Spelman College News September 1, 2011 New Board Chair Rosalind Brewer, C'84, Shares Her Vision Poised to continue Spelman's legacy of strong leadership and excellence, Rosalind G. Brewer, C'84, steps into her new role as chair of Spelman College's board of trustees confident, capable and committed to her beloved alma mater. On May 31, 2011, the Atlanta resident became the fourth alumna chair preceded by Marian Wright Edelman, C'60, Dr. June Gary Hopps, C'60, and her immediate predecessor Yvonne R. Jackson, C'70. A savvy business strategist and corporate leader, Brewer is the executive vice president of Walmart and president of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s East Business Unit. Her resume runs deep including high profile positions with Kimberly-Clark Corp. While sitting on boards like Lockheed Martin Corp and being listed No. 35 on Fortune magazine's Fifty Most Powerful Women in Business<http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostpowerfulwomen/2010/> 2010 list, it's Brewer's love, passion, and dedication to Spelman that gets her excited. She is particularly excited about the future of the College. What is your proudest moment as an alumna? I really get excited every year when school starts, and I see the first-year students coming. They're excited and so encouraged by the education process; and wanting to learn and to be on our campus. I'm also really proud of what Spelman has been able to do every year - to be so financially sound. There are few single sex institutions, particularly HBCUs, so I really am proud of Spelman and that it's had such staying power. You have transitioned from student all the way to board chair. Can you share how your relationship with the College has evolved over the years? As a student I was always active on campus with the student government association and representing my class as one of the class officers. After I graduated from the College, I was the class agent for the Reunion period. I've always had some form of a relationship with Spelman, and it has just grown over the years. As my capacity to give has grown, my philanthropic nature and relationship have grown as well. I've always had the love of my dear alma mater. Our relationship kept getting deeper and deeper, and I became a trustee in 2006. Can you share some memories of your time as a student at Spelman? I met my husband of 23 years, John, while I was there. He's a Morehouse graduate. The biggest memory I have is during my senior year. I lost my father about three months before graduation. I was taking advance physical and organic chemistry and trying to run back and forth to Michigan. Dr. Gillyard and Dr. Bayse made it possible for me to keep my grades up and graduate on time while I went through the funeral service and everything. That has really stuck with me because I think if I were at a larger institution, I probably would have needed to take a semester off and I wouldn't have made it. But I was able to graduate on time and begin my career. I'll never forget what the faculty is like when you need them and what the environment is like at Spelman - it's quite a family here. They really stepped up for me when I needed them the most. What does Spelman mean to you? It transitioned me from a girl to a woman. I grew up in Michigan and had never spent a long amount of time away from my family. I'm the youngest of five; my siblings and I are all first-generation college for our family. I'm the only one who actually left Michigan to go to college, so it meant a big transition for me and my family overall. It's where I really began to blossom. It's a huge part of who I am. In your new role as board chair, what is your vision for Spelman's future? My vision is to [help] the College so that [all] students have a global mindset. The second vision I have is an improved physical infrastructure. I hope that we get to the point where we can update some of the facilities in technology infrastructure and then the physical plant. We have to really focus on what's going to happen around the community. We're going to be bringing the first Walmart into the AU Center, and it should open in the spring. That's been a personal project of mine to build commerce around the AU Center in a positive, constructive way so that we have a plan. Do you have special goals for your fellow alumnae? I'd like to continue to focus on alumnae engagement. Right now we're at 41 percent alumnae participation in gifts. I would like to have alumnae improve their relationship with the College, get closer, and reconnect; not just at Reunion time, but engage in all the other good work that the College is doing. When President Tatum or Arlene Cash are in cities across the country recruiting, I'd love to see more alums engage in that process and then engage broader financially with the College. I'd like to see those who can give, give more. - Lorraine Robertson is an Atlanta-based author, freelance writer, and regular contributor to Inside Spelman. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.