They are both industry titans and company movers and shakers; entrepreneurs and executive professionals; artists and scientists, and all have called the Atlanta University Center their educational home. For more than 150 years, AUC institutions have produced some of the nation’s most talented individuals. From Martin Luther King Jr. to Marian Wright Edelman, the impact of AUC graduates is unparalleled. Below are just a few of the thousands who were educated in the AUC.
Deisha Barnett
Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Deisha Barnett is senior vice president of marketing and communications for MAC. A Clark Atlanta University graduate, Barnett is considered top talent in the marketing and communications industry.
Find out more about Deisha Barnett.
Cynthia Bowman
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Bank of America
Recently named as one of Ebony’s Power 100, Cynthia H. Bowman is Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Bank of America. A Dual Degree Engineering Program student who received a bachelor’s in computer science from Spelman as well as one in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech.
Find out more about Cynthia Bowman.
Kevin Y. Brown
Author, Entrepreneur, Clothing Designer
Life has not always been kind to Kevin Brown. Growing up in the California foster care system, Brown has lived a life of overcoming obstacles. A Clark Atlanta University alumnus, Brown has parlayed himself into a successful business man.
“The love and support I received … at CAU made me believe in myself and my goals. … A lot of people expected me to be kicked out of college in the first two weeks. But my experiences at CAU, from playing on the men’s basketball team to a semester in London, turned out to be some of the best years of my life.”
Find out more about Kevin Brown.
Alexander B. Cummings Jr.
Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, The Coca-Cola Co.
Receiving his MBA in finance from Atlanta University in 1982, Alexander B. Cummings is now executive vice president and chief administrative officer of The Coca-Cola Co. The CAO structure consolidates key global corporate functions in a purposeful approach to effectively support the business operations of The Coca-Cola Co.
Learn more about Alexander Cummings.
Braxton K. Davis
CEO, Patent Attorney, Turocy & Watson, LLP
Braxton Davis was a Morehouse College to Georgia Institute of Technology dual degree engineering major. Always interested in becoming a lawyer, Davis decided to take the patent bar to become a patent agent after working as an electrical engineer. Today, Davis is a patent attorney for Turocy & Watson, LLP.
“While the Dual Degree Engineering Program provided me with the foundation to be a solid engineer, I ultimately decided to become a patent attorney, so I could balance my engineering degree with my interest in the law,” said Davis, who received his juris doctorate from Georgia State University. To encourage other would-be patent attorneys, Davis launched the Patent Institute of Training.
Learn more about Braxton K. Davis.
Tomika DePriest
Senior Director of Communications, Campus Life, Emory University
As senior director of Emory Campus Life Communications, Tomika DePriest develops and guides strategy to ensure the brand consistency of Emory’s Campus Life communications. With a bachelor’s in English from Spelman, and a master’s in humanities from Clark Atlanta University, DePriest says of her alma maters, “Spelman armed me with a strong academic foundation rooted in the liberal arts and activism …, and Clark Atlanta University is where I became both a scholar and communications professional.”
Learn more about Tomika DePriest.
Jerri DeVard
Board of Directors, ServiceMaster
With more than 25 years of building diverse global brands and working on corporate boards, Jerri DeVard is an accomplished chief marketing officer and business executive and serves on the board of directors for ServiceMaster. Holding an economics degree from Spelman and an MBA from Clark Atlanta University, DeVard says, “being a double HBCU graduate prepared me both academically and socially for the challenges I would face as a double minority in a majority corporate world.”
Learn more about Jerri DeVard.
Kenny Leon
Actor, Director, Producer
From the Mr. Abbott to a Tony Award, Kenny Leon is an award-winning Broadway and film actor who has worked with the industry’s greatest actors, including Denzel Washington, Diahann Caroll, Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Anika Noni Rose and Angela Bassett. A graduate of Clark Atlanta and an honorary Ph.D. recipient of Clark Atlanta and Roosevelt Universities, he is currently serving as the Denzel Washington Chair at Fordham University.
Find out more about Kenny Leon.
Joshua Packwood
Managing Partner, Lucus Advisors LLC
Joshua Packwood made history in 2008 when he became the first white valedictorian to graduate from Morehouse. A Rhodes Scholar finalist with a degree in economics, today he is a managing partner for Lucus Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser.
Find out more about Joshua Packwood.
Helen Smith Price
Vice President of Global Community Affairs and President of the Coca-Cola Foundation, The Coca-Cola Co.
A dual Atlanta University Center graduate, Helen Smith Price holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Spelman and an MBA from CAU. Joining The Coca-Cola Co. in 1993, Price has successfully charted her career path at the world’s No. 1 beverage refreshment company.
Find out more about Helen Smith Price.
John David Washington
Actor, Former Professional Football Player
He’s both charming and annoying as the character Ricky Jerret on “Ballers,” an HBO series dealing with the everyday life of a professional football player. Washington was a Morehouse Tigers running back standout who set a school record with 1,198 yards.
Find out more about John David Washington.
1 thought on “AUC Alumni Make America Great”
Good post.