Spelman College Opens Academic Year With Faculty Honors at Opening Convocation

Faculty Milestones Reflect Continued Commitment to Spelman’s Academic Mission

Spelman College held its annual Opening Convocation ceremony on August 20, 2026, welcoming students, faculty and staff to Sisters Chapel for a celebration of academic achievement and faculty excellence.

The ceremony formally launched the 2026 - 2027 academic year. It featured an address from Spelman’s 12th President, Ayanna Howard, Ph.D., and recognized faculty members who reached significant milestones in their academic careers, including earning tenure, receiving promotions and being honored for excellence in teaching, scholarship, service and mentoring.

"Through our campaigns, we will continue to invest in students, faculty and staff because we are committed," Howard said. "We need to build each other up. I believe that as leaders, we are responsible for creating space for all of us to be here."

That commitment to supporting the Spelman community is reflected in the College’s focus on academic excellence and achievement, which remains central to the Opening Convocation.

“It reminds us of our primary mission, to promote academic excellence and achievement,” said Aditi Pai, Ph.D., the vice provost and chief of staff for Academic Affairs.

Presidential Awards Recognize Faculty Excellence

The College presented its 2026 Presidential Awards for Excellence, recognizing faculty contributions in teaching, scholarship, service and mentoring.

• Bailey Brown, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship for non-tenured faculty. Dr. Brown’s scholarship examines educational policy, parental decision-making and the experiences of Black women in STEM. Her recent book, publications, grant funding and national visibility demonstrate an exceptional scholarly trajectory.

• Cicely Kelley, C’2022, senior lecturer in the Dance, Choreography and Performance Department, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mentoring. Professor Kelley was celebrated for her unwavering commitment to student growth, artistic excellence and personal development. Students consistently describe her as a mentor whose influence extends well beyond the classroom.

• Gene McGinnis, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching for tenured faculty. Dr. McGinnis has served Spelman students since 1998. He has taught nine different courses and laboratories and developed innovative offerings, including neurobiology lecture and lab, interdisciplinary science and biology in context. He has secured numerous grants supporting pedagogical innovation.

• Amber Reed, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Global and Diaspora Studies Program, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching for non-tenured faculty. "Since joining Spelman in 2021, Dr. Reed has developed innovative courses in African studies and global engagement, created transformative learning experiences and earned praise from students as both an exceptional teacher and mentor," Pai said.

• Monica Stephens, Ph.D., vice chair and associate professor of mathematics, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Service. For more than two decades, Dr. Stephens has provided extraordinary leadership to Spelman College. Her work with WiSTEM, data science pathways, STEM persistence and student success initiatives has had a lasting institutional impact.
• Yonas Tekle, Ph.D., professor of biology, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship for tenured faculty. Dr. Tekle is internationally recognized for research on microbial diversity, evolution, and disease dynamics. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles, secured significant external funding, and mentored hundreds of Spelman students in research.

The Vulcan Materials Company Award

The Vulcan Materials Company provides an award for outstanding professors identified at colleges and universities across the State of Georgia.

“The award recognizes an outstanding faculty member who demonstrates strong academic skills in the classroom and provides leadership and support in other areas of campus life," Pai said. "The recipients are faculty who assist the institutions in nurturing an academic climate that fosters teaching and provides leadership to enhance the campus community."

Davita Camp, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, received the Vulcan Materials Company Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation. Camp was recognized for innovative chemistry instruction, culturally relevant pedagogy, curriculum redesign and student mentoring.

Faculty Promotions

Five faculty members were recognized for earning the rank of full professor: Danielle Dickens, Ph.D., C’2009, of the Department of Psychology; Narketta Sparkman-Key, Ph.D, of the Education Studies Program; Cheryl Finley, Ph.D., of the Department of Art and Visual Culture; and Fatemeh Shafiei, Ph.D., and Unislawa Williams, Ph.D., of the Department of Political Science.

"The award of tenure is a noteworthy accomplishment in the academy and a milestone in the life of a faculty member, earned by years of contributions to the teaching, scholarship and service goals of the College," Pai said.

Several faculty members were recognized for earning tenure and promotion to associate professor:
• Khalilah Ali, Ph.D., Education Studies Program
• Na’Taki Osborne Jelks, Ph.D., Department of Environmental and Health Sciences
• Anisah N. Nu’Man, Ph.D., Department of Mathematics
• Chate Omisadé Richardson, Ph.D., Education Studies Program
• Mary Van Vleet, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Miesha J. Williams, Ph.D., Department of Economics

Together, the recognitions highlighted the faculty members whose teaching, scholarship, service and mentorship continue to advance Spelman’s academic mission as the College entered a new academic year.