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Welcome
to the OBSA's UHURU Quarterly Newsletter!
This month the Office
of Black Student Affairs would like to feature student
leaders from the five undergraduate Colleges who go
through great lengths to support the Black community.
Their leadership has provided answers to questions
and resolutions to campus concerns that without them
would have gone unaddressed. Simply put, because of
their leadership the rest of us can find rest. The
OBVIOUS desire that is shared by these leaders is
to make circumstances better for all students. This
is rare because the truth is that most of us would
rather stay comfortable in the protection of being
like everybody else. We assume that leaders have the
power and skill to take an organization from point
A to point B and so they should. However, the truth
is that difficult circumstances provide the power
and it is the adversity of leading that provides the
skill. So we would like to say thank you to these
student leaders, who in their own way contribute to
making the Claremont experience better.
Hughes Suffren, Dean of
Students/Director
Office of Black Student Affairs
Claremont University Consortium
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2007
OBSA Spring Activities! |
Alumni
& Career Development Offices Discussion:
Thursday, April 26, OBSA |
Alumni
Reception:
Friday, April 27, 4:00pm, OBSA |
Black Graduation:
Saturday, May 12, 6:30pm, Seaver Theatre, Pomona Campus |
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Current
Claremont Student Leaders |
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Shelby Cooley
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My
name is Shelby Cooley. I am a sophomore at Scripps College
and a History/Psychology double major with
an emphasis on African Diasporic History. I
am an active member of Wanawake Weusi,
Scripps' Black Student Union. This year Wanawake has
put an emphasis on community building within our organization,
on Scripps campus, and across the campuses. We have
put on events that bring black faculty and staff together
in hopes of mobilizing and transforming Scripps to become
a place that fosters Black students, faculty and staff.
Our most recent endeavor is to critically analyze and
challenge how Scripps’ administration failed to
recruit more students and faculty of color.
This effort, spearheaded by myself, was collectively
called F.O.R.C.E. (Fighting
Oppression, Resisting Community Exclusion).
Our goal, with the coming of a new Scripps interim president,
has been to both radicalize and bring awareness to our
general campus (including our apathetic members) about
issues of institutionalized racism. We hope our activities
will result in improved financial aid, recruitment of
Black students, retention of Black students, and general
wellness of the Black women on our campus. I hope Wanawake
and the other student-of-color unions on each campus
will bridge our efforts and improve the intellectual,
cultural, and social quality of life in our respective
environments. |
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Kara Guillory
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My
name is Kara Guillory and I am senior at Scripps who
will be graduating with a B. A. in Psychology.
After graduation, I will be attending Brown University
to get a Master of Arts in Elementary Education
Teaching. My future aspirations center around
urban education teaching, being a principal, and starting
an educational non-profit.
I am currently the President of Wanawake
Weusi, leading and working beside the highly
intelligent and dynamic Black women of Scripps. Our
organization has enjoyed a wealth of “firsts”
this year and we are excited about the continued growth
we expect in the near future. This year, Wanawake
Weusi continued to become a cohesive force of women
on the Scripps campus and have made it a priority
to share our voices, expertise, and ideas in various
leadership capacities.
We have generated a lot of new events and cosponsored
others, while still continuing some of our traditional
events. We held special dinners for our first years
and had a welcome back dinner for Black faculty and
staff. We held a Sista Social, had a Family Feast,
and as a group we read and study together. At the
end of last semester we met and engaged in discussion
with Black Scripps Alumna, while we also participated
in The OBSA’s Kwanzaa Celebration.
This Spring semester Wanawake Weusi
cosponsored with the SCORE office twice to bring a
diversity workshop to the Claremont Colleges and in
January, cosponsored a candlelight march in honor
of Dr. Martin Luther King. To commemorate Black History
Month, we held a tea to display our exhibit profiling
ourselves next to the Black women who have inspired
us most. In the middle of the month, we brought spoken
word artist and facilitator Ise Lyfe to present a
workshop entitled, “Cycles of Violence, Cycles
of Apathy.” To close Black History Month, we
collaborated with the Scripps Music Department for
the first time to put on an event entitled, “How
Sweet the Sound." This event featured a short
film on Marian Anderson, included audience participation,
and showcased the voices of Wanawake Weusi members--and
Professor Gwendolyn Lytle of Pomona College.
