Blackburn Institute

Blackburn’s Greensboro Travel Experience

December 2, 2010

It was a crisp fall morning when four vans of Blackburn fellows left campus to make the one hour trek to Greensboro, AL, a community rich with character and historical significance. Having prepared beforehand, the students knew that only two years ago, the high school we visited first was divided into two campuses: Greensboro West and East. White students and some black students attended West while East’s student body was almost entirely black. Eager to observe and hear from the people directly affected by the recent change, we listened closely to a panel consisting of the superintendent, the principal, teachers, and students. One of the students was the recently elected homecoming queen, and she shared her dedication and pride in Greensboro High School. In response to one of our questions, she explained that segregation is really an issue with the adults, not with her and her peers. She characterized her classmates and teachers as a group of people who knew how to make the best out of what they have been given. Blackburn Fellows were pressed to consider how to overcome the cyclical social patterns that hold back this state economically and socially.

After visiting the high school, we traveled to a nearby catfish farm. The catfish industry is the primary economic engine in Hale County.  Mr. Townsend Kyser, owner and President of Kyser Farms, explained the significance of the catfish industry in the Black Belt, while also describing the many challenges this industry faces.  As we shuffled our feet through a few dead fish, Mr. Kyser told us the importance in not only working hard within a job but also becoming involved in that particular industry.  He has made numerous visits to Montgomery and worked with state representatives on behalf of his business. If the catfish industry in Alabama fails, Mr. Kyser says, he will be satisfied knowing he did all he could to help the industry as a whole.  These words resonated with the students, as they can be easily paralleled to the ideas of Blackburn.  Following our tour of the catfish ponds, we hopped back on our now-muddied buses and traveled back to downtown Greensboro, where the streets were full of local citizens waiting for the Homecoming parade to begin.  We entered the city’s courthouse, where Judge William Ryan, the District Judge of Hale County greeted us.

Judge Ryan explained the difficulties he has seen Greensboro face throughout his time serving the city.  Although he often subtly danced around the more political topics,  we quickly understood that racial tensions are a major facet of the political climate of the town.  Additionally, Judge Ryan, one of the founders of HERO, described the efforts of this program and how it is rooted in Greensboro.  HERO is a non-profit organization that provides the community with housing resources and housing education. 

After Judge Ryan’s account, we listened to city councilman, Steve Gentry. Over the loud rumble of the air conditioner, he disclosed the inner workings of the Greensboro city government and described the cyclical issues that plague the community year after year. For Mr. Gentry, a businessman who spent most of his career in New Orleans, the problems are obvious. He gave his perspective on the dangers of depending on grant money; an issue that Greensboro certainly faces. Caught in this cycle, the city cannot sustain itself but must rely on grant after grant.

Following our visit to the Courthouse, we walked to another part of downtown Greensboro, where we began our next session with a slice of pie and warm coffee from Pie Lab.  Here, we learned about the measures that HERO and Pie Lab are taking to improve Greensboro.  Bringing in modern thinking and fresh perspective, both HERO and Pie Lab have caused a major splash—for better or for worse—in the community.  We split into two groups.  The first group followed Ms. Pam Dorr, Director of HERO, on a quick walking tour of the modern and cost-efficient HERO office and a few of the nearby HERO projects.  The second group followed long-time Greensboro residents Mrs. and Mr. Nicolas Cobbs into the old, elegant Opera House, which is in the midst of restoration.  After about thirty minute intervals, each group switched.

As we all piled into the University of Alabama buses following our long, informative day in Greensboro, we had plenty to talk about on our ride home.  From the words of the students and faculty of Greensboro High School to our tour of the dusty, dilapidated Opera House, our minds certainly did not leave Greensboro as quickly as our buses did.

