President's Message
Please allow me to extend my personal invitation to all alumni: join us at Homecoming, with your enthusiasm and positive energy. This year will be very special with the dedication of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Residence Hall, the Friday night reception, our Saturday dinner dance, and Sunday’s breakfast. Tailgate at the football game, run in the race, attend a lecture- there is a lot to do either as a group or if you venture off on your own.
The AAAA will host an important membership meeting on Saturday morning. We request your participation in selecting new officers and planning for the future of the organization. There are emerging young leaders whom you will want to meet and support.
Good food, interesting activities, and great people make for a fun party. Don’t miss out! See you October 13-16, 2016!
—Linda Sharpe-Taylor, PhD (WRC '78)
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Residence Hall
Take your place among the honored guests when the beautiful new dormitory at 1576 E. 115th Street is officially named the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Residence Hall. The idea for the name came from the student group #WeBelongHere, as a way to commemorate the late congresswoman’s significant impact on Case Western Reserve University, as well as her pioneering achievements in public service. Tubbs Jones was a founding member of the CWRU Afro American Society and African American Alumni Association (AAAA). While in law school, she was active in the Black Student Law Association, and also served in the role now known as resident assistant. Tubbs Jones was the first African American woman to serve Ohio as a common pleas court judge, county prosecutor, and in 1998, congresswoman.
“In the spirit of continuing a tradition of transformational black student leadership at CWRU, we have often looked to the life and legacy of Stephanie Tubbs Jones as a source of guidance and inspiration. We are thrilled that the residence hall will celebrate her legacy and be a place that students call home,” announced African American Society (AAS) President Makela Hayford.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony and building dedication will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the dorm on Saturday, October 15, 2016, immediately following the homecoming parade. In addition to CWRU students and the greater community, university dignitaries, Tubbs Jones family members, elected officials and representatives from Delta Sigma Theta, AAAA, and AAS will be on hand for the celebration. A light reception will follow. Please RSVP at stjhalldedication@case.edu to attend this free event.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, white and blue
Homecoming 2016
Marian Bryant (CWR ’10)
Homecoming, that exciting time of sharing memories and reconnecting with classmates, is right around the corner. Kick off your weekend with Friday’s signature Welcome Reception, Game Night and Candlelight Vigil. Food and fun provided. Bring pictures and your favorite games.
Saturday affords the opportunity to select association leadership, dedicate a residence hall in the name of beloved alumna Stephanie Tubbs Jones and dance the night away at the Cleveland Skating Club. In response to feedback, young alumni pricing is available this year for the dinner dance.
Amidst delicious food at Sunday’s breakfast, the familiar libation ceremony will include new activities.
Attend as many events as you can. Register today.
Multicultural Student Reception
Barbara R. Snyder and Marilyn S. Mobley, PhD were among those who extended hearty welcomes to students, staff and faculty at the annual Multicultural Reception on Monday, September 12, 2016. The Tinkham Veale University Center event was an occasion for attendees to enjoy delicious refreshments, meet soon-to-be friends and mentors, and receive updates on the partnerships and initiatives of the Office of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity (OIDEO), which seek to advance diversity through research, communication, education, programming, improved campus climate and community engagement.
Student Affairs Update
Tiarra Thomas (CWR '12), Vera Perkins-Hughes (WRC '76)
The AAAA joined the African American Society (AAS) for the student activities fair on August 27, 2016 and fireside chat on September 7, 2016.
The new academic year has already brought two opportunities for the African American Alumni Association (AAAA) to engage with students. Both of them were a great success!
The annual Student Activities Fair, held this year on Saturday August 27, 2016, exposes incoming freshmen to the plethora of student groups on campus. We joined the African American Society (AAS) at their booth, where we interacted with all who stopped by. While there, we checked out other student groups, including the National Society of Black Engineers and EXCEL. It was a pleasure to meet students and let them know, before they even took their first classes, that the AAAA is here for them.
On Wednesday, September 7, 2016, we joined the AAS and the African Student Association for their first general body meeting. This was different for everyone and a testament to how much our students value inclusiveness and diversity. When these two student groups learned that their general body meetings were on the same day, instead of competing for attendees, they decided to have one joint meeting. That way everyone could come together and collaborate as one. There were so many people that attendees flowed outside of the assigned room. Some alumni were able to attend, as well as Christal Crosby, Assistant Director of Student, Young Alumni and Affinity programs at The Alumni Association. The two groups introduced new students to returning ones and advertised beneficial events and programs, including the AAAA Mentorship Program! This was our first opportunity to share this program with students, and many expressed interest.
We look forward to the many opportunities that we have to connect with our students. The Student Affairs Committee will keep you posted on upcoming events. In the meantime, please save the following date: Saturday, December 10 – African American Society Ebony Ball; location to be determined.
Reach Back, Raise Up
More than 84 percent of all undergraduate students receive some type of financial aid. Providing scholarships to students enables CWRU to be as competitive as possible in recruiting the most academically qualified students, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Join the AAAA board in celebrating our past and investing in their future. Support this worthy and ambitious effort! More info about Reach Back, Raise up here
Save the Date!
Save the date for Gospelfest, Spring 2017. More information to come.
Saturday, December 10 - African American Society Ebony Ball; location to be determined.
Want to see who else is involved with the AAAA? .
Only members can vote in the upcoming election. Current member? Seeking to become a member? It is easy to update your membership.
What would you like to see highlighted in future newsletters? Have news to share? Know someone who wants to receive AAAA communications? Contact us at cwruaaalumni@gmail.com.
Remember to visit our webpage and to like our Facebook page, facebook.com/CWRUAAAA.