“Fight the Power,” an expression made popular by the 1980s hip-hop group Public Enemy, was Dr. Walter Kimbrough’s theme for the S.P.I.T. Knowledge Lecture series on campus in the Opal Johnson-Smith Auditorium of the Willie Albert Tempton, Sr. Memorial Student Center, Tuesday, Sept. 15
Students Participating In Transcendent (S.P.I.T.) Knowledge lecture series is part of PVAMU’s new lecture series for the 2009-2010 school year, sponsored by the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (M.A.P.S.)
Kimbrough, President of Philander C. Smith College, spoke about the consequences of college students’ actions in relation to Spike Lee’s film “Do the Right Thing,” which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Purposeful life, promiscuity, and stepping up the standards of young adults were main points Kimbrough wanted to strongly express to PVAMU students.
Kimbrough said, “In terms of a positive aspect I face in my position, reaching out to my students does it for me; most college professors have others manage their Facebook accounts, I manage my own.”
How a president would usually conduct certain matters is “old school” in Kimbrough’s opinion. He claims to be an educator who needs to interact with his students.
Fortunately, he does not face any true hardships in his position.
The reason being is that he is not the first youngest president of an HBCU, at his institution the youngest president before him was 27-years-old; Kimbrough is the fourth youngest president.
“A lot of young people will have the opportunity to be president because most HBCUs are conservative,” said Kimbrough.
Kimbrough elaborated on the effort to include more faculty and administration who are “more human,” having a faculty and administration that reaches out more to the student body.
“I really admired his presentation, how he spoke about the efforts HBCU’s could make for improvement and integrity,” said the Provost, Dr. E. Joahanne Thomas-Smith.
While being a product of the hip-hop generation, Kimbrough feels that influences the institution’s branding, recruiting students, and engaging with different constituents.
Kimbrough said, “My model for black college presidents is Benjamin Mays, president of Morehouse College for 27 years, he had a profound impact on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the point that King desired for Mays to give his eulogy, and that’s the type of influence I want to last with my students.”
Kimbrough seeks to be an impact on young students’ lives and development, while getting them on the right path to success.
Kimbrough is the 12th president of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Ark.
Prior to serving a Philander Smith College, he served in administrative positions at Albany State, Old Dominion, Georgia State, and Emory University.