- Anna Foley and Christy Boardman

Community Member Spotlight: Mrs. Ann Jones

December 2, 2010

As an advisory board member of the Blackburn Institute, Ann Jones has served her community and this university well.  Jones, originally from Pennsylvania, attended The University and received a degree in Math with minors in education and English. It was during her time as the President of the Associated Women Students that Jones served on the Board of Publications with Dr. Blackburn.  It was the friendship they formed during her time as a student that would eventually lead to her involvement with the Blackburn Institute.

After graduating, Jones married and moved to Mobile, Alabama. She spent the next few years engaging the community while she cared for her children. She volunteered with various organizations, served as the president of Mobile Junior League, and played the string bass in the Mobile Symphony Orchestra. When her children were in high school, Jones began her teaching career at UMS-Wright Preparatory School in Mobile.

It was just a coincidence that Jones ran into Dr. Blackburn in New Orleans, Louisiana where he first told her about the Blackburn Institute. Jones said of their encounter, “All he said was: ‘I have something I want you to do.’” Jones has served on the Advisory Board since then and believes the Institute is “an extremely important part of the UA community, because it helps students develop leadership skills and awareness of the issues that are important to the future of the state of Alabama.” Jones said her favorite part of serving on the advisory board is getting to work with students and to watch them grow. Jones is amazed at how aware today’s students are of public affairs and politics. When she was a student, she was focused on campus activities and issues, and says it’s nice to see a shift to a wider array of topics.

In addition to serving as an advisory board member, Jones has had many other opportunities to give back to the UA community.  Jones has served on the College of Arts and Sciences Leadership Board and as co-chair of The University’s National Capital Campaign: Our Students. Our Future.  Under Jones’s leadership, the capital campaign raised over $613,000,000 for The University, over half of which was used for scholarships for UA students.

Jones has thoroughly enjoyed being able to give back to The University and it’s students, and her experience doing so makes her a valuable asset to the Institute as an advisory board member. She offers one piece of advice for current Blackburn students: “Students need to follow their passions and their hearts. Take academics seriously, but enjoy your college career. It’s a wonderful time.”

-Stephanie Ballard, 2010 Blackburn Fellow

Alumni Spotlight: Kyle Buchanan

November 30, 2010

Kyle Buchanan, a 2003-2004 Blackburn Fellow, is a walking testament to the Blackburn Institute’s four overarching values: facilitating diversity of opinion, living Blackburn’s call to action in his own community, networking with all generations of Blacburn Fellows, and showing a lifetime commitment to the Institute.

Buchanan, a native of Tuscumbia, recently celebrated two milestones in his life. He became Vice President of Operations for the Colbert County-Northwest Alabama Healthcare Authority, which includes Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, and also welcomed the birth of his first child, a daughter named Carrington.

Buchanan says his most memorable moment as a part of the Blackburn Institute was his rural travel experience to Sumter County in 2003.

“It was really interesting to see the challenges of their community, especially the education system in Sumter County, and how it applies to my own background and hometown,” Buchanan said.

He added that on that trip he recognized Sumter County’s potential.  Now that he has returned to his hometown in the Shoals area, he sees that same potential in the youth of the Shoals area.

Buchanan and other members of the Shoals community have begun planning a program to get eighth- and ninth-grade students more thoroughly prepared for college. Their hope is that public school students will begin maximizing their potential and building the skill set to be successful candidates for college well before the 11th grade.  Buchanan said that as a member of the community, he felt that he should do something to make sure high school students are getting the tools that will help them take a huge step in their lives.

After graduating from the University of Alabama, Buchanan attended the University of Michigan where he received his master’s degree in Health Services Administration. He says that the diversity of his graduate school class solidified his personal value of the importance of diversity.

“Ann Arbor was much more liberal than Tuscaloosa and Tuscumbia,” he said, “and I am really glad to have experience in vastly different environments with vastly different types of people. That has been very useful throughout my career and in my personal life.  ”

Buchanan returned to Alabama as an administrative fellow at UAB Health System in Birmingham, where he also received a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Buchanan says his best advice for current Student Fellows is to network, especially with other Blackburn Fellows and Advisory Board members.

