On Tuesday, March 4 the Atlanta University Center (AUC) consortium hosted Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) at the Roosevelt Hall. Williams was there to present the oldest consortium of Black higher education institutions in the country with an initial investment of $2 million towards the building and development of The Center of Academic Excellence in Government Service.
“I believe in intentionality in everything that I do in my office. Atlanta is a special place, we are the crater for the civil rights movement and 404 Day happens to also fall on the same day as the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” Williams told The Atlanta Voice. “I am a third generation HBCU alum and if I can give to our HBCUs, especially those that are under one umbrella, it’s made for me and I always want to step up and do what I can.”
Several key figures in attendance for this presentation included Dr. Michael Hodge, Executive Director for the AUC, as well as Representative Mesha Mainor, who represents District 56, of which the AUC resides.
“One of the things Dr. King said from Birmingham talked about the sacrifices of Negro people, Mainor said. “Dr. King being a graduate of Morehouse College, then having a black woman federal congressional leader here today, makes this the perfect day to present this to all the black students that I represent here today.”
The Center of Academic Excellence in Government Service will be dedicated to raising the next generation of political leaders and civil servants coming out of the Atlanta College and Universities.
“We believe this $2 million dollar infusion will create a pipeline of AUC students credentialed to meet the needs of a diverse public service core for the 21st century,” Hodge said.