Kia Delease Collier then a
first year student at the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing, envisioned a chapter
of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. To make this vision a
reality she sought the help of Mrs. Irene Westbrooks-McCollom (South Atlanta
Regional Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.) to learn the necessary
steps needed to bring this dream to life. It was during this time that Mrs. P
eggy Smalls of the Lambda Epsilon
Omega Chapter contacted Mrs. Gwendolyn Russell Green (President) of Tau Pi
Omega to encourage her to further assist Ms. Collier in pursing the charter. In November 2004, Mrs. Green made contact
with Ms. Collier to inform her of the information that would be needed to begin
the road to chartering. Collier worked
diligently to obtain a list of forty-nine women on the Cecil B. Day campus who
were interested in membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. On January 21, 2005 Mrs. Collier met with Mrs. Claire Dyes (Dean of Students) and Mr. Richard Stilley
(Assistant Dean of Campus Life) on the Cecil B. Day campus. On May 9, 2005 Dr. Richard Swindle (Senior
Vice President of Mercer University) submitted a letter of support to Mrs. Alfa
Dean Fisher (President of Tau Pi Omega). On August 28, 2005 the first informational session was held. Eighteen women submitted applications for
membership but only eleven met all requirements and thus in October 2005, the petition
to charter was declined. Dedication and
commitment to this dream enabled these women to bounce back and on January 15,
2006 a second informational session was held. From this informational session came eleven eligible candidates for
membership, including 5 from the original list of forty-nine. This group consisted of Shakira (Lynn) Ballard,
Ebony Blue, Amina Borrero, Shayla Campbell, Deia Chappell, Kia Collier, Kiah
Gaither, Kimberly McCrary, Alissa Nelson, Demika Price, Kendra Roundtree. Rumbidzai Macharaga, one general member
of Alpha Kappa Alpha and recently transferred nursing student from the Eta Mu
Chapter of Georgia State University also expressed interest in being a part of
this chartering process. On March 8,
2006 all of these women received notice that the petition to charter a chapter
of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. on the Cecil B. Day campus was miraculously
approved. Steps were then put in place
and on April 16, 2006 the candidates of Mercer University Atlanta campus were initiated as
general members into the illustrious Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Following initiation, the chartering ceremony
