Dear students, staff and faculty:

Yesterday we learned that the board of trustees of Georgia Fugees Academy Charter School voted to retain an independent investigator to look into allegations brought forward by a former employee. Our scheduled Commencement speaker, Luma Mufleh ’97, is the founder of Fugees Family, Inc., which oversees the school. Since the investigation will not be complete before Commencement, we regret that Luma Mufleh will not be able to serve as our 2022 Commencement speaker. In making this decision, we are not prejudging the outcome of this investigation; rather, we want the focus of Commencement to be on our graduating students and their families.

Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College as well as trustee emerita of Smith College, has agreed to deliver the 2022 Commencement address. She is a psychologist who has authored several influential books about race, including Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race. Beginning July 2022, Tatum will serve as the interim president of Mount Holyoke College, where she spent much of her career as a faculty member and dean of the college.

We are deeply grateful for Beverly’s generosity and look forward to awarding her an honorary degree and hearing her remarks on Sunday, May 15, as we come together to celebrate the class of 2022.

Sincerely,

Kathleen McCartney
President

Alison Overseth ’80
Chair of the Board of Trustees