy organize housing, tech assistance for students.

How does structural racism intersect with this health crisis?

SB: For example, I study residential segregation and health. We know that Black neighborhoods disproportionately have problems with crowded housing and clean water. We we are being told to social distance and wash our hands but Black folks may not be able to do those things. We can say all day long ‘you need to wash your hands,’ but what about Flint, Michigan?

DSH: Some of our work has shifted to ensuring that food is available to the communities that were already suffering from food insecurity.

Food banks have worked overtime with community agencies to ensure that those affected by the virus and by job loss have food and supplies.

SB: The pandemic isn’t going anywhere. Flattening the curve means we have enough hospital beds, not that COVID-19 is gone. We’re going to be dealing with this over the next couple of years.

So what should we be doing?

Doreleena Sammons Hackett: Right now the COVID-19 outbreak is having a disproportionate impact on communities of color, raising urgent questions about what can be done to reduce risk and harm for people of color. My team is advocating for evidence-based solutions to alleviate the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 on our communities.

We’ve been working to educate decision-makers on national and state legislative issues related to a healthy society.

SB: My colleagues and I have been thinking about people in prisons, homeless populations, segregated communities, low-wage essential workers—groups that would be most affected by COVID-19.

College moves to remote instruction.

SB: As an epidemiologist I knew that wasn’t going to be the case.

All pandemics have a trajectory. I knew once the pandemic settled in then it was going to intersect with structural racism. It was only a matter of time that COVID-19 was going to wreak havoc.

What’s your message to your Bennett sisters?

Why is public health research important today?

March 16 Crisis Management team meets daily at 6:00 p.m. for the next 16 days.

Early on, the message was that Black folks weren’t getting coronavirus.

SB: Continue to do the things that are smart and healthy, like social distancing and wearing masks. Then reflect: This has shown us so many breakdowns in our society—not just racism, but the breakdown in democracy. We need to demand something new, something totally, radically different. We need to advocate for the more equitable and just world we all deserve.

DSH: We must continue to educate communities of color on the correct way to demonstrate, especially during an epidemic. Protests without masks may result in an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Why do you do this work?

SB: I got into public health to push for the things that will make us well. I’m committed more than ever to continuing this work. I can stand the way I do because of Bennett. My time at Bennett gave me the necessary confidence and sense of purpose. I have to honor that.

DSH: The COVID-19 outbreak has re-illuminated what we have already known: that despite injustice, inequality and disregard for our lives, we continue to show our strength by advocating for our rights, demanding justice and equality, and caring for those around us. We never back down.

March 17 Guilford County confirms its first case of COVID-19.

March 18 Parent meeting about earlier campus closure.

The date for students to vacate campus moved to March 20.

Classes suspended so students can pack.

Alumnae offer temp housing; Andrena Coleman preps Bennett apartments.

March 20 All 205 students safely vacated the campus as of 6:30 p.m.

U.S. coronavirus cases top 13,000.

Bennett Blueprints A grant to renovate Susie Jones Alumnae House will restore Bennett’s oldest building.

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ormer Dean Mary Scarlett ‘54 has fond memories of “Prexy’s house.” Both of her parents were on staff at the college when David Dallas Jones was president. Little Mary spent her entire childhood on campus before attending Bennett College as a student.

“President Jones’ children were my babysitters,” she recounted on a 2018 video recording. “There’s a flight of steps in the back of the president’s home and I bounced down those steps more than once while my parents were in faculty or staff meetings.”

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Now, thanks to a $460 thousand grant from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, the house (and those stairs) will be restored to their original beauty.

Jones and other college presidents called the pristine white house home before it became the alumnae house.

The house was completed in 1915 as The President’s residence for Dr. James E. Wallace; Dr. Frank Trigg lived there from 1915-1926. But it was “Prexy,” who lived there from 1926–1955, who brought the house to life.

Dr. Jones came to the college after the co-ed institution was reorganized as a college for women. With his wife, Susie Williams Jones, he set out to highlight the beauty of the campus, as well as the graciousness and intelligence of its students. The president’s home became a meeting place for potential donors, housing for notable college guests, and a place for students to literally keep up with the Joneses. It was a place of comfort and culture.

