This year, the Black Alumni Society celebrated its 45th year of philanthropy, community and connections. They have fostered opportunities for African American alumni, students, faculty and staff since 1979 through both financial contribution and hosting a variety of events. 

The Black Alumni Society, or BAS, offers several annual scholarships for both graduate and undergraduate students, such as the A.M. Witherspoon Graduate Scholarship and the Lawrence M. Clark Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship. BAS also established the African American Cultural Center Endowment in 1990, which allows them to extend their support further into the community.

Gina Avent, the current president of the Black Alumni Society, emphasized the important role that building a diverse schedule of events plays in their mission to help African American students and alumni find community, support and fun.

“NC State is such a large university,” Avent said. “It’s easy to get lost, whether you’re a student or an alumni. Maintaining that connectedness to the university is important and also allows for networking.” 

The Black Alumni Society hosts events alongside other student organizations like the Black Graduate Student Association, the African American Cultural Center and the Multicultural Student Affairs Association. 

One of the most recent activities was “Wine and Write Wednesday,” a collaboration between BAS, the African American Cultural Center and Black Graduate Student Association which created a space for students to practice intentional goal-setting with professionals from the Black Alumni Society. 

Many of the events utilize the talents and successes of alumni because it is a great way to keep them connected to the university while also promoting the success of current students.

“No matter where you are in the country or even in another country, alumni get to come back,” Avent said. “We get to be connected. We get to catch up on each other’s lives.” 

Matthew Williams, the vice president of the Black Alumni Society, explained how the events hosted by BAS allow them to celebrate African American students and alumni.

“We create opportunities to have intentional, culturally appropriate programming at our university and to feel that we have this space to be ourselves, celebrate our journeys at NC State and celebrate each other’s community,” Williams said.

Going forward, Williams hopes to see philanthropy increase alongside their efforts to continue growing their outreach to alumni. 

“We want to inspire alumni to continue to stay engaged with the institution and students,” Williams said. “Private support is the only way to take the good that we do here at NC State for our students and allow them to do exceptional things.”

However, the goals of BAS aren’t only limited to current students or alumni. Avent also noted admissions as a large focus for the organization’s future. 

“I have already contacted the admissions office to see what we can do collaboratively to encourage Black and brown students to apply and commit to NC State,” Avent said. “Whether it’s writing personal letters, entertaining them in our homes or hosting reception events.”

For their final event of the semester, BAS will be hosting a holiday social on Dec. 14 at Lobera Tacos & Tequila.

For more information about upcoming events, you can connect with the Black Alumni Society through social media on Instagram or Facebook, or you can update your contact information through the Black Alumni Society webpage.