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Photo by Eric Rose
First Lady Brenda Cole encourages women.
CAU's First Lady urges women
to carry on a legacy of greatness
By Gigi Barnett
Contributing Writer
The First Lady of Clark Atlanta
University in early March, kicked
off the Women’s Initiative
Program by encouraging young
women to ’’pass their greatness
on. ”
“ You have a legacy to pass on.
That legacy teaches that you can
achieve. If anybody tells you to
turn back the clock, go talk to
someone who has been in the
heartland of Jim Crow,” Brenda
Hill Cole said.
Cole, also the Deputy Attorney
General for the state of Georgia,
said the “good ‘ole days” never
were. She urged the young
women to take the responsibility
for younger generations.
The Women’s Initiative
Program was designed to kick
off National Women’s Month in
March. The program works as a
support system for incoming
female students in the areas of
career development and spiritual
and personal growth.
The First Lady said that people
need to observe Black history
month and women’s issues.
“I am a bit ambivalent about
setting aside a month particularly
for African American history or
women’s awareness, but it must
be done,” she said.
A new project at Clark Atlanta,
the Women’s Initiative Program
matches young women living in
Memer Hall with faculty and staff
in a mentoring program. The
pupil and mentor participate in
seminars, workshops and social
outings.
“This is an occasion for us to
celebrate those qualities of finer
womanhood that reside in each
of us," said Dr. Ora Cooks,
professor in the Curriculum
Department.
Cole said she was inspired by
many people to go into law, but
she remembers a female student’s
comment the most.
“She told me, ‘Mrs. Cole, you
should be a lawyer,’ and I was
shocked because no one hadever
told me that before,” she said.
She also reminded the young
women that they need men to
help. Cole said her father and
husband were very influential in
her success. “We can go at it
alone,” she said, “but that’s not
the preferred way. A good man
is hard to find and if you find
him, hold on.”
Cole said that there are many
problems facing the Black
community, but the three pieces
of advice young women should
take from her is to findagreatness
in themselves, be empowered by
it and then pass it on.
You can make a decision right now
that will change your life.
-GO WITH THE FUTURE.
TEACH FOR AMERICA Q
A member of the AwmCorpi National Senrre} Network
1-800-832-1230
TWO YEARS. YOUR LIFE. OUR FUTURE.
NEW APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 3, 1996
Student's petition may bring
next president to CAU
By Clarence Rolle
Staff Writer
Freshman Sean Gardner is
hoping the next United States
president will help eliminate
some misconceptions about
Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, HBCU’s.
Gardner said he believes some
of the negative misconceptions
about HBCU’s will be eliminated
if he can convince the leading
presidential candidates to hold a
debate at an HBCU.
Gardner said HBCUs have
earned a reputation for being
“good party institutions and
weekend chill spots,” but people
should realize there is more to
the institutions than carefree
events.
“There is a serious legacy of
academic excellence and
community service as well,” he
said.
Gardner has been working
toward getting an HBCU to host
a presidential debate since Oct.
2, 1995. He organized a
signature-gathering project for
support. His petitions are
circulating mainly through
Atlanta and North Carolina.
More than 41,000 signatures
have been collected so far.
When 100,000 signatures have
been collected, Gardner plans to
send them to the White House,
the Republican National
Committee, the Democratic
National Committee, the
National Rainbow Coalition.
Ross Perot's Reform Party and
the Commission on Presidential
Debates.
The Commission has already
chosen five sites for presidential
debates, but Gardner hopes
another site will be added to the
list when his petitions are
received. Gardner is optimistic
about the chances that another
venue will be added.
“There is power in numbers,”
he said. “Every body’s been
signing this.”
Gardner said he does not have
a particular HBCU in mind for
hosting a presidential debate.
“This was born basically out of
concern for Black colleges in
general.”
The political science major
said he wants the candidates to
address issues that are relevant
to Black academic institutions.
He said issues like financial aid
for HBCU’s need to be addressed.
According to Gardner, his
efforts to bring presidential
candidates to an HBCU are
designed to get people, especially
young Blacks, interested and
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