View Founders Day Invitation
Since our inception, Spelman College has evolved from a one-room seminary to a pace-setting undergraduate liberal arts institution.
Sophia B. Packard and
Harriet E. Giles saw an overwhelming need to provide educational opportunities for Black women in the South and were determined to effect change. Now,
142 years later, their vision has empowered and elevated thousands of brilliant young women to become global change agents.
As we celebrate Founders Day, let us embrace this year’s theme – Forever Blue – an affirmation of Spelman’s enduring legacy and sisterhood. The tremendous success that Spelman has achieved is directly related to the strength and determination that was demonstrated by our founders and shared by our brilliant students, alumnae, faculty, and staff throughout the years.
The collective advocacy of our alumnae and supporters allows Spelman to be dedicated to our mission. Making a gift to Spelman Strong, Spelman’s unrestricted fund, uplifts the institution by promoting a campus culture of innovation, providing scholarships so that every student can graduate, and forming the foundation for transformative change and enhanced operations. Your commitment to supporting Spelman has been the catalyst for many of the incredible accomplishments of our alumnae and students.
In commemoration of Spelman’s founding in 1881, help us reach our goal of 1,881 donors by making your gift to Spelman Strong by 11:59 PM (EDT) Tuesday, April 11, 2023. Once you have made your gift, reach out to your sisters and friends, and encourage them to donate. Thanks to you all, our devoted community and beloved sisterhood, we are Forever Blue!
In our Stronger Together: Upholding Our Legacy Video Series, hear from our students and alumnae as they share their thoughts on what Spelman's legacy means, how they uphold our legacy, and why it’s important for us to set a strong foundation for future Spelmanites to follow in our footsteps.
Watch the Video Series
What Founders Day Means to Me . . .
During the anniversary of our founding, Spelman College celebrates a long-standing commitment to academic excellence and service to others, inherited from the Founders. Grounded in the vision of Packard’s charge to build “for a hundred years hence,” Spelman is unwavering in her commitment to deliver an outstanding education for our current students, while ensuring our ability to deliver on this promise for generations of students to come. Empowering leaders since 1881 through an intellectual and ethical course, we pause to pay tribute to our past.