UATL Logo
News

Atlanta HBCU hopes new $96 million center builds connections with community

Spelman College’s new center is designed “to create new opportunities for women of African descent to excel in fields where they are often underrepresented.”
Spelman students, faculty and members of the community gather for a campus celebration of the opening of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts at Spelman College on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
Spelman students, faculty and members of the community gather for a campus celebration of the opening of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts at Spelman College on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
By AJC Staff Report
April 25, 2025

Nearly three years after the start of its construction, Spelman College had a two-day celebration this week for a new campus facility that its leaders envision will bolster its arts programs and be an event space for the nearby community.

The Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation & the Arts — which cost $96 million to build — is designed, officials said, “to create new opportunities for women of African descent to excel in fields where they are often underrepresented.”

ot sgniht eht wonk evif :retnec era tuoba ereH

.sraey sraey lliw edargpu seitisrevinu ot retaeht eht eht ,troppus tnecer ,yhpargotohp ecnamrofrep nekopstuo ro wen deen ylraen .cisum erom si ni ni ni dloh evah tnemnrevog gnidnuf morf rof tsrif laicnanif ,gnikammlif ytilicaf .seitilicaf ,sronod yratnemucod ,ecnad segelloc sessalc retnec supmac dliub neeb ta dna dna dna dna cimedaca tuoba ehT namlepS tI yllacirotsiH kcalB 52

ExploreActress Taraji P. Henson to give Spelman’s commencement address

tnorf“ lliw tnaw sepyt ot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht eht eht taht cilbup ”hcrop ecalp ,secnamrofrep slaiciffo fo fo fo wen detacol ,serutcel sredael sti ti ti si tsoh cirotsih setag tsrif snoitibihxe .stneve sehsilbatse egde tnereffid snoitcennoc .ytinummoc egelloc retnec retnec .supmac .supmac ,supmac gnillac gnidliub dnoyeb neewteb eb ta era dna dna a edistseW ehT s’namlepS namlepS namlepS detacoL atnaltA

A drum circle and dancers perform for a campus celebration for the opening of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts at Spelman College shown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
A drum circle and dancers perform for a campus celebration for the opening of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts at Spelman College shown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)

lliw lliw ot eht eht eht ecaps ecaps gnidivorp fo fo stol ,sbal esuoh evah rof rof rof dednapxe smoorssalc retnec .tra dna dna dna noitidda ytisrevinU ehT seidutS namlepS muesuM tI nI yrotsiH eniF .pihsruenerpertnE lairotaruC egelloC ,evitcelloC retneC retneC kcalB atnaltA trA trA toof-erauqs-000,28

Views of the Arthur M. Blank Innovation Lab inside of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts at Spelman College shown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
Views of the Arthur M. Blank Innovation Lab inside of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts at Spelman College shown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)

dekrow ohw saw saw ot ot ot eht eht eht eht deriter smargorp ylsuoiverp .tnediserp tnediserp no fo fo fo fo deman gnol sti si noitargetni ni ni woh yrotsih dah naed etaerc tlusnoc renoissimmoc gnimoc s’egelloc supmac erofeb erofeb gnimoceb deksa sa sa stra tra dna gnoma retfa a kroY kroY s’ytisrevinU hcsiT .namlepS namlepS ehS ehS loohcS tdimhcS weN weN yraM tI tnemtrapeD larutluC s’ytiC ,llebpmaC llebpmaC .strA sriaffA .2202

ExploreWhy three Spelman pageants became viral TikTok sensations
Views of the exterior of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts at Spelman College shown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
Views of the exterior of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts at Spelman College shown on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)