Wanawake Weusi looks forward to three main remaining
events: our Night of Appreciation, Remembering
Golden New Orleans: A Benefit Dinner, and our
Senior Dinner. In the years to come, we hope
to collaborate more with other Black student organizations
and connect ourselves with communities outside of
our current reach. |
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Tenisha Harrell
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Greetings!
I am Tenisha Harrell and I have been blessed to have
a relationship with Jesus Christ! I recognize that life
is continually changing but the essence of one’s
entrusted faith has the power to fortify, restore and
encourage in the darkest hours. Having been raised in
Pilgrim Baptist church under Rev. & First Lady,
Dr., Larry Wayne Ellis, I am rooted in African American
Baptist Christian traditions.
Currently, I am a senior and a Psychology major with
a minor in Black Studies. I will graduate this May from
Scripps College and plan to combine my love of Psychology,
African American heritage, and spirituality into my
dream career as a Christian Family Psychologist. I will
be the first generation in my immediate family to graduate
from a four-year institution. Though times have been
hard I understand that my life has a higher purpose!
I am assured in the scripture “the unfailing love
of the Lord will surround the one that trust in Him,"
Proverbs 3:10. I walk in the power of my triumphs,
values and struggles which are all already won in the
name of Jesus Christ! Love conquers all! |
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Diana Hawkins
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My
name is Diana Hawkins and I am currently a junior
engineering major at HMC. I aspire to get over my
fear of the outdoors by hiking Mt. Baldy when I get
the nerve (and the time) and I make a mean oatmeal
raisin cookie. I also am a member of two HMC committees,
work in the machine shop as a shop proctor, and write
avidly. When I get out of HMC I plan on giving back
to the community either through a Teach for America
type program or the Peace Corps. I then would
like to enter the workforce, preferably at a management
consulting firm that encourages community service
activities.
HMC's NSBE (National
Society of Black Engineers) is part of
a national student-run organization whose mission
is “to increase the number of culturally responsible
Black Engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally
and positively impact the community.” Our chapter,
which I am president of, plays a role in converting
this dream into reality by helping increase diversity
and awareness at HMC. This year we hosted themed studied
breaks to acquaint HMC with our organization, brought
Kumea Shorter-Gooden to HMC to speak about the shifting
identities among women of color, and helped make the
Mudd student body aware of the impact different cultures
have made on society by putting up posters of lesser
known scientists and inventors on campus and hosting
a film series during the month of February. In addition
to hosting cultural activities, we participate in
the decision and policy-making process on campus through
committees and dinner meetings with the Dean of Students
and our President. In the upcoming years we plan to
continue our activities and continue working closely
with the HMC administration and admissions staff to
help create a stronger support system for minorities
and to help increase recruitment of minority students. |
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Jasmine Heim |
My
name is Jasmine Heim and I am a Junior at Pomona College.
I am also a Black Studies and Psychology
major at Pomona. After graduating from Pomona I plan
to go to graduate school focusing on either Public
Policy or Social Welfare and dedicate my time to improving
the conditions of the Black community in issues of
health, education, and/or empowerment. Clearly I have
a lot to think about before my senior year! I have
been an active member of the Pan African Student Association
(PASA) for the past two years and have just been elected
as next year's PASA President.
