May 08, 2012
Beth M. Evans, Vice President of Enrollment Management at St.
John’s University, is accustomed to taking the lead on projects
close to her heart. So she embraced the opportunity to co-chair a
recent national conference on enhancing educational opportunities
for young African Americans.
The annual conference, “A Dream Deferred: The
Future of African American Education,” was launched eight years
ago by the College Board
to develop new thinking on issues that affect African American
students. “We get together to discuss issues of access and
achievement for these students,” said Evans, who has been a member
of the College Board since 1996 and a member of the advisory board
for the conference since 2008.
“At
St. John’s, our mission is
to provide access to the underserved,” explained Evans, now in the
middle of her two-year term as co-chair. “This conference was a
perfect fit. I try to be involved in organizations that help
at-risk students to achieve their goal of going to college.”
Evans said that 500 counselors, teachers, community leaders,
college admissions officers and policy makers attended this year’s
conference, held on April 26 and 27 in Los Angeles. This year’s
theme was Kasserian Ingera, a customary greeting in the
Masai tribe of Africa, meaning in Swahili “And how are the
children?”
Harold Ford, Jr., former Tennessee congressman and current MSNBC
news analyst, delivered the welcome plenary. “His inspiring words
encouraged us,” said Evans, “to tap into students’ abilities by
educating, inspiring and touching African-American youth in a
different way.”