“Prexy and Mrs. Jones would sit on white wicker chairs on the front porch,” Dean Scarlett recalls. “They would watch the students, converse with the students and entertain guests.”

It’s now the only building remaining from that time period.

The Plan

The renovation project will include interior and exterior repairs to restore the traditional architectural aesthetics of the house, but to also make sure that it runs with modern efficiency. Historically accurate period details inside and out will be refurbished or replaced, but energy efficient heating and cooling, and upgraded electrical and plumbing will bring the building up to code. A handicap ramp and accessible walkway will ensure the building meets ADA standards.

When the work is done, the house will be an inviting Welcome Center for visitors—including comfortable housing for visiting faculty and other guests of the College. It will also provide meeting space for alumnae groups, and the Bennett College National Alumnae Association will have offices there, so the building will enjoy regular use.

Architectural Style

The two-story, 4,200 square foot wood-frame structure combines elements of American Queen Anne and American Foursquare style, the latter characterized by a rectangular floor plan with the library, living room, entry hall, and dining room taking up four corners of the first floor. Four bedrooms and a bath make up the second floor; another bedroom and bath are in a rear wing.

The interior includes architectural details typical of the period such as double-hung wood-sash windows and a two-panel door with a large glass pane in the upper half. Mantelpieces and built-in bookcases as well as the dining room’s built-in corner cupboard are examples of especially fine woodcraft.

The renovation project is the culmination of a yearslong process of reviving the campus. In 2004, Bennett was awarded a grant from the Getty Foundation to study the campus heritage. That effort resulted in a plan to retain, protect and preserve significant buildings and other aspects of the historic campus. The Alumnae House was included in the plan, but due to other institutional priorities, the college hadn’t been in a position to tackle the project.

Now, a team led by Andrena Coleman, Associate Vice President of Operations and Logistics, will plan and oversee the project to ensure every aspect of the project is compliant with federal standards and true to the spirit of the original home. Their work will include not just “prettifying” the house, but delving into the technical, sometimes tedious aspects of completing a historic restoration that meets the exacting standards of the Department of the Interior.

This is the latest building renovation resulting from participation in the Getty Campus Heritage Program.

Previous historic renovations included the Merner Pfeiffer Heating Plant adapted for reuse as a journalism and media studies building; the Wilbur Steele Dining Hall that became an art gallery with an art lab; Holgate Library upgrade; and the Race building remodel.

“It’s a treasure. It’s one of our campus jewels,” says Dean Scarlett of the Alumnae House. With the restoration, it promises to once again be a centerpiece of campus and community life.

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VIRTUAL GRADUATION

“Bigger than a piece of paper.”

One thing we will always be able to say about the 2020 commencement: It was historic.

It wasn’t originally planned that way. In March, with a pandemic looming and more than 200 students to get safely home, commencement was the least of anyone’s worries. Students would finish the semester from the safety of home and we’d send the diplomas later.

But when it dawned on the seniors that going home early also meant missing their graduation ceremony, an outcry went up.

Seniors wanted to walk–to be honored and celebrated.

“I focused on making sure students knew they would get their physical diplomas; what they wanted was the ceremony,” said President Walsh. “The paper seems incidental. As one student said, ‘The day is bigger than the piece of paper’.”

So the Commencement Planning Committee reimagined the ceremony through a virtual lens. The result included filmed sketches of their beloved “Miss Mary,” a fiery speaker with Bennett DNA, and folks dolled up from head to... waist. But each graduate got to hear her name called and to be cheered by her family, friends and peers.

It wasn’t the same. But it was definitely bigger than a piece of paper.

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MTV host brought energy and inspiration to virtual commencement

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n May 9, Bennett College experienced two intersecting superlatives: Our first virtual commencement ceremony and the youngest commencement speaker the college has ever had—MTV host Jamila Mustafa.

“We needed someone who is of this moment,” said President Walsh of the decision to invite Mustafa to speak. It was quite a moment: Students were heartbroken when the in-person ceremony had to be postponed because of coronavirus gathering restrictions. Others were a little skeptical about how well such a solemn occasion could be pulled off virtually. The planning committee was determined to make it work, but they needed an anchor.

