Explore HBCU – Spelman College

Spelman College is a private, historically Black liberal arts college for female-identifying students in Atlanta, Georgia.

Background

Founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary by educators Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles, the school opened in the basement of Friendship Baptist Church. A year after the school’s founding, the two educators were introduced to John D. Rockefeller who pledged $250 to the school. In 1884, the name was changed to Spelman Seminary in honor of Mrs. Laura Spelman Rockefeller and her parents Harvey Buel and Lucy Henry Spelman who were activists in the antislavery movement. The first Spelman class graduated in 1887 with the receival of high school diplomas, a curriculum that was then expanded to include college courses ten years later in 1897, with the first college degrees being subsequently granted in 1901 to Jane Anna Granderson and Claudia T. White. 

In September of 1924, Spelman Baptist Seminary officially became Spelman College, with Spelman entering an agreement of affiliation with nearby Morehouse College and Atlanta University (aka Clark Atlanta University) a few years later. Clark Atlanta would provide graduate education, while Morehouse and Spelman were responsible for the undergraduate classes. By 1930, the high school was altogether discontinued as Spelman began to focus more on collegiate education. 

In 1958, the college received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Today the school has been ranked among the best institutions to produce Black students accepted to medical school, one of the best environments for Black collegians, and a highly nationally ranked liberal arts college. 

Programs & Opportunities

Spelman has a wide array of undergraduate course opportunities, offering numerous Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degrees with differing major and minor focuses. Major and minor course offerings include the study of art, biological sciences, mathematics, language, social sciences, education, and so much more. 

Additional offerings include honors programs, health career and social justice programs, and international and domestic exchange opportunities. What’s more, students at Spelman are able to take classes provided by the Atlanta University Center (curriculum offerings at both Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University).

Learn more about Spelman’s diverse and multi-faceted degree programming here.

Alumni Affairs

Spelman College is a global leader in the education of its students, dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Spelman students are known to become leaders in their numerous fields. Some well-known alumni include, but are not limited to:

• Stacey Abrams—lawyer, voting rights activist, author, and politician—graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (political science, economics, and sociology).
• Cassi Davis, well-established actress and singer, graduated Spelman College with a Bachelor’s in Music.
• Marian Wright Edelman, lawyer and civil rights activist who founded the Children’s Defense Fund, graduated from Spelman as valedictorian.
• Daphne L. Smith, the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Mathematics, graduated from Spelman with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics. 

Financial Information

Spelman is committed to empowering the whole person in order to engage the many cultures of the world, and as such, the university makes it a priority to create the best possible combination of federal, private, state, family, and other resources to help produce a more financially accessible education. 

The reported tuition at Spelman college is $29,972 with a total cost of attendance of more than $50,000. For the average student receiving need-based aid, the average cost of attendance lowers by $10,000 before the application of other forms of aid. 

A vast majority of students are reported to receive some form of financial aid, with a typical year resulting in approximately 90% of students receiving benefit from financial assistance.  

Conclusion

Spelman College is a renowned institution committed to the intellectual, creative, ethical, and leadership development of its student body. Spelman seeks to help empower those who identify as women and inspire commitment to positive social change.

Learn more about Spelman College here.

Sources:

• https://www.findmyhbcu.org/school/spelman-college/
• https://www.spelman.edu/about-us/history-in-brief
• https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/spelman-college-1594
• https://www.spelman.edu/academics/majors-minors-and-programs
• Stacey: https://www.spelman.edu/about-us/news-and-events/our-stories/stories/2017/03/06/stacey-abrams
• Cassi: https://www.newswise.com/articles/comedic-actress-of-tv-stage-and-screen-cassi-davis-graduates-from-spelman-college-21-years-later
• Marian: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marian-Wright-Edelman
• Daphne: https://naasc-southeast.org/2016%20Final%20Conference%20Program.pdf
• https://www.spelman.edu/docs/financial-aid/financial-aid-brochure.pdf?sfvrsn=1ead9950_4
• https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/spelman-college-1594/paying

Pictures:

• Spelman Logo: https://www.beyonce.com/article/black-history-spelman-college/
• Spelman Entryway: https://uncf.org/member-colleges/spelman-college
• Spelman Grads: https://www.ajc.com/news/local/spelmanfoundersday-students-and-alum-show-off-school-spirit-social-media/e1TKRd2fx3kc7H9VuJoezO/
• Spelman Students on Bench: https://www.spelman.edu/about-us/administration/business-and-financial-affairs/administrative-services/switchboard-operation