Summer/Fall 2002 (Vol. 116 No. 1) (PDF) - Spelman College: Home

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I am a Spelmanwoman to myheart. I believe inwhat Spelman is,what Spelmanprovides for blackwomen. I believein the future ofSpelman.4Is it true that you plan to write a book thatwill document the College’s success inproducing women scientists?I say a book. I don’t know if it will be a book or what theformat will be, but clearly the project that I would hope toundertake would be the story of the development of the sciencesat Spelman. I know some of the recent history myself.More importantly, chronicling the women, the graduates,the alumnae who have finished Spelman and are scientists– where they are and what they are doing. That concernsme more than history. What we really need to know iswhere these women are in the sciences, and what they’redoing. When I mentioned it at dinner one night at a meeting,The National Science Foundation (NSF) expressed aninterest in it; National Institutes for Health (NIH) expressedan interest and National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration(NASA). They said, “Oh, Dr. Manley when you getready to do that, let us know. We would like to be a part ofthat. We certainly want to help.”I saw some interesting data very recently in The Journalof Blacks in Higher Education. They did a report on thenumber of Ph.D.’s coming out of historically black collegesand universities, and Spelman ranked about third orfourth. I believe maybe ahead of us were Howard, ClarkKymberly Higgins-Barber, C’80, D.D.S., plans to name herdental clinic, The Manley Orthodontic Center, in honor ofher aunt.Photo: James RobinsonAtlanta University – maybe Tuskegee, but those are largeuniversities, with graduate schools and programs. Thepoint is that the numbers are alarming – because after thattop tier of about six schools, they dropped off. You couldcount them on one hand.We have 28 Ph.D.’s in chemistry. I don’t know howmany in mathematics. The numbers need to be documentednot just for Spelman, but for the whole scientificcommunity because the case has to be made that we arereally producing the future leadership for the nation, especiallywhen it comes to the sciences and African Americans,and African American women in science.Many note the influence you had on theirprofessional development as a mentor.Why have you invested your time, moneyand energy into so many?It’s hard for me to identify when it all started, but I knowthat I had mentors myself. I know that I would not havebecome what I am if I did not have mentors. My motherwas ill. My father had two other families. And I didn’t havea large family, but there were extended family, teachers andpeople in my church who really gave me encouragementand support. I never said to myself that when I grow older, Iam going to do that too. I never thought about it. It justbegan to happen.I think it started really when I was chief resident at CookCounty. That was my first opportunity in a leadership position.Here I was, the only black woman in a high-rankingposition for Cook County, which was mostly a white maleenvironment. As chief resident, I was immediately put intothe position of helping the young white men deal with ourpatients with some degree of accountability.From that point on in my life, I was always in a positionwhere I was in charge, given the lead assignment and havingthe responsibility of bringing others together and tooversee their work. Some of those young people who cameunder me when I was chief resident, I still know today.Moving on, in my private life, I began to mentor morepeople. Then I came back to Spelman with President AlbertManley in the 1970s, and it grew. Students who graduatedduring that time say, “We were watching you!” That’simportant because I wasn’t saying to them to do this. Ithink you lead by example. Role modeling comes fromwhat you do.I would meet Spelman women, Morehouse men,Meharry Medical School graduates, Howard graduates asdirector of the National Health Service Corps. At that time,we provided scholarships for health professionals and Ioften worked with them to ensure they met the requirementsand terms of the scholarship.S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R
Talk about the special connection betweenyou and your niece Kymberly Higgins-Barber, C’80, D.D.S.My sister’s children have been my daughters. They aremore than nieces, and I want to make that very clear. Theyare our children. I was unable to have children. It’s not thatI didn’t want children. I wanted them very much. Now, Ihave plenty of children – Spelman women for one, but mysister’s children have really been like daughters, and particularlyKymberly. She followed me to Spelman and Meharry.She did a fellowship in prosdontics at University of California,San Francisco, and at one time I also was on thefaculty of University of California, San Francisco. Then, sheleft there and went to the University of Michigan where shedid a fellowship in orthodontia. She taught for a while atthe University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and is nowin private practice.Did you know that she was going topurchase property for her private practiceand name it in your honor?She surprised me the banquet night of Reunion 2002 whenshe announced on stage that she planned to name it theManley Orthodontic Center, and she wants some of mymemorabilia to put in it. It’s a lovely building, a very largebuilding (10,000 square feet). It will be renovated, and sheplans to move her practice there.What inspires you to face the challengesthat you have encountered in life?Inner strength is what it takes. Whatever led me from thecotton fields of Mississippi – without any money and withoutfamily support – on through college and medicalschool at a time when women weren’t doing that is connectedto inner strength. Of course, it takes faith and beliefin God, and the divine power that you’re going to be able tofind the way. And I don’t mean just sit down on your handsand say, “The Lord will provide.” You have to get up and dowhat God directs you to do.What is it that you most want people toremember about your legacy?First of all, I want alumnae to remember that I camehome, and that I came home not once but twice. Eachtime, I have made a significant contribution to the College,not only of time, but with my resources and my talents.Whatever I have learned or whateverexperiences I’ve gained, I’ve broughtthem all back to Spelman and tried toimpart them in a constructive way for theCollege. To me, that’s important – givingback. That’s part of my missionary messagein life. As African Americans and asAfrican American women, we must giveback to our institutions. We may not havethe dollars. I can’t give Spelman a milliondollars, but I can give Spelman whatI did – five years of some of the best managementexperience that is to be had inthe world.I never thought atany time duringmy associationwith Spelman asa student or as atrustee or as afirst lady that Iwould have abuilding atSpelman with myname on it. Thatnever occurred tome and the factthat it happenedis really quitewonderful.Mrs. Christine King Farris, C’48, was the recipient of the Audrey Forbes ManleyAward given during The Blue Diamond Awards ceremony on April 6, 2002.Photo: James RobinsonHow do you feel aboutSpelman as you evolve intothe role of president emerita?I’m happy. I’m happy for Spelman. Youhave to understand that it’s not about me.It’s never been about me. It’s about Spelman.If you tell my story, I want you to tellmy story as a Spelman story becausethat’s what I’m all about. I am a Spelmanwoman to my heart. I believe in whatSpelman is, what Spelman provides forblack women. I believe in the future ofSpelman.S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 0 25
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Page 9 and 10: A TRIBUTE TO D R . FALCONERO LOVE T
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Page 15 and 16: ALUMNAE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 2002Phot
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Page 19 and 20: Alumnae Notes1938Dovey Johnson Roun
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Page 23 and 24: 1997Tiffany BrownEducation: Receive
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Page 27 and 28: Blue NoteTheatreS U M M E R / F A L
Page 29 and 30: Class of 1952REUNION 2002TheUNDAUNT
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Page 33 and 34: Class of 1992Class of 1997S U M M E
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