This year, although I was abroad in
Kenya the first semester, myself and other students
have been working hard to make this year’s Pan
African Festival better than ever before! We expanded
our list of contacts by traveling outside of the ‘Claremont
bubble’ to recruit vendors and entertainers
from the greater Los Angeles County in an attempt
to support Black businesses and entertainers. Next
year, as president, I hope to brainstorm with the
other executive board members of PASA to discover
ways to unite the Black community at the 5-C’s
as well as in the area, such as more social events
(kick it sessions, movie nights, sleepovers…),
off-campus events (six flags, bowling, skating, a
retreat…), and anything else that would make
our community more cohesive. We would like to volunteer
our time at a local high school running workshops
on undergraduate applications and mentoring/tutoring
students. Ultimately our goal is to get more participation
from the Black students on campus and hopefully hold
more events that collaborate with both Scripps' Wanawake
and Pitzer's BSU. I am looking forward to next year
and any suggestions that the community may have! |
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Emanuel "Manny"
Maciera |
I am the son of Miguel Maceira and Barbara Barntsen.
I aspire to be a socially concious/active multi-facited
cross functional business, man. I am an Economics Major
at Claremont McKenna College. I am also the current
Pan-African Student Association president.
So far, we have had several successful events: first,
viewing of Spike Lee's When The Levees Broke,
second, Black Men's Social Gathering at OBSA, an event
that brought thirty Black men from the Claremont Colleges
together. Third, we have had a dance party that not
only brought out a large number of Claremont students,
but also hosted many Black folk from the neighboring
communites; fourth, we have put on a Speech Night for
MLK week that allowed 10 students to disply their oratory
talents; and, we have worked with BSU, CLSA, OBSA, APAM,
and many other Claremont Consortium organizations.
To finish this year, the Pan-African Student Assoctiation
will put on our annual Festival and Black-Out Ball.
Furthermore, the Pan-African Student Association will
continue to be an invaluable resource for Black students
on campus. |
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Candice McCray |
My name is Candice McCray and I am a sophomore at Pomona
College. I'm majoring in Black Studies and I plan to
work in education. This year I am secretary of the Pan
African Student Association and I am one of
the students on the committee that plans the Annual
Pan African Festival. This year PASA has put on great
events and took on some really amazing projects. The
project that is most memorable and special to me is
"Angel Tree." Through the Angel Tree project
we were able to get Christmas gifts to several children
on behalf of their incarcerated parents. Next year PASA
will be in the hands of a wonderful group of students
who will continue to educate and support the students
of African descent on the Claremont Colleges campus
and serve the greater community. |
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Kimberlina McKinney |
My
name is Kimberlina McKinney and I am a graduating Senior
from Scripps College. I am getting my B.A. in Sociology
with a minor in Black Studies. After graduation
I plan on moving to the Bay Area to work closely with
non-profit organizations to promote community-building
and organizing for issues surrounding education, job
placement, safe sex, and drug abuse.
During my time at Scripps, I was the Vice President
of Wanawake Weusi my sophmore year
and Comunications Coordinator my senior year. I also
served as an intern to the Admissions Office for the
recruitment of women of color, and as Vice President
to Hall Council. Most recently, I have been nominated
to be the 2007 Scripps commencment speaker. During my
Junior Year I traveled abroad to Ecuador for two semesters
were I mastered the Spanish language, and now am pursuing
fluency in French.
As a member of the Wanawake Weusi Executive Board, I
saw our organization blossom over the years. This semester
we were able to bring a noted emcee, spoken word artist,
and community activist, ISE LYFE, to speak on "Cycles
of Violence, Cycles of Apathy."Also, just recently
we hosted a Black Staff and Faculty appreciation night
and will be looking forward to continuing our traditions
of Black Senior Celebration Dinners and Monthly Book
Club. In the next few years we hope to concentrate more
on our mission statement and bring in more women of
color to attend Scripps and create an enviroment that
caters to the upliftment and creativity of Black women. |
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Abbygail Palmer |
I'm Abbygail Palmer, a junior at Harvey Mudd College.
I was born and raised in St. Catherine, Jamaica. I'm
interested in Bioengeering and Chemical engineering
and plan to go into a career in one of the two after
I graduate. I like research and working in the lab,
so I might end up going to graduate school immediately
after college before starting a career. I am currently
the Secretary of Harvey Mudd's chapter of the National
Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and am very
proud of the path NSBE has taken, as well as our numerous
accomplishments. NSBE:HMC has successful run
events to promote diversity on the HMC campus including
hosting talks during Black History month and Martin
Luther King week to stimulate campus awareness. Through
our hard work, NSBE has been recognized by and received
support from organizations such as the Boeing Company,
Southern California Edison, and Raytheon to name a few.
