With Admiration: Past Presidents Honor Dr. Jane Smith
Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D. | 9th President
Dr. Jane Smith had a long history with Spelman College, going back to her childhood as a young student at the Spelman nursery school and later as a Spelman graduate and as a college administrator early in her career. Our shared history began in 2004 at the first Spelman Women of Color Leadership Conference.
When I became president in 2002, I wanted to create a leadership center that would bring the varied campus leadership development programs together for maximum impact. The only problem was that I had no money in the budget to launch a new initiative or hire a director. That problem was solved when alumna Kimberly Davis and her colleague Pamela Carlton stepped forward to work as loaned executives from JPMorganChase to spend the 2003-04 academic year laying the foundation for LEADS, our new Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement.
Read More.
Audrey Forbes Manley, M.D. | 8th President
We all loved Dr. Jane Smith. My association and knowledge of Dr. Smith goes all the way back to former Spelman President Dr. Albert Manley. Dr. Smith graduated in 1968 under the leadership of Dr. Albert Manley. He spoke highly of her all the time, and that is how I got to know her -- through him. She was so dependable and always in good spirits – she had a wonderful joyous spirit and she was always helpful.
Dr. Manley would always say, “Get Jane. Get Jane. Get her back here!” She was like family. You could go to Dr. Smith with any problem and she would get it resolved. So I have very deep and fond memories and love for Dr. Jane Smith. I’m saddened by her passing, but find comfort in knowing that she lived a wonderful, fruitful and productive life. Spelman women should be proud.
Johnnetta Betsch Cole, Ph.D. | 7th President
Sister President Mary Schmidt Campbell, My Spelman Sisters, Sisters and Brothers all,
I begin my tribute to Dr. Jane E. Smith, by expressing my heartfelt condolences to her sons, Clifton and Chad Browning, her grandchildren, other family members, her friends and colleagues. As we mourn the passing of Spelman College’s distinguished and cherished alumna, Dr. Jane Smith, let us find solace in knowing that her soul is resting ever so peacefully.
So much of the road that our beloved sister Dr. Jane Smith traveled is connected with my own journey. At different points in time, and at different institutions, we majored in sociology as undergraduates. We received our doctorate degrees from different institutions --- Dr. Jane Smith’s from Harvard, mine from Northwestern --- and we never strayed very far from the world of higher education. Read More
Gone but Never Forgotten: We Will Forever Sing Dr. Smith's Praises
and Our Beloved Spelman Hymn in Her Honor
. . .We‟ll ever faithful be
Throughout eternity.
May peace with thee abide
And God forever guide
Thy heights supreme and true.
Blessings to you.
Through years of toil and pain
May thy dear walls remain
Beacons of heavenly light,
Undaunted by the fight;
And when life‟s race is won,
Thy noble work is done,
Oh God, forever bind
Our hearts to thine.