To Tennille Francis leadership comes naturally. In her four years at Bennett College she has held the offices of SGA president, President of the pre-alumni council, and Sophomore Class President. She also served as a mentor for young girls in Wilmington, Delaware and headed the "rock the vote" campaign at Bennett College in 1998--a program designed to increase voter participation among minorities ages 18-24.

Francis’ move toward leadership was sparked by her realization that as a minority she had to be four or five times better than the competition. "Being in that position made me want to stand out," she said. "I figured what better way to stand out than to take charge."

It was that take charge attitude and her strong love for Historically Black Colleges and Universities that earned her the opportunity to express her views as a panelist during the Historically Black College and University week in Washington D.C. sponsored by President Clinton.

Francis is now working for E.I. DuPont de nemours & Co. as an internal auditor. Her future plans also include going to law school and obtaining a master’s degree in taxation. She says that eventually she would like to work in the financial arena in government. "The SGA and all those things are just preparation for me to continue my lifetime of service in other areas," she said.
 

Curtis Doucette, Jr. is a graduate of Dillard University in New Orleans. He is currently employed as a technical writer for Avondale Industries in Avondale, LA and is a contributing writer for Black Collegiate Services, Inc.

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