COLUMBIA, S.C. — During Founders Day observances, the president of Allen University delivered a reflective and forward-looking address that honored the institution’s origins while calling the campus community to renewed purpose and hope.
Founded in 1870 in the aftermath of the Civil War, Allen University emerged at a time when freedom had been declared, but opportunity remained out of reach for many formerly enslaved people. The president reminded listeners that the university’s founders, leaders of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, understood education as an act of liberation. Faith and learning, the speech emphasized, were meant to walk together, shaping not only careers but conscience, character, and leadership.
The address described the founding of Allen as bold and radical, an act of faithful defiance that insisted spiritual freedom was incomplete without intellectual opportunity. From its earliest days, the university stood at the intersection of faith and freedom, prayer and preparation. Generations of students have passed through its gates, arriving with determination and leaving with vision, confidence, and a sense of purpose.
Highlighting alumni impact, the president noted that Allen graduates have gone on to serve as ministers, educators, entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, doctors, lawyers, and civic leaders. Many changed the trajectory of their families and lifted entire communities. Each generation, the speech said, added a chapter to the Allen story, often written during seasons of both hardship and progress.
The president acknowledged that the university’s journey has not been without challenge, citing periods of scarcity and uncertainty. Yet Allen has endured, not because circumstances were easy, but because its foundation was strong, rooted in faith, sustained by community, and strengthened by resilience. Faith, the president stressed, remains foundational at Allen, shaping leaders who value service, humility, compassion, and integrity.
The speech also celebrated the enduring spirit of the campus, visible in students studying late into the night, faculty teaching with purpose, staff striving for excellence despite limited resources, and alumni who remain deeply connected long after graduation. This shared spirit, the president said, is what allows institutions to endure beyond buildings and budgets.
Looking ahead, Founders Day was framed as both remembrance and responsibility. Drawing on the principle of learning from the past to build the future, the president called for innovation without losing identity, excellence without exclusion, and progress without forgetting purpose. Priorities named included strengthening academic quality and student success, investing in infrastructure and financial stability, expanding partnerships, and telling Allen’s story boldly and truthfully.
The address concluded with a call to active hope, described as hope that plans, builds, and believes the university’s best days lie ahead. Students were reminded that they stand on the shoulders of giants and are present by purpose, not accident. Faculty, staff, alumni, supporters, and community partners were urged to remain connected and committed as Allen prepares for reaffirmation in 2027. The celebration ended with a blessing and a charge to move forward together, rooted in faith, built for freedom, and rising with purpose.
A. Sujai