“We needed somebody inspiring and dynamic. Someone who likes to take on new challenges and some risks,” President Walsh said. The speaker had to be able to capture and hold the people’s attention through a screen, but it also had to be someone who could relate to the students—and inspire them in these confusing times.

Then Walsh remembered meeting Mustafa at the Black Enterprise Black Women of Power Summit in 2014. Mustafa was still an undergrad at Delaware State University—and the only college student who had thought to bring recording equipment to interview the powerful women leaders at the conference. Clearly, Mustafa was bound for success.

She certainly achieved it. Mustafa is now the host of MTV Network’s “Fresh Out Live” and “Fresh Out Playlist.” She has been a correspondent for FOX, iHeartMedia, BET Networks and ESPN 2, and has interviewed political leaders like Congresswoman Maxine Waters and entertainers such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Issa Rae, Kevin Hart, and Taraji P. Henson.

Among her treasures: a letter of recognition from former V.P. Joe Biden and a citation from the U.N. naming her one of the “Most Influential People of African Descent Under 40.”

But, as she told the virtual commencement audience, getting there was not always glamorous. “Everyone wants to walk in your heels until they find out the price you paid for them,” she said.

She said that when she graduated (“barely”) from college, her first job in the industry was a minimum-wage, temporary gig for a BET digital pilot. The producers told her not to move to New York because they couldn’t promise a permanent job.

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“Little did they know, I had no intention of returning to Wilmington, Delaware,” she says. Instead she woke up at 3 a.m every day to do research, to write stories, edit, memorize scripts and do her own hair and makeup—and that was before she went to work. Meanwhile she picked up another hosting job at ESPN to make ends meet—and to flesh out her resume. In three years, the show she helped launch became BETs top digital daily series. But she was still waking up at 3 a.m.

“Our generation cares more about a ‘follow back’ than following their dreams,” she says. She warned students against getting caught up in what looks like success, and encouraged new graduates to “treat every job with the same respect, effort and execution.” You never know where a opportunity may lead.

“Opportunities do not always come with their price-tag value stamped upon them,” she said.

If her advice makes her sound like a Bennett big sister, it may be because Bennett is “family” to Mustafa: Her grandmother, Fannie Carroll, graduated in the Class of 1949 and served as the class secretary, so Mustafa knows what it’s like to be “cut from the Bennett College cloth.”

In fact, she credits her grandmother’s wisdom with helping her stay balanced and focused as a young woman whose job puts her constantly in the swirl of celebrity and power.

“She used to tell me, ‘Never let success get to your head or failure get to your heart.’” Mustafa seems like a young woman who follows sound advice when she hears it.

Charity in Times of Crisis COVID-19 is uncharted territory for us all. But the impulse to give during times of crisis and disaster is not.

Philanthropic and charitable giving helps our communities survive, thrive and grow as they emerge from times of crisis.

Anxiety is understandably high these days, worsened by being isolated at home and caught up in a news cycle that swings between protests and pandemic. That makes donors want to be more careful about everything—including when, where and how they give. No matter the circumstances, donors want to be certain that they are making the right decisions when it comes to making a charitable donation to any organization.

Of course, you want to be assured that your gift to Bennett College is wisely invested in the college’s future. There is no need to worry if you follow these tips savvy donors use to navigate the stormy seas of charitable giving during uncertain times:

Consider donating online as an alternative to in-person events.

Fundraising events like our White Breakfasts and jazz brunches traditionally bring communities together to support the College. Now we’ve had to get very skilled in reinventing the way we gather and give. In lieu of in-person events, consider organizing an online event— and making your donation online as well. It’s a quick and convenient way to give and you can do it from the comfort of your home.

Take some pressure off by setting up a recurring gift.

Establishing a recurring deduction means you never have to mail another check. It also helps you to budget responsibly and maintain a consistent level of giving to the College. It is convenient, customizable, environmentally friendly, and provides steady and predictable cash flow to the College, which is critical in an unsteady financial economy.

Look into tax incentives provided by the CARES Act.

As a taxpayer, you can take advantage of a new $300 deduction for contributions to qualified charities. It’s an “above-the-line” deduction, meaning it reduces adjusted gross income (AGI) and is available even if you don’t itemize deductions. The CARES Act also loosens other limitations on charitable deductions.