“This is one of the best organizations I’ve ever been a part of, and the people you meet are invaluable.

-John DuBois, Blackburn Class of 2011

Perception and Diversity Exercise

November 30, 2010

As Blackburn students gathered in a circle in Gorgas library with bandanas as blindfolds covering their eyes, a lone voice matter-of-factly read statement after statement that caused the students to step forward, backward, or remain standing. “If you had more than 50 books in your house growing up, please take one step back,” the voice said. The voice continued, saying, “If you have ever been followed in a store or restaurant, please take a step forward.” The statements continued on until all thirty had been announced. Afterwards, the students removed the bandanas and silently looked around the room. Some students finished the exercise near the outer wall, while others remained clustered near the center of the circle.

In preparation for the local travel experience to Greensboro, Alabama, Advisory Board member Bobbie Siegal and Rachel Estes of Birmingham came to Tuscaloosa to stress the importance of understanding multiple perspectives and personal backgrounds for Blackburn students. The exercise helped students to understand how experiences growing up often shape the outlook and perspective of people as they age.

Each statement related to experiences students may have had while growing up, but each statement during the exercise had an important caveat. The students had no control or influence over the situations mentioned. Even though the situations were uncontrollable, they have often shaped perceptions of self and others. To better understand the differences of our citizens and state, students should recognize how someone’s background can shape their views. For example, how might someone from a rural area of the state judge success differently than someone from a more urban area? However, students not only examined the potential differences of these situations, but they also explored how these different experiences relate to each other.

After the exercise, students separated into small groups to discuss how these statements impact how they perceive other people and different areas of the state. Students then gathered into a large group to further analyze and discuss these perceptions and their meanings. At the end of the event, Blackburn students left better prepared to learn from leaders and citizens in Greensboro, Alabama, in order to gain more knowledge about both the opportunities and challenges in the state.

-Marshall Houston, Blackburn Class of 2009

Condoleezza Rice Visit

November 24, 2010

On November 4, 2010, Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came to the University of Alabama to speak with students and promote her new book “Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family.” This memoir traces the story of her parents, their families, her life growing up in Birmingham, and how she became the first black woman to be named the U.S. Secretary of State.

For the first event, Dr. Rice engaged students of the Blackburn Institute in a private question and answer session. Dr. Rice gave a brief overview of how she is connected to the Blackburn Institute by explaining how her father, Dean of Students at Stillman College, John Wesley Rice and Dr. John Blackburn, Dean of Students at the University of Alabama, worked together trying to better race relations between both schools. The two later re-united at the University of Denver. She spoke with students about how she started out as a concert pianist and eventually ended up changing her major to focus on political science. She also answered questions about her experiences while serving in the administrations of George H.W. and George W. Bush and as professor and provost of Stanford University.

Charlotte Brown, 2010 Blackburn Fellow and marketing major stated, “It was great to hear her perspective on a more personal level and to hear about her experience not only in her government position but also in academia.”

The second event featuring Dr. Rice was set in the Ferguson Center Theater. She sat down with Blackburn Institute Director, Dr. Philip Westbrook for an hour long discussion about her life and her book. Dr. Westbrook led the discussion with questions on her life and expanded their discussion to touch on issues of history, culture, and politics in America. Dr. Rice got very personal when describing her early childhood growing up in segregated Birmingham and knowing one of the girls killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. The two later discussed her roles and issues at Stanford and the time she served in public office.

Dr. Rice capped off an excellent week of historical events at the Capstone. She provided the campus with great events and served as an inspiration to everyone she encountered. The University enjoyed having her, which was evident from the almost 1,100 people that attended her book signing.

At her book signing, Brian Davis, a 2009 Blackburn Fellow, said “I really enjoyed the Condoleezza Rice discussion. It was by far one of the most enjoyable events I have attended on campus.”

-Stanley “Teddy” Phillips Jr., Blackburn Class of 2009