As the years increase from the time I walked through the Alumnae Arch and now, I realize that Spelman helped me become the Woman that stands before you today. Here are four things my alma mater gave me:

1) A Strong Work Ethic.

Spelman College courses were not easy. One class at Spelman was worth more credits than any other class in the Atlanta University Center and rightfully so. There was always extra work and it came in the form of papers, projects, supplemental activities outside the classroom. If you scored an A on an exam or in a class, you earned every bit of it.

Lesson Learned: Translating that experience in the workplace, you don’t just do the bare minimum to achieve results in the workplace. You do more than what’s expected of you. Let your actions say  more than your words.

2) A Can-Do Attitude

“You can tell a Spelman Woman, but you can’t tell her much.”

This statement is true. Spelman Woman not only believe that they can change the world, they often do. The first black official of Wal-Mart? Spelman Woman. The young diplomat in London? Spelman Woman.  Some say we are “stuck-up,” we call it confidence.

3) Appreciation for People Different Than Us

Many of my peers in graduate school were concerned that once I entered the “real world,” I’d have a problem working with people who are not Black Woman. Let me put your troubled mind to rest. Because I know who I am and what I can do, I work very well with people different than me. Part of working with others is knowing yourself. I once worked at a private company alongside all caucasian men. No problem. Spelman College gave me the audacity to understand and know myself. Because of this, another’s culture and background cannot phase me.

4) Feminity.

Men say “feminist” like it is a bad thing, as if we do not need men. In fact “feminists” only like and appreciate other women. I am a feminist, meaning I believe that women are just as capable of doing great things like the men in this world. Women are just as capable of leading a country as a man. But this notion doesn’t mean that I do not love and appreciate men. Men are valuable, assertive, confident, decisive and sometimes they provide a good balance to women who are apprehensive, indecisive, and conscientious. Feminism means that I value a women’s contribution to society.