The youngest leader in history of the oldest civil rights organization will be speaking at Columbia College Class Day this May.
Columbia College Student Council members announced that Ben Jealous, president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was chosen as Columbia College Class Day speaker.
Cliff Massey, 2010 class president, told a crowd at Havana Central on Wednesday night that “after a long and complicated process, we wanted to find someone special to 2010—someone who would provide unique insight to us as we graduate and go into the world.”
Jealous, CC ’94, was one of last year’s John Jay Award recipients. He is the youngest-ever president of the NAACP.
Columbia College Dean Michele Moody-Adams said in a press release, “Columbia’s undergraduate experience is built on the idea that our college must not only help students develop their capacities for critical thinking, but also nurture in them the responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society. Benjamin Todd Jealous wonderfully personifies the value that Columbians have long placed on active engagement in the world and in finding the solutions to society’s challenges. We will be proud to welcome him back to Morningside Heights.”
The Class Day speaker selection process began in October, with participation from the Columbia College Alumni Association , the Columbia College Senior Class Council, the Dean’s office and Student Affairs. Based on recommendations from the alumni association of notable Columbia graduates, the council’s class day committee came up with a list of eight potential speakers. Further narrowing of the list, in consultation with alumni and administrators, produced the short list of five; Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor, actress Julia Stiles, CC ’05, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former president Bill Clinton, and Jealous.
According to Massey, “we come up with a short list which is given to Moody-Adams, and from that list she picks who would be the most beneficial speaker and she has her own process. She has the sole prerogative. He was her first choice, and he accepted.”
“He was involved in many campus organizations like we all are and was suspended for starting a protest, so he’s a real Columbia student—and in that aspect he’s someone unique,” Massey said.
While Massey expressed his enthusiasm at the choice, other students had more moderate reactions. Shaina Low, CC ’10, said “I would have liked Kofi.”
Jealous’s value as one of Columbia’s own, however, is not lost on students. Low also said, “It’s nice to have someone from Columbia because they have anecdotes that we understand.”
Ginia Sweeney, CC ’10, said that while she had wanted Bill Clinton, she was “just glad that it wasn’t Julia Stiles.”
Massey himself had a favorite. He said, “I think Sotomayor would have been great—she was a really good lady, a native New Yorker.”
Jealous will deliver the address to graduating Columbia College seniors on May 17.
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