It is great to be alive. when I woke up this morning, thanking God for His goodness and mercy, my husband said to me, baby do you remember you got two weeks out from graduation and you said to me you are not going to participate in your graduation? I said yes. I must tell this story before I forget to remember.

When I applied to schools, I could have gone to Norfolk State, Hampton University, or Hampton University; however, I received more money for being a minority at a predominately white college. I chose Virginia Wesleyan College because everyone bragged about how good it was and how beautiful the campus was. They said how hard it was for a minority to get in.

The challenge for me became real. There was one problem, they had none of the Divine Nine on the campus.

I said to my husband, I am going to this prestigious school and I will start an AKA chapter on their campus. My husband looked at me and said ok, if that is what you want to do.

Honest to the mighty God when I submitted my paperwork, I was literally informed, they thought I was white because my name was Crowell. How bold I thought that was, but I let it pass. I kept my grades up and worked very hard. I had an excellent GPA until, I petitioned to get an Alpha Kappa Alpha Chapter on that campus. When me and two young girls went to the powers that be, they were not happy. We had very few women of color on campus, however, we would not have gotten in without good GPA.

We made flyers, we contacted, the grad chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha in the area to assist us. They were so excited and agreed to assist and sponsor us.

At that time, the school begin to give us no cooperation. They were giving us a hard time holding meetings for interested girls. I was the oldest one, I was considered a non-traditional student, however, I guided those young girls. We encountered so many obstacles, at time, I wanted to give up. Each of us began to see our professors mess with our grades and our goals. But God was in control, we begin to see girls, smart girls drop out because of their gpas. I WAS SO STRESSED, I BEGIN TO HAVE MORE THAN USUAL ASTHMA ATTACKS.

Satan said to me give up, God said hold fast. We were almost there, we almost had enough girls. At the last minute, other girls had to drop out because they were undercover messing with the grades to keep us from putting the chapter on their campus. The more they did their tricks, the more I dug in. By the time, we were about to go forward we did not have enough black girls to go forward. The young ladies were disgusted and wanted to give up. God gave me the courage, we were one girl short. We did not have enough to make the undergrad chapter. I spoke to the grad chapter. They said if you can get one more girl, it will be enough to do a line and you all will be attached to the grad chapter. I had a Japanese student in my class, she was very smart. She had become my friend, I tutored her because she was smart in math but they gave her a hard time on her papers. I tutored her in English. I went to her and explained the situation.

She agreed to help us out. She became my line sister and from there, we had our own chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, I became a part of the sisterhood and I let them know, I was a child of the King.

They could not hurt me. They even called me in and said maybe it was too much on me, that I needed to cut back on classes. I was working full-time for the Navy and had a full college load. When my adviser suggested that I take some time off, I thought about it. I remembered being at Forest High and my counselor saying to me, because, you were out sick this year, you cannot be a part of the National Honor Society. Your grades are good but when you were in the hospital we could not give you As or Bs, because you missed so much class participation.

The next day, I went back to my guidance counselor and I said, not only do I want to stay in school but I want to add an additional major. I want to get a dual degree. I added Philosophy to my major. I graduated with a double major and I brought Alpha Kappa Alpha to a campus which was about 95 percent white. God did it. He carried me. I was so frustrated with all they put me through, I did not want to March. Thanks to my husband, the matured one, the wind beneath my wings. He said oh yes, you will March and they cannot take that away from you.

I am a proud member of the Divine nine. Never let anyone stop you from your mission. I could not let those young girls down. I do not know if there are any other Sororities of color but Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first, yet, again. Virginia Wesleyan College, now Virginia Wesleyan University. I had to document this while I can still remember.

Never give up on your dreams, it may not happen when you think it should, but on God’s time. He will never forsake his children. Happy Women’s History Month.