Give your time and talents to help your community.

In times of need, the gift of your time and talents can be your most valuable contribution.

Even this time of social distancing, you can check on neighbors, make and deliver meals, donate blood or just say a simple prayer.

These are unprecedented times, and no one knows what the future holds, but our history shows that our strength is our ability to be gracious with our time and resources when trouble and need require it. We know we can depend on that and we know we can depend on one another.

Connect with us today to explore how donating to Bennett College can help you realize your personal and financial goals. Contact LaDaniel Gatling at (336) 517-1761 or ladaniel.gatling@bennett.edu to discuss ways to bring your love for Bennett College to life!

BEHIND BEARDEN GATES

What a season this has been.

Dear Bennett Alumnae, If I were writing this letter any other summer, I might be musing about students studying abroad, faculty working on their summer research projects, and staff preparing to welcome students back in a few weeks.

But I’m writing this this summer—masked and socially isolating— as our students and many of you are taking to the streets to rail against racist violence and social inequities. Faculty and staff are sheltering, attending their summer conferences via Zoom. I’ve spent the spring and summer tracking coronavirus updates, meeting with health officials, and working with an engaged faculty and staff to determine how we would resume classes in the fall.

As you know, we recently announced that decision: Fall will be a virtual semester. I could say it was a difficult decision, but in many ways it wasn’t. When we made the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff our first priority, the decision was clear.

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Because we have been practicing for this moment. Consider this: Because of our ongoing accreditation work, we were already putting together plans to anticipate, stabilize, and navigate our VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) environment. That meant that we were already planning for a possible dip in enrollment and planning shifts in our financial model. We were girded for the challenges now facing all of higher education in the wake of the pandemic. When the coronavirus hit, we were already in the right mindset. We just had to press our four stabilization pillars into high gear. In some ways, our VUCA mindset and smallness mean that we are better positioned than some of our larger neighbors.

We are nimble. We are prepared. We are willing to pitch in and work together. And when I say “we”, I include you, our alumnae.

You respond quickly when called to help our students who need assistance; when we need people to staff a table at a college fair; when we need advice on public health issues.

That’s not to say the process was easy. It did involve countless hours of thought and planning, with advice from the very best public-health minds from across the country including alumna, Dr. Sharelle Barber ‘07. We used the best available data to make a decision in the Bennett context—considering the health of Black women; considering the percentage of students, faculty and staff with underlying health conditions; considering race and gender and the impact on our broader community. Black people are suffering and dying at much higher levels than other racial and ethnic groups—Black women are particularly at risk. I was unwilling to sacrifice or experiment with Black women’s lives. The benefits simply do not outweigh the risks. Yes, this was a public health decision, a leadership team and Board decision and a business decision, but it is also an ethical and moral one.

You do this—we all do this—because, in the end, we know where our treasure lies: in the young women who come to Bennett College for an education of substance and an experience of value. We all want to play a role in helping them to be successful in the world; to help them be confident, healthy, antifragile, women-of-color leaders in what will continue to be a VUCA world. The world needs Bennett women now more than ever—and Bennett women need Bennett women to support one another through these VUCA times.

I’ve been gratified by the response. Students are sad that they won’t be back on campus in person, but they are eagerly registering for courses and planning for their semester. Staff and faculty are making plans for fall classes and all kinds of virtual activities. The energy makes me even more optimistic and enthusiastic. Why?

This is not the summer any of us expected, but it is a season for which we are well prepared. Well prepared to help and support each other and the mission of Bennett College. To paraphrase my poem, “What shall I tell my students who are Black Women?”:

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay prepared We must and will survive

Suzanne Elise Walsh, JD President

CASE AWARDS The #StandWithBennett campaign keeps winning! The campaign video and program won awards at the 2020 CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) District III annual conference in Orlando, Florida in February.

Left to right: Ashley Privott (Awards Chair, CASE District III), Aziz Peregrino-Brimah (Webmaster, Bennett College), Deborah Love (Senior Director for Alumnae Relations and Annual Giving), Yolande Johnson (Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship / Interim Coordinator for Career Services, Bennett College), LaDaniel Gatling, II (Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Bennett College), Christopher Clarke (Chair, CASE District III)

Bennett received a Bronze Award in the Fundraising Video category for “#StandWithBennett Thank You Video.”

