Pam Brown Courtney Speaks At Philander Smith College
One night, after just a couple of hours, the women in the Joycelyn Elders auditorium at Philander Smith College had the opportunity to leave with a lot more money and power than they had when they came. The “Empowering Women in the Community” program, presented by the Women’s Athletic Department and the Platinum by Design campus organization, gave young women the opportunity to be empowered for a better life. Some were richer with exposure to information, others left with a double-dose of richness - exposure to information and more money than they had when they came. The platform for self-improvement was in full force that night.
Tonya Jones-Isaacs, women’s track coach, coordinated the event. The department’s vision of helping students achieve in school and life is a vision that is shared by Little Rock entrepreneur Pam Brown Courtney. As speaker for the event, in her role as a real estate developer/investor, she told the women if you are in school, don’t get the degree without the education.
“Don’t spend four years of your life in a high school, college or university and then walk across that stage with a piece of paper in your hand knowing, deep down inside, that you are leaving there no more equipped for the world than the first day you walked through the door,” she told the women. “It’s not the school or university’s responsibility to assure that you get an education. It is the university’s responsibility to make an education available. It’s your responsibility, as a student, to take advantage of the education offered. So, make sure you don’t walk out of this college door the same way you came through it.
“After graduating from Little Rock Central High in 1982, I entered UALR. I realized early when that I was not prepared for college. But my season for being in high school was over and I could not compete with the college students because I was not prepared. Now that I have employees of my own with college degrees, few things make me sadder than having a student with a college degree say ‘I wish I had gotten a better education while in college.’”
PBC Pam Brown Courtney said she wanted to remind the women of Philander what happened to her does not have to hold true for them. She told them that nothing should make them prouder of themselves than walking across that stage knowing not only did they do their best, they also got a good education along with their degree.
“It is your responsibility to pay it forward, she told them, adding that they have the responsibility to go back to their home cities and communities to encourage other students to move forward to better their education.
The night was indeed a treat for everyone who attended. Students left excited, committed and enthusiastic. Pam Brown Courtney reminded students that it is not where you come from but where you are going and what you do when you get there.