The HMC campus has a small Black/African American population
and NSBE plans to continue to encourage minorities and
students of color to apply to Harvey Mudd College. We
further encourage them to reach out to underrepresented
students who show an interest in science and engineering.
Part of NSBE's mission is to support these students
through their college career after they arrive on campus.
In this effort we have planned to take an active role
in upcoming admission events, student panels, and the
campus' prefrosh weekend. Conceptually, NSBE is a five-college
organization and we hope to meet more students who are
interested in promoting diversity. |
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Ashley Peters
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My
name is Ashley Peters and I am a junior and a Psychology
and Music double-major at Scripps College. I plan to
attend graduate school in neuropsychology, do research
for a few years with non-white youth, and eventually
get my Ph.D. and become a professor. I am a member of
Wanawake Weusi and I am also
a member of Scripps Associated Students (SAS), which
is the student government on our campus. I was recently
elected President of SAS and I will be the first black
President in Scripps' history. This next year in SAS,
we are hoping to have more of a say in the happenings
of Scripps, especially with the search for a new President
of Scripps College and with the search for a new Dean
of Faculty. Now is a time when student voices are pivotal
and it is important that women of color are heard and
seen as substantial members of the Scripps community.
I strongly believe that next year, we will be given
the opportunity to express our wishes for the future
of our school, and I'm happy and excited to be a part
of that change. |
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Interested
in being a student contributor
on
the OBSA Newsletter? Email
Me! |
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OBSA
Student Leader Award Winners! |
Alix Coupet
“Community
Advocate Award”
This award is for students who challenge their
peers to strive for excellence in all endeavors.
Such students not only push themselves to
greatness, but seek to encourage others toward
the same goal. In essence, they struggle to
meet their full potential.
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Lauren
Burnett (PIT) * Shelby Cooley (SCR) * Zoe
Fisher (PIT)
“Emerging
Leaders Award”
This award is presented to three students who
have demonstrated the potential to be great
on-campus leaders. They have volunteered to
lead projects, take on new responsibilities,
and inspire those around them.
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Jasmine Heim * Candice
McCray
“Outstanding
Commitment Award”
This award is for students who demonstrate an
inordinate amount of commitment toward achieving
a goal; whether completing a project, volunteering,
or creating new projects (and following through
on their completion), these students exemplify
dedication.
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Kara
Guillory * Wanawake Weusi
“Outstanding
Leadership Award”
This award is for student leaders who have
gone way above and beyond expectations and
created change in their environments. These
students have set the pace for change, created
a legacy of greatness, and set a new precedent
for future students to meet.
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Diana Hawkins *
Paul Snell
“Outstanding
Service Award”
This award is for those who have worked tirelessly
for a variety of different causes to improve
the quality of life of those around them. They
have inspired others by example and will leave
a legacy of activism behind for others to aspire
to.
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Interested
in being a student contributor
on
the OBSA Newsletter? Email
Me! |
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TUTORING
is available in several subjects:
Damata Kaleem (Damata.Kaleem@pomona.edu)
Math, French, and Economics
(Mondays from 8-10pm), (Tuesdays & Thursdays 7-8pm)
Romell Gletten (rbg02005@pomona.edu)
Chemistry, Physics (Tue/Wed 7-10pm)
Kaycie Lopez-Jones
(klj02003@pomona.edu)
Spanish (Tue 7-10pm)
Each session is held
at the OBSA office.
Call (909) 607-7352 for more information!
Interested in a scholarship? If so, click here... |
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139
East Seventh Street Claremont, California 91711-3916
OBSA-l@cuc.claremont.edu
(909) 607-3669 Fax (909) 621-8969
Addae
Designs! ©Copyright 2003
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