Among the CASE Platinum Awards, which recognized the best-of-the-best programs and practices in educational advancement, the “#StandWithBennett Campaign” received an Honorable Mention.

In addition, Institutional Advancement team members--including Vice President of Institutional Advancement LaDaniel Gatling; Yolande Johnson, Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship; and webmaster Aziz Peregrino-Brimah–were also invited to make two presentations at

the conference: “#StandWithBennett: A Campaign to Save Bennett College,” and “#StandWithBennett: Using Social Media to Create a Movement.”

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is the leading global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement, including alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services.

SUMMER SCHOLARS Our little sister Belles aren’t letting travel restrictions stop their summer educational activities. Students are engaging in a variety of virtual opportunities designed to enhance their studies and help them advance in their fields.

Ta’Mesha Blunt, Katiya Laster, Nzinga Muhammad and Michaela Zeno are Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) Frederick Douglass Summer Scholars. They each received a $1500 grant award that may be used toward any CIEE summer program, plus $500 for future travel. Bennett College matched the grant so students will have an extra $1500 to put toward their international experience.

Because of travel restrictions, CIEE postponed travel until summer of 2021, but our Douglass scholars are able to “virtually study abroad” by taking a summer course taught by international faculty.

Michaela Zeno

Venay Wilkins will participate in the Enhancing Undergraduate Education and Research in Aging to Eliminate Health

Disparities (ENGAGED) & Excellence in Cardiovascular Sciences (EICS) Summer Program at Wake Forest School of Medicine online.

The University of Virginia VA-NC Alliance Program selected Princess Bush, Alexis Jones, Ashlynn Lee and Hannah Ross for the Summer GRE course. Alexis Jones and Auriella Houston are participating in the Professional Development Series as part of the same program. The goal of the VirginiaNorth Carolina Alliance is to increase the number of underrepresented students in the STEM workforce.

Ciara Studstill was accepted into the Synergy Leadership Training Internship at Mercy Works, a non-profit organization in Syracuse, NY that owns and operates the Clarence Jordan Vision Center. The organization facilitates programs that focus on academic achievement, character development, technical training, and employment skills.

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BEHIND BEARDEN GATES

A Light in the Dark: Counseling Services helps Belles find their way to better mental health College can be stressful enough on its own.

Add isolation from the campus community and distance from caring counselors because of the pandemic, and it’s a prescription for greater anxiety.

Yet Aishia Griffin, MS, LCAS-A and Bennett’s Director of Counseling Services, is employing every available tool to help keep Belles mentally healthy and to proactively address their emotional issues, until true face-to-face counseling resumes.

and interaction. The center also texts, emails, and calls students if any of those are preferred.

How are Belles responding to virtual counseling? “About half are good with virtual face-to-face, and that’s the better

“In partnership with other Bennett departments, including psychology, campus ministry, accessibility services and campus life, we’re connecting with students virtually, any way we can,” said Aishia.

The backbone of virtual counseling is a Zoom-like platform called Doxy.me. Aishia appreciates its many advantages: it’s HIPAAcompliant, convenient for individual therapy and, as she said, “I can see them and read their body language. That’s especially important and so much better than a phone call, since so much of what we communicate is non-verbal.”

The Counseling Center also uses its own social media platforms–Instagram, Facebook and Twitter–to post information that helps Belles cope with their issues, including a series like “Surviving COVID-19,” and live broadcasts that allow participation

Professor Myrie leads COVID-19 Education Taskforce for Malawi

option,” she said. “For the other half, some don’t feel they’re in a safe environment.

Besides dealing with their families’ stigma against counseling, they don’t have ‘space’ or privacy. They have to leave home to talk with us.”

Apart from the pressures of college, the issues that students face are myriad, and some are serious. “We see a lot of trauma,” she said, “from assault, partner or family violence, gun violence, deaths, and grief and loss.”

Dr. Doreen Myrie, a professor in the department of Curriculum and Instruction, organized a webinar in partnership with the Malawian Education Policy and Teacher Education Department to help educators in that country provide education and educational materials to children during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

A native of Malawi, Dr. Myrie collaborated with colleagues in Malawi, China and the U.S. who have expertise in distance education to present their research and ideas on June 15. This dynamic group of international educators gathered to discuss the challenges of access and to propose solutions.

