Clemson alumni play critical role in establishing first national Black Alumni Summit

Georgia Tech appeared to have a little orange crush when Clemson graduates showed up on the Atlanta campus for the 2019 Black Alumni Summit.

The Clemson alums joined alumni from some of the largest colleges and universities in the country to discuss ways to strengthen the college-going experience for students on campus and beyond.

“The pillars of our work are based on six main principles – advocate for inclusion; encourage student recruitment; support fund development; broaden community service; promote leadership; and, celebrate our universities,” said Allyson Reaves, Clemson ’02, Black Alumni Summit founder.

The Summit is a consortium of black alumni leaders from more than 10 universities, including: Auburn University, Clemson University, Duke University, Georgia Tech, Florida State University, the University of Alabama, the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, the University of North Carolina, and the University of South Carolina.

Summit participants established as bedrock methods of approach – scholarship, fellowship, leadership, and stewardship, to ensure they ‘walk the walk and talk the talk.’

“This is such an important time and space for Clemson University to celebrate the growing diversity that has been part of our campus for decades,” Reaves said. “With this collaboration, we have the chance to lift it up collaboratively with other schools across the country.”

Reaves said the summit is the first of its kind and participants are committed to growing its impact nationally.

“This summit has the potential to alter the African American experience at each of our respective institutions,” shared Jervis Hough, Clemson, ’97, ’00. “The collective brain trust present at the Summit is focused on progressing the African American experience on the campuses of PWI’s (predominantly white institutions).”

The 2020 Black Alumni Summit Conference will be hosted by Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL.

“We can’t wait to see how this celebration of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access continues to unfold,” Reaves said.

Click here for more information on the Summit.