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Page 4 • SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT » January-February, 1987
Stewart on to Bigger and Better Things
By Stephanie Howard
Unquestionably, President
Donald Stewart’s elocution and
projection were no less apparent
away from the podium at Sisters
Chapel, than in his campus
home. But for this occasion
there was no formality nor ora
tion, but simply a sincere relax
ed, soft spoken President.
A native of Chicago, Illinois,
Donald Stewart was born in
1928 on the Southside of
Chicago. After graduating from
High Park Career Academy he
pursued an undergraduate
degree at Grennell College in
Iowa. Though President Stewart
received his degree in Political
Science, his intended major was
originally Theology and
Philosophy. Upon completing
his studies at Grennell, President
Stewart embarked upon his
masters degree at Yale Univer
sity. Descirbing the financial
means by which he obtained his
education, President Stewart
stated, “I went to school on
scholarships.” Receiving a
Pullman Porter Scholarship
before entering Graduate
School, he also was awarded a
Woodrow Wilson Fellowship
enabling him to finance his
education at Yale. During his
years at Yale, President Stewart
was befriended by his future
mentor, Marian Wright
Edelman, a graduate of
Spelman and a Merrill Scholar.
As a result of her persuasion,
President Stewart was en
couraged to study in Geneva,
Switzerland at the Graduate
American Institute. After
spending a little over a year in
Europe, Dr. Stewart went on to
continue his education and later
work, in West Africa. Working
for the Ford Foundation’s Inter
national Divison, he traveled
around Africa, spent time in
Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco,
Libya and Egypt. At though his
travels offered an extensive
education within itself, President
Stewart felt as if his services
could better be employed back
in the United States where the
Civil Rights Movement was still
in progress. Participating in the
movement, Dr. Stewart aided
Marion Wright Edelman in a
voter registrations drive design
ed to register Blacks in the
South.
Perservering yet still in higher
education, Dr. Stewart attend
ed Harvard and obtained a
Ph.D. in Urban Politics. In 1968
Dr. Stewart resigned from the
Ford Foundation and establish
ed his home in Philadelphia.
Though settled in residence, Dr.
Stewart was far from being settl
ed in career avenues. Employed
by the University of Penn
sylvania as executive assistant
for two years, and Associate
Dean in the Arts and Sciences
for one year, Dr. Stewart was
gaining an interest in ad
ministrative procedures of a col
lege. Under the leadership of
Dr. Martin Meyerson, (who was
to later salute Dr. Stewart at his
installation ceremony) Dr.
Stewart learned the “ropes” and
was well prepared to assume the
role of a college president. After
an extensive selection process,
Dr. Stewart was offered the
Presidential candidacy for
Spelman by a committee which
included none other than
Marian Wright Edelman. Falling
in love with Spelman, as we all
know, is contagious. Catching
the full effect of this disease, Dr.
Stewart even as he talked seem
ed to have a demure about his
selection ten years ago. Though
Dr. Stewart’s initial introduction
to Spelman was due to Marian
Wright Edelman, he had also
heard of the renowned
establishment over short wave
radio. While in Tunisia Dr.
Stewart and his wife had listen
ed to the events surrounding Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s lying in
state in Sisters Chapel. From
those initial preludes and from
his own knowledge of the col
lege, he recognized the honor
and pride associated with
heading the illustrious Spelman
College.
Reflecting back over his
tenure as President at Spelman,
a deep sincerity over his goals
for Spelman were revealed.
When asked if he felt as if the
goals he hoped to achieve over
the ten years had been achiev
ed, Dr. Stewart commented,
“goals are illusive.” but non the
less the record speaks for itself
in regard to his contributions to
Spelman. In fact, looking back
at Dr. Stewart’s installation
speech where he quoted “Our
greatest challenge and oppor
tunity, however, lie in the in
tellectual, social and moral
development of Spelman
Students,” there is no question
that we have met and are
meeting that challenge. Further
more, Dr. Stewart was set on
strengthening the number of
faculty who hold Ph.Ds at
Spelman. The record stands
clear, Spelamn has more Ph.D.s
on staff now than ever before.