The challenges of distance education access are real. Only 4% of Malawians have

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She’s particularly concerned about alcohol and drug abuse, especially marijuana. Many young people do not see pot as a drug, because of decriminalization and legalization in many places. “They use it to cope, to selfmedicate, to sleep, to encourage appetite, but they don’t understand its impact,” Aishia said. “Research now tells us that marijuana use is not good for brain growth and the development of good decisionmaking skills. It can also have an impact on mental health, awakening psychoses and other mental health challenges that have lain dormant.”

A benefit to Belles is that counseling didn’t end with the semester; it will continue throughout the summer, and Aishia will be checking in on students she hasn’t heard from. Counseling programs, including those for new students and the LGBTQ community, will continue as well.

What advice would she give Belles regarding their mental health? “They’re quick to see a doctor when they have an ailment; I’d encourage them to be more proactive, more intentional,” she said, “and not wait until a crisis affects their academics and physical health. In our culture, females are bred to be pillars, to be strong. We need to learn how to take off the super-hero cape.” That’s good counsel for all of us!

access to a laptop or computer; 52% live in a household that has a mobile phone.

Thanks to Dr. Myrie’s efforts, the group will work with Malawian instructors and administrators to encourage a variety of distance-education efforts that take these statistics into consideration. Some education delivery ideas may include using digital and analog media including print-based lessons, radio, public television, and online learning.

“We are so excited and honored to be part of this webinar,” says Dr. Myrie.

“Knowledge gained will guide participants and the nation on how best the Malawi child can be assisted amid COVID-19 and beyond to ensure that equitable access to education is achieved.”

A Place for Quiet Reflection Many guests of Bennett’s virtual 2020 commencement got their first look at a special place on campus–the Interfaith Prayer Room–as Kathy Allen greeted her sister graduates. This quiet space offers the entire Bennett community a place of peace, tranquility, and reflection.

: The Interfaith Prayer Room

A calming, relaxing aquamarine blue color was selected for the walls and ceilings. As direction of prayer is important in some faith traditions, directional indicators adorn the walls. A cabinet was stocked with a variety of Islamic, Buddhist and Hindu iconography, or users may bring their own;

“Bennett has always welcomed diversity and inclusion,” said chaplain Rev. Natalie McLean ’80. “Yet many of our international students, particularly Muslims, did not have a convenient place to worship in their own tradition. In 2018, we were given a grant from the Interfaith Youth Core and that allowed us to establish the Interfaith Prayer Room.”

Rev. McLean tackled two immediate tasks: seeking input from students regarding what the room should be and what it should look like, and finding the right place on campus that could be open around the clock yet still be safe and secure.

“We found the perfect room in the student union and set about making it a place for prayer and meditation,” she said.

to take,” said Rev. McLean. “We don’t ‘monitor’ use of the room, but I visit frequently to look for prayer requests. And I have an idea of how many have used the room by the number of stones taken.”

The room is also a comfortable place, with a plush rug flanked by chairs, mats, pillows, and a kneeling bench. Washing items are stocked, too. For ambiance, there are electric candles, a small gurgling fountain, and a machine with sounds of nature, and just outside the window overlooking Washington Street, chimes that catch the wind.

And even as the campus is officially closed, the room is open to all when the student union is open.

several religious references are available. On a desk, a journal into which visitors may write thoughts, concerns and prayer requests remains open. Just outside, there’s a dryerase board on which “reservations” may be made, and a shoe rack for those whose faith tradition requires being unshod.

“We also placed a bowl of stones engraved with inspirational messages for visitors

“We set about creating a space that students and the Bennett community could ‘claim as their own’; a place to be, to breathe, to recognize differences but celebrate commonalities,” said Rev. McLean. “Some in our community do not practice a religion, yet we offer all a place for quiet meditation and reflection. In this room, your heart can find its home in the faith of your understanding.”

