Committed to Annihilating Health Inequities in Underserved Communities
Mallory Adele Butts is a Spelman College sophomore honors chemistry and chemical engineering dual-degree major from Atlanta, Georgia. She is actively engaged on campus in the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, Granddaughters’ Club, Chemistry Club, Society of Women Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Women in STEM (WiSTEM) Bridge Accelerator, Atlanta University Center Dual Degree Engineering Program and more. She is a staunch advocate for increasing health literacy, building cultural sensitivity, and annihilating health inequities in underserved communities.
"Mallory is truly an exceptional student — even my story of meeting her marks her distinction," says Dr. Michelle Hite, associate professor and director of the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program.
When she was in high school, she reached out to me with questions about an event that the Honors program sponsored. Through our exchange, I learned about her interest in the cosmetics of chemistry and art. I was so impressed with this high school student who had linked the profound impression that a Virgil Abloh exhibit had made in tying together her desire to make a humanitarian impact through Beauty. Ben Arogundade cautions against dismissing beauty in our movements for social change since, he contends, ‘beauty is a human rights issue.’ People often ignore the harm done to those who have been estranged from beauty,” said Dr. Hite.
Butts plans to become a cosmetic chemical engineer, formulating skin care for people of color in order to decrease the disparity gap in the cosmetic industry and mitigate the health issues associated. Butts spent her summer after freshman year with the Estée Lauder Companies in New York, working closely with cosmetic engineers and scientists to advance formulating practices, and gain initial exposure into the cosmetic industry. In addition to advocacy, Butts has a strong passion for art and design. Heavily inspired by the late Virgil Abloh and his design philosophies, Butts uses her spare time engaging in the world of fashion, designing apparel and graphic art and styling, in an attempt to tell meaningful stories. She recently lead an information session with the Fashion Scholarship Fund and Virgil Abloh’s “Post-Modern” Scholarship for all Atlanta University Center Consortium students, interested in the business of fashion.
Destined to Lead and Serve
“Since high school, Mallory has been acting on this insight and so expanding beauty's reach to include the homeless teens she collects blue jeans for through the organization she founded with her sister; she is deeply committed to learning about the cosmetics of chemistry. Her interest and preparedness were honored when she was named a student member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists as well as receiving their scholarship. Just a few weeks ago, her interest in Virgil Abloh came full circle when Mallory organized an informational program in conjunction with the Fashion Scholarship Fun to assist AUC students in preparing applications for the Virgil Abloh Scholarship Fund Scholarship competition,” added Dr. Hite.
Spelman College has become my second home. The rich traditions and history and essence of what it means to be at Spelman are daily reminders that being here is a choice to change the world. I am so thankful for Spelman and all of my Spelman Sisters around the world, who continue to break barriers and walk into spaces that previously wouldn’t have us. You are all reminders for us younger sisters of how to carry Spelman, the experiences and lessons, with us as we grow into Spelman Women,” said Butts.
A fun fact about Butts is that she loves to travel and her favorite place that she’s visited is the Galapagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador, where she spent two weeks experiencing the rich culture and practicing her Spanish, which she hopes to one day be a fluent speaker.
“Mallory has consistently proven herself to be an exceptional student. Since high school, she has demonstrated a dynamic understanding of studying science at Spelman would be perfectly compatible with her interest in art, service, and justice,” said Dr. Hite.
I’m so happy that Mallory is being acknowledged for the quality of her mind, the sincerity of her commitments, and the clarity of her approach to being an engaged student and citizen," added Dr. Hite. "Through her, so many students like her at Spelman will be encouraged to continue making interdisciplinary connections, and I am also proud of the example that Mallory has set for young Black girls to emulate."
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