STARS Students Sydni Tennant and Trinity Delis Smith Journey From Small Towns to a Global Sisterhood

From Stafford, Virginia, to LaPlace, Louisiana, two incoming Spelman students bring the experiences of their hometowns to a sisterhood that reaches around the world. 

For generations, students have arrived at Spelman College carrying more than suitcases. They bring with them the communities that raised them, the experiences that shaped them, and a vision for the change they hope to make in the world. 

For first-year students Sydni Tennant and Trinity Delis Smith, C’2030, those journeys began hundreds of miles apart — one in Stafford, Virginia, and the other in LaPlace, Louisiana. This fall, their paths converged at Spelman, where both are beginning their college journeys as recipients of the prestigious Dovey Johnson Roundtree Presidential Scholarship. 

The full scholarship recognizes students for outstanding academic achievement and a demonstrated commitment to leadership and service. But Tennant and Smith share another connection: both came to Spelman through the College’s work with the STARS College Network, an initiative designed to expand college access and opportunity for students from rural and small-town communities. 

Expanding the Road to Spelman 

Spelman’s connection to students like Tennant and Smith begins well before they arrive on campus. 

Through its involvement with the STARS College Network, Spelman is part of a national effort to expand college access and opportunity for students from rural and small-town communities. For the College, that work creates opportunities to build relationships with students and families who may have had less exposure to institutions like Spelman during the college recruitment process. 

“Spelman’s involvement with the STARS Network helps us be more intentional about reaching talented students in rural and smaller communities who may not always have the same access to college recruitment resources,” said Chelsea Holley, director of admissions at Spelman College. “Most importantly, it ensures that geography does not limit a student’s ability to see Spelman as a place where she can thrive.” 

For Christy Johnson, assistant director of admissions and special projects, that intentional outreach also means recognizing the academic talent, leadership and potential already present within those communities. 

“There is tremendous talent, academic and otherwise, in these communities, and sometimes what students need is greater access to information, resources and institutions that recognize what they have to offer,” Johnson said. “Students like Sydni and Trinity are wonderful examples of why this outreach is so important.” 

Johnson had the opportunity to see that potential firsthand during the admissions process, meeting Smith and her family several times, and getting to know the student behind the application. 

“I was impressed by her academic strength, determination and the sense of purpose she carried with her,” Johnson said. 

Now, Smith’s relationship with the Office of Admissions has come full circle. After first connecting with the College as a prospective student, she has transitioned into a role as an office assistant within the same office that helped welcome her to Spelman. 

For Johnson, seeing both Smith and Tennant arrive on campus as Dovey Johnson Roundtree Presidential Scholars represents what can happen when access meets opportunity. 

“They both bring their own experiences, perspectives and hometown stories to Spelman, and those stories will become part of our larger sisterhood,” Johnson said. “This will help to shape a new legacy at Spelman that I am truly proud to be part of.” 

From Stafford to Spelman 

For Sydni Tennant, C’2030, the road to Spelman began with experiences in two different environments. After spending her childhood in a metropolitan area, she attended high school in Stafford County, Virginia, a suburban community less than an hour from Washington, D.C. 

The contrast helped Tennant develop an appreciation for community, diversity and independence, while Stafford's proximity to the nation's capital gave her an early view into the relationship between government, public policy and the communities those decisions affect. 

“I experienced firsthand how communities can be impacted by the decisions being made around them,” Tennant said. “This upbringing has inspired me to want to pursue a career in law, specifically immigration law.” 

At North Stafford High School, Tennant began putting that commitment to service into practice. She held leadership roles with organizations including the NAACP Youth Council and Top Teens of America, served as senior class secretary and participated in community service initiatives focused on youth empowerment. 

At Spelman, she plans to build on those experiences with the ultimate goal of becoming an immigration attorney serving underrepresented communities and helping families navigate systems that can profoundly affect their lives. 

“My goal is to make an impact as an attorney and serve underrepresented communities,” Tennant said. “I hope to leave a lasting influence on countless lives, protect public policy and keep families together.” 

Becoming a Dovey Johnson Roundtree Presidential Scholar carries particular significance for Tennant, who is also a first-generation college student. For her, the scholarship represents both an opportunity to begin her own legacy at Spelman and a responsibility to continue serving the community that helped her reach this moment. 

“It is with highest distinction to be a Dovey Johnson Roundtree Presidential Scholar and represent a woman who fought for the rights of Black Americans in every stage of her life,” Tennant said. “With this blessing, I will continue to reach back to my community and share, uplift, motivate and educate others on the importance of community advancement.” 

Now officially a Spelman student, Tennant is eager to experience the sisterhood while taking advantage of opportunities ranging from internships and student organizations to study abroad. She also hopes to deepen her commitment to advocacy through Spelman’s Social Justice Program and find opportunities to serve alongside students who share her passion for creating change. 

And she already has a vision for the woman she hopes will walk through Spelman’s gates four years from now. 

“When it is time to graduate from this beautiful place, I will have found my voice, my purpose and gained the skills necessary to build up my community,” Tennant said. 

Where Art and Advocacy Meet 

About 30 miles outside of New Orleans, Smith’s path to Spelman began in LaPlace, Louisiana, a quieter community where her experiences growing up helped shape both her creativity and her commitment to advocacy. 

A graduate of the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, Smith arrives at Spelman with interests that cross disciplines but share a common purpose. She plans to double major in visual arts and political science on the pre-law track, bringing together her passion for creative expression and her desire to advocate for others. 

For Smith, the connection between those passions can be traced, in part, to one of the most difficult experiences of her childhood. In 2021, Hurricane Ida devastated parts of Louisiana, flooding her family's home and displacing them for an entire year. During that period of upheaval, Smith discovered new ways to express herself and a clearer understanding of how she wanted to make a difference. 

“While that was a difficult experience, being displaced also became a turning point in my life,” Smith said. “During that year, I found my love for art and discovered my passion for advocacy. Those experiences helped shape the way I see the world and taught me how important it is to use my voice and creativity to make a difference.” 

That sense of purpose followed Smith from LaPlace to Spelman, where receiving the Dovey Johnson Roundtree Presidential Scholarship became an accomplishment shared not only by her family, but also by the community that helped raise her. 

Her father, she recalled, often spoke about never having known someone who received a full scholarship to Spelman. Now, Smith has the opportunity to become that example for someone else. 

“Coming from a place on the map that most people have never heard of it carries a different kind of weight to be the example that others need to see,” Smith said. “I hope my journey can show other young people from places like mine that opportunities like this are possible for them too.” 

Smith will also join Spelman’s Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she plans to attend law school, with the ultimate goal of becoming a federal judge. 

But before that future takes shape, there are four years at Spelman ahead of her. 

“Spelman is the place that both excites me and scares me in all the best ways,” Smith said. “I love being surrounded by so many brilliant and talented Black women who genuinely want to see me succeed, and I feel the same way about them.” 

As she settles into her first semester, Smith is already thinking about the kind of Spelman student and sister she wants to become. 

“During my time at Spelman, I hope to become a community builder, changemaker and leader who reminds those around me of the importance of empathy, joy and gratitude,” she said.