Bennett Students attend UNCF Conference Members of the Bennett College Prealumnae Council (PAC), staff advisors, and alumnae attended the 2020 United Negro College Fund’s National Alumni Council/Pre-alumni Council’s Leadership Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina on February 5-9, 2020. This conference included opportunities to attend workshops, meet with graduate school recruiters, network with various employers at a job fair, fellowship with students and alumni from UNCF colleges and universities, and listen to a host of guest speakers. One of the highlights for students was attending a dinner with alumnae from the Metro Charlotte, Gastonia chapters and Bennett College National Alumnae Association.

Michaela Bobier, a junior from Los Angeles, California serves as Miss Bennett College UNCF. Jayla Barnes, a senior from Wilson, North Carolina serves as the Bennett College PAC president.

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Break the Darkness Open (In Honor of George Floyd)

I pray, I speak my supplication, I beseech, that we will not waste the meaning of this hour, neither those who have been silenced nor those who have done the silencing; neither those of us who have been turned away nor those who have turned their backs.

That we will make of this hour a communion of action, a gathering of fragments, a unity of purpose.

May we not waste this time, its worth beyond all price.

May we not waste the sacrifice of those who suffer, the courage of those who speak, the vision of those who see, the beauty of those who are brave.

May we not waste the cries of those whose hunger is so old it erases even the memory of fullness.

May we not waste the gift of opening to transformative fire, the meaning of death and the promise of rebirth.

May we not waste this visit from the Holy.

May we feel our hearts burn with the chance to take the veil from our eyes that we may finally speak together in all our many languages proclaiming we are one.

This is our chance to say, Yes. to stand squarely in this blinding shaft of Light so that full truth can come into our hearts, and break the darkness open.

—Linda Beatrice Brown ‘61

Her Giving Story: Glendora McIlwain Putnam ’45 Glendora McIlwain Putnam had a plan.

Born in 1923, she grew up in Methuen, Massachusetts, a small city north of Boston. A defining moment of her youth was when she was barred from entering the predominantly white high school’s chapter of the YWCA. It scarred her view of the Y, she later said. “But I decided that I was going to law school, and I was going to kick open every door that had ever been shut on me when I was growing up, and the YWCA was always one of them.”

That’s exactly what she did. When Ms. Putnam graduated from Bennett College in 1945, she went on to get a law degree from Boston College in 1948—an era when law firms only valued a woman for her typing skills. But Ms. Putnam proved herself as a successful civil rights attorney eventually landing an appointment in President Gerald Ford’s administration.

Along the way, her community service included working with the YWCA, ensuring they were fully integrated. She eventually became national board president–traveling the world as their representative.

“My professional goal was to get rid of discrimination and segregation. That’s why I went to law school,” she said in a Boston University School of Law video. “And I couldn’t conquer them all, but I think I put a dent in quite a few.”

When she died at 92 from complications from a stroke, she had a plan for her alma mater, too. She made the College a beneficiary of her estate, leaving a bequest that makes it possible for Bennett College to recruit and retain exceptional students and prepare future generations of critical thinkers to become global influencers, just as she was.

Ms. Putnam’s generosity has ensured that her legacy will continue in her name–and that other young women will be able to follow their dreams and succeed in their plans. Such dreams are possible, as Glendora Putnam proved with her life and her gift.

You, too, can make a lasting gift to Bennett by making a charitable bequest.

To learn more about setting up your charitable bequest, contact LaDaniel Gatling at (336) 517-1761 or ladaniel.gatling@bennett.edu to discuss ways to bring your love for Bennett College to life!

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Remembering our Sit-In Sisters 1960 Or so they say.

It is too complicated to disagree And the facts slip Through the fingers A string of white beads, Broken and scattered.

So we celebrate Day One As a winter fire ignited by four flames Or so they say.

1959 We matched their winter fire, ignited.

Armored with pearls of wisdom.

Blessed and protected.

Our excellence Insisted upon.

But, 1960 We set our hats, brims dipped to hide the fire in our faces And shield us from the camera’s glare, Evidence of labor by our hands Enveloped in soft gloves.

1958 She showed us how To set our feet, poised To allow space for a King And permission for his elevation.

She had no match.

She needed none.

Today We set our smiles, knowing Allowing space and permission.

Look, there: Four flames.

The spark. The start.

Our match.

Or so they say.