News

Meet the Black Twins Who Made History as Valedictorians at Spelman With a 4.0 GPA

In 2013, identical twins Kirstie and Kristie Bronner, were named co-valedictorians at Spelman College. With a 4.0 GPA, the Bronners were the first twins to receive the designation in the history of Spelman. “Being co-valedictorians of our class is very exciting and a blessing for us,” said Kirstie.

Following graduation, Kristie and Kirstie, both music majors, joined the youth ministry at a church in Atlanta pastored by their father. In between directing youth events and counseling in the music department, they recorded a contemporary Christian CD and wrote a book offering advice to high school students about achieving academic success in college and beyond.

The Bronners attribute their academic achievement to a disciplined study routine, time management, and their faith. “We maximized our study time,” said Kirstie. “People would ask us ‘do you want to go do this or that on a weekday’ and the response was an automatic ‘no.’ We saved recreation for the weekend. Our philosophy was and is, pay now and play later.”

The sisters are third-generation Spelman graduates. As youngsters, they looked up to their mother, Nina Cobb Bronner, Class of ’85, and grandmother, Dorothy Gibson Cobb, Class of ’56, and naturally wanted to continue the Spelman tradition. However, Kirstie changed her mind in high school and wanted to go to a school with more diversity. Her perspective shifted when the sisters took part in a National Society of High School Scholars campus tour of Spelman during their senior year.

“When I heard the whole idea behind [Spelman’s mission] ‘a choice to change the world,’ I realized Spelman was the place for me,” Kirstie said. “The experience of being here and hearing that Spelman emphasized leadership, community service, legacy, and changing the world was an affirmation because those things had been instilled in us throughout our lives. It clicked with who I was and made me realize this was a place I needed to be.”

The Bronners rounded out their academic career by studying music abroad their junior year in Milan, Italy as part of the Institute for the International Education of Students. It’s an experience Kristie described as “one of the more enriching semesters of my life.” They joined the Spelman College Glee Club their first year, and each earned a leadership position within the Glee Club by their senior year – Kirstie as a section leader and student conductor and Kristie as a section leader and chaplain.

“Spelman has emphasized not just the academic side but the development of the overall person,” said Kristie. “There is a nurturing environment here that establishes a foundation on which you can stand. It’s been a nurturing environment for my overall growth as a Black woman.”

Related Posts

Mass job losses as major factory owner moves business overseas

A major New York tire factory that has operated for over a century is set to close after its executives moved its manufacturing overseas. Sumitomo Rubber USA, which owns tire maker Dunlop, fired 1,550 people this week as the Japanese company plans to close its Buffalo factory. The company did not announce plans at the same time to open a new factory, but said it made the ‘difficult decision’ because the New York manufacturer couldn’t keep up with overseas prices.

Crushing blow for Anthony Albanese as hugely controversial misinformation bill is SCRAPPED

Communications minister Michelle Rowland has announced Labor will abandon its push to introduce a misinformation Bill. Ms Rowland made the announcement on Sunday following revelations the Greens, Coalition and several crossbenchers would not support the legislation. ‘Based on public statements and engagements with senators, it is clear that there is no pathway to legislate this proposal through the Senate,’ she said in a statement.

Foul-mouthed Connecticut teacher who ‘threatened to kill’ Donald Trump voters reveals shock career move

A teacher who warned Donald Trump supporters not to start a fight with her or they would lose, and die, says she would consider a more peaceful approach. Annie Dunleavy, 30, resigned from Chapman Elementary School in Cheshire, Connecticut, amid backlash against her Snapchat video. She went viral after the video she posted to a private channel vowing to leave Trump supporters ‘on a stretcher… forever’ if they ‘tested their gangster’ on her.

Al Sharpton reveals Trump cold called him after election win – here’s what he said

The Rev. Al Sharpton revealed Donald Trump unexpectedly cold called him after winning the presidency in 2016, claiming Trump told him: ‘You got me.’ The activist, 70, told the New York Times the out-of-the-blue phone call came after he went on MSNBC the day after Trump’s upset victory over Hillary Clinton. Explaining the shock to the nation, Sharpton stated that much of Trump’s appeal to the nation at the time stemmed from the perception of him as an outsider.

Hamas says female Israeli hostage is killed and another left fighting for life after IDF airstrike in Gaza

A female Israeli hostage was killed in an area of north Gaza when Israeli strikes pounded the region, a spokesperson for Hamas claimed today. Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing, said that they had learned of the unnamed hostage’s fate after re-establishing contact with ‘those assigned to protect the captives’ ‘weeks’ after the strikes in northern Gaza Strip. It was not clear from the statement when the strikes were to have taken place.

Victoria Beckham reveals the REAL reason for her extreme diet and admits she never cooks due to daughter Harper, 13, joking she can ‘burn water’

Victoria Beckham has revealed the real reason for her extreme diet, which according to husband David, has seen her eat the same thing for the last 25 years. The fashion designer, 50, said she first give up meat when she was only eight and now continues to abide by a strict set of rules for the sake of her skin, after struggling with acne at the height of her Spice Girls fame. Victoria said she now also avoids certain wheats and flours and keeps her complexion radiant with a £2,000 Dermalux LED device, which she uses for 30-minutes every morning.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *