55 YEARS OF BLACK ALUMNI FEBRUARY 2021 Fifty-five years ago this year, the University's first Black alumnus, Joseph Green, graduated from the School of Theology at Sewanee. It took five more years, but in 1970 the first Black alumnus, Nathaniel Owens, graduated from the undergraduate College, marking one of the most significant milestones in the school's history. Today, our Black alumni serve on the Board of Trustees, the Board of Regents, and the Alumni Executive Board, making significant contributions to the life of the University. To commemorate this significant milestone, a series of events took place during Black History Month. Enjoy the event replays, explore the timeline, and learn about the new Benjamin Network.
Event Kick-off Panel featuring alumni sharing their Sewanee stories, career paths, and best advice.
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The following panelists were one of the 'firsts' in different organizations at Sewanee. We asked them to share their stories and advice.
| Panelist | Class | Career Field |
| Kevin Jones | 1987 | Field Reimbursement Manager (Oncology), Stemline Therapeutics. Pelham, AL |
| Kent Underwood | 1996 | Teacher - Jefferson County Board of Education. Helena, AL |
| Dr. Felysha Jenkins, PhD | 1998 | Early College, Outreach Specialist at Chattanooga State Community College |
| Trumaine Polk | 2002 | Retail District Manager, Verizon Wireless. Pensacola, FL |
| Dr. Jameel Clark, MD | 2003 | Pediatrician. Lexington, KY |
| Rosilyn Rayborn | 2004 | Creative Director, Brandcory. Dallas, TX |
| Jessica Hardy | 2006 | Director of College Guidance at St. George's Independent School Memphis, TN |
| Dr. Charita L Roque, MD, MPH | 2007 | Complex Family Planning at Johns Hopkins University in the Ob/Gyn Department. Baltimore, MD |
| Lenore Coer Adediran | 2007 | Screenwriter and digital content creator. New York, NY |
| Fred Rhodes | 2009 | Human Resources Director at Information Network International |
| Amber Singleton Camiul | 2011 | Sales Compensation Manager at AT&T. Atlanta, GA |
| DeAndré Espree-Conaway | 2013 | Founder & CEO of Bloomfield Language Institute |
| Brittany Macon | 2014 | Attorney, Maynard, Cooper, & Gale. Nashville, TN |
| David Johnson | 2019 | Graduate student at the University of Chicago |
Presentation: The Untold Tales: A Conversation on the Historic St.Mark's Community in Sewanee, sponsored by the Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, and Reconciliation
Hear from Dr. Woody Register, professor of history and director of the Roberson Project, Sandra Turner, and Jimmy Statin, community members.
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Celebration Happy Hour - come for a casual gathering, catch up with old friends and make new ones. We'll hang out together, then break out into smaller rooms by decade. Come ready to be on camera! We'll be able to see and hear each other. No replay, but it was super fun!
Party to honor Eric Benjamin, C'73
"Mr. B." retired as the director of multicultural affairs this summer. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were not able to celebrate all he has meant to Sewanee. Eric was a source of encouragement and sage advice for countless students of color since he inaugurated the position as director in 1981. During his time at Sewanee, Eric co-founded the Sewanee Summer Scholars Program, a bridge program for high school students who spent their summers on the Domain strengthening their skills in math, science, personal development, and writing in preparation for college. He also was one of the principal members of the Consortium for High Achievement and Success, an organization that focused on the success of African American and Latino males on college campuses. Eric’s office has always been open to students, and his house has been the place to be during Sewanee Homecomings, as hundreds of alumni return to see him and to visit with their classmates.
Read the resolution that was presented to him.
Watch the replay!
55 Years of Black Alumni Celebration, Toast, and DJ Party
Join Vice-Chancellor Reuben Brigety and others to mark this special milestone of 55 Years of Black Alumni at Sewanee. We'll hear from our Vice-Chancellor, share a toast, and enjoy music by DJ Q (Quentin Fletcher, C'12).
Click here to join the celebration!
Watch the replay and join the DJ Party
