I was once in the car with someone who attends another university in Georgia; we were having a casual conversation about Spelman and why I think my institution provides me a phenomenal education. He interrupted one of my sentences to ask me, "What makes Spelman so great? I mean, Howard and Hampton are way better, so why is Spelman number 1?"
Immediately, I was alarmed that one would ask such a question. Nonetheless, I chose to answer his question.
In the past few years, Spelman has topped the lists of the Historically Black Colleges (HBCU) in the Country on various websites and rankings in some of the top publications in the world. Many times, the rankings for other colleges and universities change, but Spelman remains on top. But what is the secret? It is a secret that many other HBCU's try to discover.
5. We are ALL educated on the African Diaspora of the World.
4. Our education is BEYOND top-notch.
We are educated by best-selling authors, scholars and researchers that not only take pride into their work, but educating women so that they can become just as phenomenal. In our courses, we are not just writing papers and reading articles, we are active in our classrooms. Through off campus research to various trips to important landmarks in the world, we are being educated in ways so we can excel and become women that make the world go 'round.
3. We have support from our Morehouse Brothers.
Although we are an independent institution, we can not succeed alone. Our brothers are here to help us through study sessions and editing our research papers just to be on the safe side. The many nights where we cry and are stressed out from so much being on our plates, they are always there to be someone to talk to and to help in any way that is possible. Although there are the rough days where there may be some disagreements or our "feminism" is just way too much for them, they still will definitely make sure they are in attendance to your Phi Beta Kappa Induction ceremony.
2. The sisterhood is TRULY real.
During New Student Orientation (or SpelJail), we are tested to see if we really have our sister's back. Through preparing for the Computer Literacy exam to giving honest criticism on your Glee Club audition, we have to really be there for your sisters. There are days that we will be awake at 3 am helping our sister study for her Spanish Final, (even though we may not be great in Spanish) or giving a detailed summary of your ADW readings to our sister who might not have had time to read the week before the class. We are willing to make sacrifices so our sisters can succeed, because they will make sacrifices for us too. In the end we will be on top of the world together.
1. We are black women who are changing the world each and every day.
Upon walking into the Spelman College gates for the first time, we have made the choice to change the world. Our alums are preachers, actors, singers, entrepreneurs and many more careers that make our world turn. We tackle internships, studying abroad, and being heavily involved on and off campus. Each summer, you will find us helping unfortunate children in Costa Rica, researching terminal diseases at Yale or mentoring girls with our Spelman Sister Keisha Knight-Pulliam. Many of our sisters that have made their mark on the world include actor Esther Rolle, Bernice King, Christine King Ferris and even The President and CEO of Sam's Club, Rosalind Brewer. Every time we hear the Spelman College Glee Club sing "I'll be the change I want to see," we are thinking of the ways that we can make a difference in our world. So don't be surprised if a Spelman woman is the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, because it is definitely not a surprise to us.
All institutions are amazing and are institutions that we respect, and Spelman women just desire the same respect. At the end of the day we demand respect by showing the world what we can do and that we are not only the #1 Historically Black College in the country, we are some of the top educated black women in the world and we will not let you forget it.
