Grambling, La. – November 2, 2022 – Faith, purpose, audacity, trust, and grace — those were five words of wisdom from Grambling State University Founders Day Convocation speaker Dr. Kizuwanda Grant Tuesday morning inside the Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.

The morning began with a short ceremony at the bust of Grambling’s founder, Charles P. Adams, which is located on the east side of Lee Hall.

Grambling State continued celebrating its 121st birthday with the Convocation featuring Grant, a GSU alumna and current Chief Administrative Officer for Paul Quinn College, located in Dallas.

Grant, who earned a B.S. in Secondary Education – Mathematics, from GSU in 1998 and finished second in her December 1998 graduating class, called serving as Convocation speaker a “full-circle moment” in her life.

“I asked Google, ‘What is a full-circle moment?” Grant said. “Quoting from Google by way of Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, a full-circle moment is physically returning to where you once started, or a point in time where you reflect on your life and realize you are vividly remembering or even repeating some aspect of your past life.

“So, I say yes, this is a full-circle moment, and more specifically, today is a day of reflection. I have the unique opportunity to view Grambling State with different, yet familiar, eyes. Considering the 24 years since I graduated from Grambling, I have a perspective, and even words of wisdom, I have to share with you on this day of reflection.”

Grant said reflecting helped her come up with her five words of wisdom and went about explaining their connection to the occasion.

“Faith is the belief in what you cannot see,” Grant said. “The founders of Grambling could see what was in their hearts, and what was in their minds about what they wanted to build. They had faith.”

“That specific faith about our ancestors is why we’re here today. The founders had faith to dream what was not yet visible, and they put their faith to work.”

For her second word of wisdom, Grant said there was a specific purpose the founders of Grambling followed.

“That was to establish a school,” Grant said. “Not a hospital. Not a country club. Not a church. Their purpose was a school. That specific purpose was why we are gathered here today. Had they embraced some other purpose, none of us would be here today. So I ask again, what is your purpose?”

Grant said the third word of wisdom she offered up — audacity — was her favorite.

“The definition of audacity is the willingness to take bold risks,” Grant said. “For the sake of time, let’s all agree that the founders of the Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute had to embody the spirit of audacity in order to do what they did.”

“Audacity can also be defined as enterprising or having the spirit of enterprise. So the founders had the audacity, or the enterprise, to step out of line to question the status quo and then to challenge it. Other institutions here and around the country were established for a different type of purpose, but the founders of GSU didn’t wait for those doors to open and admit students who look like us.”

In closing, Grant offered up her two last words of wisdom, the first of those being trust.

“While a student at Grambling State University, I learned to trust the process and those around me,” Grant said. “Not everybody, but those who consistently showed they had my best interest truly in mind, even when I wasn’t paying attention. Who or what you trust in is a deeply personal decision. We all know someone who doesn’t trust a soul to do anything for them.”

“And on the opposite end of the spectrum are those who overly trust anyone who even smiles at them. So please find somewhere in the middle to trust those who have been placed in your path.”

Grant said that trust is about “listening to people who see something in you that you don’t,” saying that kind of trust is how she ended up attending graduate school in New York City at Columbia University and becoming who she is today.

Then Grant concluded with her last word of wisdom — grace.

“Grace was extended by the founders of Grambling State University to the students who were literally one or two generations from slavery,” Grant said. “Tuition bills were paid with IOUs and promises of crop sharing. I don’t run an institution, but I know you can’t manage running off of IOUs and promises of crop.”

“The most important word for the students in the room is grace. Grace was extended then for the founding, and it is here today. Some of you are here on the grace plan. You know you have an outstanding bill and you’ve been extended time to get your ducks in a row. A payment plan is grace.”

Grant pointed out that some students have had to explain academic standings to the Financial Aid office and have been extended a grace plan.

“You’ve been extended the grace of probation instead of suspension,” she said. “So as any proud Gramblinite accept and be proud of the grace that is present in the history of Grambling that is now extended to you.”

She then added a “but” to her explanation of grace.

“But the extension of grace to you comes at a high standard and expectations,” Grant said. “Rigorous expectations. As a student, take the gift of grace and use it to maximize your time to study, grow and develop as a Gramblinite. You will not have the same time and grace to focus on yourself and your own development ever again.”

At the conclusion of her presentation, Grant presented President Gallot with a framed photo of her Great Aunt Jessie and six teachers from Adams Elementary School in Monroe – all of which Grant believes are alumni of GSU. The photo was accompanied by a check for $10,200 that was raised among immediate family members and earmarked for unrestricted funds.