Historical Review of CAUAA (Philadelphia Chapter)

Philadelphia Chapter of Clark Atlanta University Alumni Association, an affiliate of
Clark Atlanta University Alumni Association, Inc., was founded in Philadelphia as Clark College
Alumni Association of Philadelphia in the Fifties by a few Clark graduates who resided in the
area. They saw the need for an active alumni chapter to promote the college and acted on that
recognition to create an organization that is still viable and now a part of Clark Atlanta
University.
There were regular meetings — usually at 4 member's home — until around 1959, after
which time there was a decline in activities until the seventies when there was resurgence under
the leadership of Calvin Johnson, a charter member.
The chapter has a long tradition of alumni participation and support of Clark Atlanta
University. Historically, fund-raising for the university has been and continues to be a major
focus. A popular fund raiser in the Fifties and Sixties was sponsorship of the university's choral
group, the Philharmonic Society, at local churches.
The following members have served as president of the chapter: Naomi Rogers
Randolph, Ethel Watkins Cost, Lloyd Wolfe, Seymore Johnson, Carolyn Thomas, Gerald
Corprew, Jr. Effie Stanley, Ruth Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Fannie Bakon and Rev. Mark Tyler.
In the Seventies the chapter established a scholarship fund — the Nathaniel Thomas
Scholarship Fund — in memory of Nathaniel Thomas who was an active member of the chapter
for a number of years before his untimely death in 1971. The chapter, through a scholarship
committee, managed and awarded the scholarship annually to matriculating Clark Atlanta
University students who majored in business administration. However, in1994 the chapter
decided to put the scholarship on a self — sustaining basis and entered into an agreement with
Clark Atlanta University to establish an endowed scholarship fund. Under the agreement, the
chapter was given three years to meet the minimum financial requirement. The chapter exceeded
the requirement and on September 19, 1998 approved a $50,000 permanent scholarship
endowment.
Following the establishment of the Nathaniel Thomas endowed Scholarship Fund, the
chapter established three other endowed scholarships at CAU for area CAU students — one
academic, the Virginia Holmes/Lloyd Wolfe endowed scholarship and two endowed book
scholarships — The Gladystine Burt Green Endowed Book Scholarship and the Fannie Bakon
Endowed Book Scholarship. However, on August 16, 2012, the chapter entered into an
agreement with Clark Atlanta University for the Chapter's four endowed scholarships to become
consolidated and given a new name: Philadelphia Area Chapter Endowment Fund. In an annual
2014 Report from Clark Atlanta, the Chapter's consolidated Scholarship Fund was $161,899.2 IThe chapter has hosted several Clark Atlanta presidents — Dr. Benjamin Brawley, Dr.
Vivian Henderson, Dr. Elias Blake, Dr. Thomas Cole Jr. and Dr. Carlton Brown each of whom
has kept the chapter abreast of developments at Clark Atlanta. The chapter has also hosted three
National Clark Atlanta University Alumni Association fall conferences — 1973, 1982, and 1997.
Since 2012, the chapter has been managed by a Ten Member Planning Committee. The
focus has been a-Cominittee Development. There have been active alumni participation through
membership payment of chapter dues; Meet and Greet events; scholarship assistance to area
CAU students; individual and chapter contributions to Clark Atlanta and regular chapter
meetings.
Chapter membership covers the Philadelphia area, northern Delaware and southern New
Jersey. Chapter meetings are held twice a year — March and September. Meet and Greet Events
are also held twice a year — July and December. Membership participation is essential to the
growth of the Chapter. Members are notified about all meetings and events by chapter media.
Should an area chapter member be interested in helping the chapter to grow, please feel
free to contact us.