UNITAN Communications makes that move

Sept. 15, 2012 - PRLog -- A new voice for women is rising in collegiate life and is spreading around the academy.  The organization is educating, engaging, empowering and inspiring women to reach their potential, while helping others to do the same.  This new voice is the 100 Collegiate Women of America.

Hearing that voice were forty-one young women whose lives were transformed with induction into the 100 Collegiate Women of America™ at Prairie View A&M University.  The Collegiate 100 Women of America is one of the nation’s newest organizations for college and university students. It was created at the university in August 2011.

Asked why do colleges and universities need another organization? According to the organizers this organization is needed because it is one of the few that will focus on empowering its membership first and then equip them to help others.  The organization is open to college women who are progressive in their thoughts and actions, committed and dedicated to the cause of all humanity.

The newest members come from varied backgrounds and cultures, and ready to move the organization to the next level with the many planned programs.  The key programs for the group include mentoring, education, economic empowerment and health and wellness.  Among the membership are student leaders, resident hall counselors, organization presidents and prospective entrepreneurs.

The mission of the 100 Collegiate Women of America is to increase and provide opportunities to empower and improve the quality of life for women and to influence development at all levels of society.

The 100 Collegiate Women is an outgrowth of a program for an organization by Frederick V. Roberts, former Assistant Director of Career Services at Prairie View A&M University and a program initiative of the Collegiate 100 at the university.  According to Roberts, who created the Collegiate 100 organization for men and women in 1993, the organization gained affiliation with the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston, Inc. and the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. in 1994. However, since then most chapters opted to focus on the college men.  “It was time to give attention to the women since the men’s group was flourishing,” Roberts concluded.

Roberts reactivated the Collegiate 100 at Prairie View A&M University in March 2011 and the subsequent induction of the men into the chapter created a renewed interest in a women’s group.  Roberts said he was committed to bringing the group back for the young men first and decided to delay the ladies group for now.

Following the induction of the Collegiate 100 and at the urging of Dymonique Burton, Vice President of the group, Roberts organized a team and began work on creating the 100 Collegiate Women of America.  At first, folks thought Roberts must be crazy to take on such a feat. When asked why, Roberts said that he felt that “the women were ready for such a challenge and he was prepared to work with them.”  Roberts stated that one example of men helping women to success were the founders of Essence Communication, namely Edward Lewis, Clarence O. Smith, Cecil Hollingsworth and Jonathan Blount.  Another reason for Roberts’ belief In the 100 was fueled by the Bishop Tutu’s statement that “If we are going to see real development in the world then our best investment is women.”

With the help of Burton and Travis Reed, the Collegiate 100 president, the committee met with the women who had expressed interest in the new organization. Roberts appointed Elexia Robinson-White, a senior education major from Desoto, Texas, as the organizing Chair. The ladies were also offered membership into the new group.  “When I was selected as the organizing chair, I was ecstatic because this is the kind of organization I was looking for and am glad to be a part of the 100,” Elexia said.

Word about the organization spread like wild fire and the result was the induction of the 41 college women and honorary members: Mrs. Johnie Walker, Alternative Teacher Certification and Dr. De Linda Marzette, Language professor at Prairie View A&M, the organization advisers; Glenda Jones, Director, Career Services, Shadia Washington and Emebet Admasu, Corporate Relations and Administrative Assistant in Career Services, Kendra Mia Prestage, Artist/Grad Student, Tamra Wiley Lewis, TRB & Associates, Houston, Amy Charleston, Drama Teacher/Director, Royal High, Brookshire, Dr. DeAndrea Hughes, Talent Search at Texas Southern University and Attorney Evangeline Mitchell, Black Pre Law Conference, Houston.

Since the ceremonies, requests for chapters have been received from Texas Southern University, University of Houston, University of North Texas and Indiana University. Roberts and the group look forward to the launching 100 Collegiate Women of America chapters to these campuses.

For information write: The 100 Collegiate Women of America, P. O. Box 5433, Prairie View, TX 77446 or ceo@100collegiatewomen.com