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Spelman Spotlight
Page 5
May 1985
A Spelman Woman,
Andrea Simpson: Talented & Intelligent
by Marie Roberts-
Andrea Simpson is not only a
talented artist and an intelligent
student, but she is also a
Jamaican beauty. Aside from
being the vice-president of the
art club for two consecutive
years, she is a member of the art
honor society, Alpha Chi and the
senior honor society. Born in
Jamaica, Andrea came to the
United States four years ago, just
in time to begin a successful
education at Spelman.
Unlike most colleges students,
who are unsure of their career
goals at first, this opportunist
knew where she was headed
years ago. “I’ve wanted to be a
graphic designer for as long as I
can remember,” she says.
Though she is an art major, her
plan is to go into advertising and
eventually start her own
business.
Being an artist requires the
skill and imagination in the
production of things of beauty.
The art show which Andrea and
six other artist coordinated prov
ed her worthy of this definition.
Among her work included in the
exhibit were photographs, il
lustrations, and graphic designs.
Since she has attended
Spelman, two people have in
spired her artistic motivation.
One of these was Mr. Lev Mills,
Andrea Simpson
the assistant professor of art at
the college. “He has been a good
role model for me,” she says.
"He has always pushed me, and I
appreciate it. Her second source
of inspiration was Elizabeth
Catlett. As a famous sculptor,
Catlett brought support and
hope to be the young artist.
When talking about her art
Andrea remains very serious.
Many people see the art major as
someone who has it easy
through college, she explains
that this is a myth. "If you can’t
get what you want out of (your
art) it is frustrating. Sometimes
you can’t get things to flow the
way you want them to.”
In comparing art to the
academic requirements of other
areas she adds, “We have
deadlines, critiques, tests — just
like everyone else. We even have
courses like art history which are
difficult."
Difficult or not, Andrea,
boasting a 3.8 GPA has come
through with flying colors. And,
with the end of the school term
comes more than one reason for
congratulations. Two months
after her graduation ceremony,
Andrea will take part in her
wedding ceremony. She and her
fiance, also Jamaican, will be
married on the island and live
there for one year before retur
ning to the States.
1
1 ’ 1
mm mm|
I 1
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Above is a photograph of artwork by Andrea.
A Senior Reflects On Her Four Years
by Brenna Delaine
The first time that I saw
Spelman’s campus, I said, “This is
the place for mel"
On August 21,1981,1 arrived at
Abby Hall at 7:30 a.m. Of course,
the doors did not open until 8:00
a.m., but I wanted first choice of
beds in room 2A, which was to
have four occupants. Sharon
Dowery arrived at the same time,
so we immediately became
friends.
At 8:00 a.m. sharp, Mrs. Rossie
Thomas opened the doors and
signed us in. I got to the room,
which looked like a warehouse
at first. I chose the bed closest to
the door, because if we were to
fight, I could still use the door
and not be on anybody else’s
territory. As I unpacked, two of
my computer matched room
mates, Jayn Garth and Andrea C.
Williams, arrived with their
fathers. Andrea's mother had to
be rushed to the hospital for an
emergency operation that mor
ning. Andrea was upset and
crying. My mother consoled her
and I tried to help. To top that,
there was Andrea E. Williams, to
whom the space actually belong
ed to. There was a mix up in I.D.
numbers. Andrea C. Williams
went back to her home in
Atlanta. My last roommate
Cynthia Trawick arrived and
unpacked. She was the one who
knew the ropes, because she had
been in the summer science
program.. . v v ........ v , v .
Everybody's parents left the
next day and freshman week
began, including curfew. The
placement test started on Satur
day morning. I do not know how
they ever placed all of us in less
than a week. I still think that
names are drawn out of a hat.
The other “mandatory”
freshman activities were cramm
ed into the week. The Big Wake
Up was on that Wednesday
morning at 2:45 a.m. (sharp).
That experience almost sent me
home for reall I was so scared
that I didn't tell my parents until
Thanksgiving.