But most importantly, when
Donald Stewart gave his installa
tion speech approximately ten
years ago, he exlaimed, “we
have a great challenge before us
and our financial base must be
improved.” “Improvement”
does not accurately depict the
increase that Spelman’s endow
ment has had. The endowment
of nine and one half million
dollars. Applauding Dr. Stewart
for this achievement, he
modestly attributed the increase
to Spelman’s one year anniver
sary in 1981, and the stock
market.
Expecting the nature of a
brief, precise conversationalist, it
was enlightening to see another
perspective of Donald Stewart
unleashed. As he explained his
feelings and views towards the
Spelman student population, he
praised the excellence
demonstrated by the student
body. But with admonition and
frankness, he emphasized that
“excellence is not enough.” Im
plying with his statement that we
must be prepared to do above
and beyond “what’s expected.”
When asked about his concerns
about Spelman he seemed most
regretful that he had not seen
the start of a Phi Beta Kappa
Chapter during his administra
tion. Uneasy about the em
phasis Spelmanites are placing
on vocation, he said that
“students are too vocationally
oriented” and need to place less
emphasis on the economic
reward of education.”
Presented with some of the
concerns posed by students, Dr.
Stewart invisioned some solu
tions in the future. For one,
when faced with the general
gripe in regards to Housing, Dr.
See Stewart, p. 9
Carter Carries On
would be to mobilize awareness
by Julie Alexander
Dr. Carter has been an
employee of Spelman College
since 1981. Before coming to
Spelman, she was Vice Presi
dent for Academic Affairs at the
University of the District of Col
umbia in Washington, D.C.
Before her appointment as ac
ting President of Spelman Col
lege, she was and will return
after this semester, as Vice Presi
dent for Academic Affairs and
Dean.
Dr. Carter is a strong believer
in education and grew up in
Texas where she was raised in
a family that encouraged her to
learn and explore. This is where
she received her foundation for
her belief in the importance of
an education. She is strongly
against the academic dishones
ty that is prevalent on our cam
pus. Dr. Carter is a strong
believer in Spelman College and
knows that it is right here, a
wonderful collection of Black
women and Spelman is produc
ing Black women who will go
forth.
In addition to her many
academic honors and awards
and her belief in Spelman
women as true achievers, it is
not wonder that she has been
selected as our first Black
woman acting President.
J.A. - I’m sure that it is an
honor to be chosen as the first
acting black woman President of
Spelman College. While in of
fice, what changes would you
make to improve Spelman?
Dr. Carter - This is a transi
tional appointment and because
it is, it is for the remainder of this
academic year. I do not expect
that I will try to introduce any
major changes. The major
change that 1 will try to make
while I am in this office would be
in helping to shape the climate
of the campus so that this is a
better place for students, facul
ty and all of the people who
work here. I would be so happy
that if the impact that I had
in Spelman’s students that we
start saying to each other that we
are black women who will not
tolerate dishonesty. That is not
what we want to be, that is not
what we are going to tolerate in
ourselves, and that is not what
we are going to tolerate in each
other. Also, in the time that I am
here I am to help strengthen our
sense of community. A com-
munty as students, as faculty,
and as employees that we all
have a stake and investment in
Spelman.
J.A. - During the first Con
vocation for the Spring 1987
Semester, you voiced your con
cern towards the Spelman
woman who settles for a
mediocracy by getting the
highest grade for the least
amount of work. Would you
elaborate and suggest how we
can get back to where we belong
as students?
Dr. Carter - By defining learn
ing as the priority. Learning.
When the value is in the highest
grade for the least amount of
work then the value is on the
grade, not on the personal
growth and development of
one’s intellectual capacity. And
it is a value guest that you have
to believe that learning is impor
tant and you have to believe that
learning is important and you
have to believe that it is worth
putting the time and energy that
it takes to learn. The more you
open yourself to it, the more ex
citing it becomes. But first you
have to believe that it is impor
tant. You cannot believe that
you can simply get over. That it
is the grade, because that is the
record that will follow you. That
is true. But people will look at
your record and then they will
talk to you and it will not take
See Carter, p. 9