Cleveland Alumni Chapter Celebrates 60 Years

The Cleveland area in Northeast Ohio welcomed an influx of individuals who had common experiences and education. Those individuals were a group of distinguished A&T alumni. From that moment, this dedicated group of Aggies started to organize what would eventually become the Cleveland Alumni Chapter of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

The alumni charter was issued June 4, 1961, with organizing members Linwood Smith, Izora Bagley, Jesse Bagley, William Cohen, Vera Tillman Cohen, Abe Williams, Lynette B. Williams, Hortense Jones Rush, Marguerite Jones Banks, Alfred Russell, Ollie Pope Daniels, and John Wright.

During the first year of the chapter’s existence, Smith was elected president. Key initiatives were fundraising, recruiting students to attend A&T and connecting with alumni in the area through networking and social events. Monthly meetings were held in members’ homes of with a key focus on events and the needs of their alma mater. Bylaws were adopted to provide structure and systems of operation.

During the ensuing years, the Cleveland Alumni Chapter expanded its emphasis to include student recruitment and scholarships. In 1964, Jean Lipscomb was awarded the first four-year scholarship. Throughout the chapter’s existence, a multitude of scholarships, book stipends, and other sources of student support has been extended.

Over the course of its 60-year history, the Cleveland Alumni Chapter has made strides in developing leadership at the local, regional and national level. Chapter members have also held positions at the regional level including directors, treasurers, and recording secretaries. At the national level, positions have included awards committee co-chair and National Alumni Association Member of the Board of Directors.

Student recruitment is one of the major roles chapters can play in support of A&T, and the Cleveland Alumni Chapter has made student recruitment one of its top priorities since its inception. This directive has led to thousands of prospective student contacts being made at college fairs in high schools, resulting in many of those students attending A&T.

The work of the chapter does not end with admittance. The chapter has participated in annual senior send-offs and remained connected with area students during their academic careers through holiday gatherings, homecoming events, periodic calls, and social media. Following graduation, students are made aware of local chapters in areas where they plan to live.

Cleveland Alumni Chapter members have held and continue to hold positions in several Fortune 500 companies from a variety of industries and government entities. This has afforded members the opportunity to engage in the recruitment of prospective students for full-time positions in the greater Cleveland area and across the nation as well. Members use their connections to continually advocate for A&T.

Support of the university’s athletic programs and the University Choir has been and continues to be a priority for the Cleveland Alumni Chapter. In support of athletics, the chapter frequently supports teams when they are scheduled to play in Northeast Ohio. This has included the donation of dinners, refreshments, and general support at the events. The chapter has also hosted the University Choir on three separate occasions at local performances and the chapter looks forward to further supporting those programs following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community engagement and support is an area the chapter emphasized early on and has remained at the forefront of its efforts.  For example, in 2007, the chapter attended a February One reenactment at a local theater, where chapter members provided insight to the audience and cast into their experiences during the protest period. The chapter has provided backpacks stuffed with snacks to a Cleveland area high school for at-risk students. This year, the chapter conducted a February One reading to a fourth-grade reading class in Akron, Ohio.

The chapter has always supported national alumni meetings and graduation weekends. This included the 2012 commencement where first lady Michelle Obama was the keynote speaker.

The Cleveland Alumni Chapter will celebrate its 60th anniversary this year. As a way of recognizing this milestone, we are having commemorative T-shirts made and look forward to wearing them with Aggie Pride!

As the Cleveland Alumni Chapter looks toward the future, recruiting and engaging area alumni remains a top priority. This will better enable us to execute our other priorities of annual giving, new student recruitment, current student support, and community engagement.

The Cleveland Alumni Chapter can be reached via Paul Hardy, chapter president, at clevelandaggies@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter: @ClevelandAggies

Story written by Paul Hardy