The upperclassmen arrived a
week after us. I remembered
sitting outside watching them
arrive and unpack. They were
running and hugging each other
and I thought to myself what a
great feeling it must have been to
have friends and Spelman sisters
that you felt that way about. I
hoped for friendships like that by
the beginning of my sophomore
year.
When classes finally began, I
was a Computer Science major. I
had heard that it was where the
money was. I also worked the
desk in Abby Hall. These were
two factors that stopped me from
being so shy and crying all of the
time. I had to go to the computer
room early on Saturdays and
Sundays to avoid the time limit
and the competition. I hated it. I
spent the last week of September
and the first week of October
depressed and crying. Andrea E.
offered me a stamp (18<t) in
hopes that I would feel better, it
didn’t work. Fortunately, I was
always taught that there was
nothing wrong with seeking
counselling, so I did. The first
and best thing I learned was that I
was in the wrong major for the
wrong reason. The counselor
helped me find a major that fit
me and my interest. I realized
that it was time for me to grow
up.
Upon my return from Christ
mas break, I decided to take the
experiences from the last
semester as lessons learned and
mistakes not to be repeated. My
major was Natural Science with a
concentration in Biology. I was
enjoying school so much that I
thought Biology III was fun. I still
had not decided on an occupa
tion, but at least I was happy and
looking forward to three more
years at Spelman.
I arrived two weeks early for
the start of my sophomore year,
because I was an R.A. I decided
that I was going to help freshmen
in any positive way I could
because I would not want
anybody to go through what I
did my first semester there. The
Big Wake Up was not nearly as
scary as ours my freshman year.
As a matter of fact, I was afraid of
the freshmen.
I was an R.A. in Howard
Harreld for the very live and loud
second floor. Living with that
many women and still liking
them is what a sisterhood is all
about. I still feel sorry for
Bridgett, because my mother
would call before 8:00a.m. every
Saturday and Bridgett would
answer the phone. I finally
started calling Mom at 7:45 on
Saturdays. I think that I put up
with a lot too, considering the
fact that my bedtime was 11:00
p.m. and that when the noise
started. One thing that I learned
freshman year was that no matter
how wrong, the majority would
rule. I never got angry. I just
adapted and accepted the fact
taht we were all sophomores.
Adaption and acception is
another part of being in a
sisterhood.
Second semester was the time
for those interested in Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to
write letters. I chickened out at
first, but another sophomore
encouraged me to write. I did
and I did not make the line. I
guess that I was a little hurt, but I
didn’t cry. Cecily and Andrea sat
on my bed waiting for me to cry. I
wondered if Andrea was going to
offer me another stamp? I didn't
think that it was the end of the
world, and it was not.
Well, junior year for science
major is the make-or-break-you
year. I decided that I was going to
make it. At the time I was
interested in pre-optometry, but
still unsure about my future
occupation. I moved my bed
time to 12:00 midnight, so that I
could study my organic
thoroughly. I was also working as
a peer counselor, Biology tutor
and Chemistry tutor. I had a full
tuition scholarship from
Spelman, so I was keeping my
checks. I still wonder if Spelman
knows that I was making over
$300/month.
Second semester of my junior
year was a soap opera. Organic,
Physics, Physiology and Seminar
was the best combination of
classes that I could have taken.
Once again, I didn’t make the
AKA line, but that was melted ice
cream compared to the rest of
my problems. There was the
break up with my boyfriend of
3Vi years, the MCAT, OCAT (I
was still undecided), the search
for a summer program and the
filling out the AAMCAS (med
school application). Thank God
for my Spelman sistersl I had
support from present students,
friends who did not return to
Spelman for sophomore year
and my late '84 year old Spelman
Sister, Mrs. Marie McKinney.
May exams ended on a Tuesday
and I went home as fast as Easter,
my car would go. Believe it or
not, I made the Dean’s List and
did well on the MCAT and
OCAT.
Continued on page 16