Tuesday, Dr. Alvin Washington was featured at the Grambling State University Distinguished Alumni Series. Dr. Washington, a clinical professor for Southern University Law Center’s mediation, also teaches a conflict resolution at the Southern University Graduate School. The professor has served as vice president of Grambling States University National Alumni Association.
The conference was opened by a GSU student Dewayne Webb and Saudia Scott, who sang a solo piece of the music collaboration from Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
The professor then took the floor with students and even the Interim President Dr. Cynthia Warrick in attendance to hear him deliver a message.
Washington is an alumnus who loves, appreciates his alma mater and wants the students to succeed in their future endeavors.
He spoke on the matters of how your GPA can affect your chances to get a job, how education is being affected by the economy and the fact Louisiana has too many four year universities. His most inspiring words came from explaining the Willie Lynch letter and how it specifically stated our weakness in the mind in order to control slaves for three hundred years.
He also went further to say we as people need to “Stop letting people use you all for their opportunity.”
Dr. Washington’s speaking conference was a bridge for understanding for young African American’s building their future to be aware of the tools truly necessary to achieve success in the field of law. Primarily getting in to law school at Southern University Law Center, where he has been teaching since 2003, and the openness of the program but the difficulty in criteria from other programs.
“Most law schools want the top ten percent of the class,” said Washington. “Your GPA is all they know about you and all they have to judge you on.”
Professor Washington also spoke to inform students about the Louisiana Grad Act and the reasons of change around the state of Louisiana and the choices being made with both Dr. Warrick’s continued time with Grambling and the decision being made in front offices to better accommodate the financial needs of the state and the reasons for budget cuts that have climbed over the past six years.
Towards the end of his speech, Dr. Washington stated Grambling students should help recruit more students and asked the crowd a series of questions to see how Grambling has come to be their school, or the reason why students left in their time at Grambling.
Dr. Washington’s time was dearly noted from the crowd as everyone seemed to understand the message and the challenges that wait ahead as being students and the future they make with their time spent at this great university.