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Class of 2017 MAC Sister Scholars Celebrate Achievements
May 15, 2017—The Minority Achievement Committee (MAC) Sister Scholars celebrated its 20th annual awards ceremony on Monday honoring academic achievements of its members, recognizing the leadership of outgoing seniors, and inducting 14 new Sister Scholars. 

The Honorable Janine Boyd, State Representative for Ohio State District Nine, was the ceremony's guest speaker. "I am in awe of each and every one of you," Boyd said, adding, "I want to tell you that there's really no straight line before you. So if you're not sure what you want to pursue, that's OK. There are no straight lines." Boyd shared her story to inspire the students, explaining how she attended law school, before realizing that her passion was to work with children. She returned to school, earned her masters in speech and language pathology (SLP), and began to work with children with developmental delays and autism. In her work as an SLP, she saw saw that children on public assistance were treated differently than children who had private insurance. The experience led her to advocate on behalf of others and, ultimately, to run for public office. 

In her farewell message to seniors, junior Maya Sparks told the audience, "These women have embodied leadership with confidence and grace." Each senior also received a cash gift from the Shaker Schools Foundation.

The goal of the MAC Sister Scholars program is to embrace a sisterhood that promotes and encourages scholarship, achievement, leadership and motivation. The MAC Sister Scholars meet monthly with MAC Sister Mentees to help achieve this goal.

Congratulations to these Class of 2017 MAC Sister Scholars: 

Kamryn Bailey - Kent State University
Cydney Calhoun - Johnson C. Smith University
Autumn Conner - The Ohio State University
Alayna Curry - Howard University
Attiyah Evans - Kent State University
Shalyn Foster - Ohio University
MonicaMonet Franklin-Kidd - Spelman College
Jayvonna Gambrell - Central State University
Makayla Howard - The Ohio State University
Amaria Kinney - Ohio University
Taylor O’Rourke - Pennsylvania State University - Full Tuition Scholarship
Lauren Reese - Bowling Green State University
Curtshanna Robinson - Hampton University
I’Anna Smith - Kent State University
Bre’Auria Wherry - The Ohio State University
Jaliyah Whitmore - Ohio University