Nineteen Fifty-Six Vol. 4 Issue 1

46
The Black Alumni
Association:
Paving the Way for the Next Generation
Sophana Norville
Since 2016, the Black Alumni Association, a chapter of the University of
Alabama’s National Alumni Association, has spent each year fostering
alumni engagement, scholarship and mentorship between its extensive
network of alums and Black UA students.
Stacey Hill, BAA’s immediate past president, who works alongside current
president Derek Cunningham, said what she loves most about the association is
that it creates a formal network of Black students on campus out of an informal
circle that’s been growing since Vivian Malone became the first Black person to
graduate in 1965.
“It puts us in a position to really be able to organize, to address issues that we
face as alumni, things that are incredibly important to us, such as supporting
scholarships and mentoring and supporting the students that are there now at
the Capstone and being able to support them after they graduate,” Hill said.
Along with their goals of increasing “minority participation and presence at
the University,” according to its website, the association is also responsible for
awarding and funding six minority preference endowed scholarships, like the
Pollie Anne Myers-Pinkins AAAN Endowed scholarship, to which they fundraise
for through events like their annual “Houndstooth and Heels: Black Alumni
Weekend,” which this year will be hosted in Birmingham in November.
Hill said they’re always looking to expand their scholarships.
“We have grown that endownment to about 250,000 dollars we have a goal to
get that endownment to a million dollars,” she said. “And even now we’re able
to award pretty significant scholarships to rising juniors an rising seniors to
ensure they are able to finish school.”
Andrea Maxwell, a UA alum and current member of the BAA, said that there
wasn’t a BAA when she was attending the University, but as her daughter
prepared to follow in her footsteps byin attending the University, the association
was extremely helpful and even continued to reach out to her daughter as she
continued on at the University.
Maxwell said she also enjoys the way the association
provides outreach and gives Black alums opportunities
to get together.
The Black Alumni Association hosts several events
throughout the year that serve all aspects of their
goals as an organization. One event is the “Through
The Doors” freshman pinning ceremony, which gives
the organization a moment to uplift freshmen Black
students and showcase the legacy they’re following.
These opportunities allow not only a time to fundraise
for students, but also fellowship.
Ocie Fulford, the association’s vice president, said
one thing he thinks fondly of is having something
like the Black Alumni Associaition that allows them
to come together and have an opportunity to have a
“real holistic, organic experience.”
These events are a great way to connect with
students and get them involved. It is important that
students know that an organization like the Black
Alumni Association is available to them because
the mentorship and networking opportunities can
be beneficial as they continue their college and
profesional journey.
Mentorship especially can be an important part of
college simple for the advice and community they can
foster with a student.
“One of the things the BAA wants to do is to continue
innovation but really speak to the hearts and minds
of people coming after us so that they can see the
importance of continuing to connect with each other
and spreading the love we have for the university,”
Fulford said.
Hill said as the Black Alumni Association continues
to grow and a is only going to keep expanding and
reaching the community and students.
Cunningham encouraged those to become a member
and get engaged in what the organization has to offer.
It is a great way to stay involved but in a different light.
They are truly paving the way for the future Black
alumni who can also join the organization and become
mentors. Compared to other Alumni Associations the
BAA is fairly new but this does not mean they have
not been making an impact already. The BAA has done
so much for the Black students at the university and
will continue to serve the community.