By: Essence Buckman, Senior Writer

The Black Alumni Association (BAA) started an annual event in the fall of 2014, called the Black Alumni Summit (BAS), which occurs every Homecoming weekend on Wofford’s campus. Continuing for its 4^th year, this summit was created to produce a safe space for Black students to express their experiences on campus, network and meet other established Black alumni from Wofford for advice and good company.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion worked to ensure student participation in the Black Alumni Summit and helped with logistics and marketing through social media, daily announcements and word of mouth. For example, Dean Demario Watts, director of diversity and leadership development, attended a mixer sponsored by the Association of Multicultural Students and used that event to announce and speak briefly on the upcoming BAS. Dean Watts has also sent emails to students who identify as Black or as a person of color to notify them of their opportunity to attend the summit.

Watts regards Black alumni as “a unique group of individuals,” and wants to open the invitation to all students, regardless if they identify as a person of color. Though the Black alumni summit is focused on benefiting the needs of and networking with Black students and other students of color, this event is open to any person of any race or creed to attend as allies.

Watts is aware that the titles of certain events or groups can cause people to shy away and feel like they are unwelcomed, but believes that the college is working on being more open and hopes that more conversations will open concerning, in this case, the BAA/BAS and what they can offer to any student on campus.

Watts hopes that students who are not of color understand they can learn from this event and about its foundation and purpose. He believes that a White person attending can gain different perspectives from witnessing the conversations that occur during the summit and can apply what they learn from it in the classroom and through their interactions with students of color on campus.

“I do think that here at Wofford, it is a unique opportunity to have a Black Alumni Summit,” Watts says, “because not many schools have this particular event.”

The existience of the Black alumni summit is helpful to the Wofford community because it gives representation to underrepresented Black students and other groups on campus. Its existence can also serve as an educational experience to those who are not familiar with the Black experience on a predominately White campus. It also demonstrate the importance of having mentorship from Black alumni, a crucial component to a current Black students’ college experience.

The Black Alumni Summit will occur later this week on Oct. 20-21. Attendance to the events on Friday required alumni, students and other participants to sign up. Most of their events, such as the luncheon and tailgate, will take place at the AMS/NPHC house located in the Greek Village.