Karen Thomas ‘77

Transcript

Interviewer: Toben Traver (TT)

Narrator: Karen Thomas (KT)

KT: Yeah, so I there's, there is still, there is still something ambivalent about being attached to Simmons. And most of my attachment continues to be through my Black experience at Simmons, right? So, you know, so many friends, so many women that I get together with that I find, you know, stimulating, in retirement even, you know. It's hard for me to define Simmons and my Simmons experience without those women, right. Because I think we gave way more to Simmons than maybe even Simmons gave to us, you know, in some respects. And what we gave to Simmons is what I have embraced as my Simmons experience and makes me want to give back, right. The fact that my daughter did not have that experience, there, was a motivator, but I know it's never going to be that again, right? But the fact that I would come back to teach there for a semester, and really be disappointed that Communications has dropped to like the bottom of barrel in terms of you know, interest and support. And, you know, being state of the art, I mean, I was talking to you about how Sarah-Ann Shaw was a teacher for me, Alden Poole was a teac-, these were people whose names in the professional world were, you know, they were gods and goddesses. [laughs] So, and you know, and Bob White is still there. But to come back and know that, you know, some of the courses that were really core there have been moved to other— I’m maybe saying way too much, but anyway— have been moved to other departments to help build those departments, or maintain them, you know, that you took— you know, it's sort of like that sports team that has this powerhouse year, and then they, everybody's a free agent and they sell them all off, right, and they never really— They use it to build other stuff.

TT: Hmm. Yeah. 

KT: Uh, it, it really hurt. It was, it was hurtful to me. So, but I, but knowing—but having experienced it once I know that it could be even something better again, and, you know, and to, to name the college after someone who I knew and care about and, you know, know the level of it, it means that it needs to achieve a certain position as well. If you're going to carry that name, let's be worthy of that name. So, you know, my commitment to coming back is that— No one may ever have— no other woman may have the experience I had at Simmons, but to have the opportunity to create something that is as meaningful as what I had, whatever that is, is my is my goal for Simmons.