Media Contacts:
Dr. José Picart, 919/515-7966
Chad Austin, News Services, 919/515-3470

Dec. 1, 2003

NC State to Honor Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole at Brotherhood Dinner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole

North Carolina State University will honor Bennett College president Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole at the 21st annual University-Community Brotherhood Dinner on Friday, Dec. 12, at the McKimmon Center.

Cole’s career as a college and university teacher and administrator spans 37 years. In 1987, Cole became the first African-American woman to serve as president at Spelman College in Atlanta. Under Cole’s leadership, Spelman became the first historically black college or university to receive a No. 1 ranking by U.S. News and World Report when the magazine named it the top liberal arts college in the South in 1988.

After a decade at Spelman, Cole was appointed Presidential Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Women’s Studies and African-American Studies at Emory University in Atlanta in 1998. She retired from Emory in 2001 and later became the 14th president of Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C., on April 27, 2002.

Cole will give a presentation entitled “Are You Your Sister’s and Your Brother’s Keeper?” to the campus community at 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12 in the Witherspoon Student Center Cinema, prior to the evening’s Brotherhood Dinner. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Hosted by Chancellor Marye Anne Fox, the Brotherhood Dinner honors an African-American who has made a significant contribution as a scholar and humanitarian. Six outstanding African-American students representing St. Augustine’s College, Shaw University and NC State also will be honored during the dinner. Attendance at the dinner is by invitation only.

The Brotherhood Dinner was established in 1982 to recognize important contributions that African-Americans have made and continue to make to the nation and the world, and to reaffirm the university and community's commitment to enhancing an environment where people of different races may come to study and work together. Previous honorees include former U.S. Rep. Eva M. Clayton, astronaut Col. Guion S. Bluford, Jr., artist/educator Dr. Margaret Burroughs, historian John Hope Franklin, and educator and civil rights pioneer Robert Moses.

Students being recognized at this year’s dinner are:

NC State: Machon B. Gregory of Greensboro, N.C., a senior majoring in computer engineering; and Eshohe “Faith” Ohuoba of Raleigh, N.C., a senior double majoring in biochemistry and chemistry.

Saint Augustine’s College: Jaclyn Guess of Summerton, S.C., a senior majoring in biology; and Laton McGibbon of Saint Mary, the Bahamas, a senior majoring in mathematics.

Shaw University: James J. Bailey II of Savannah, Ga., a senior majoring in computer science; and Deidre Coleman of Savannah, Ga., a senior majoring in mathematics.

The Presenting Media Sponsor for this year’s dinner is Radio One. Event Sponsors are Progress Energy and Capital Seafood Market, and the Award Sponsor is Judges Human Resources Group.

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