40 / ’southern
ALUMNI AFFAIRS
BSCnames newdirector of
alumni affairs and stewardship
ChrisWenning Lambert ’86was appointed to thenewly
createdpositionof director of alumni affairs and stewardship at
Birmingham-Southern in January.
As director, Lambert oversees a staff of fivewith themissionof
providing superior programs and services for BSC’smore than
16,000 alumniworldwide. She alsoworks closelywithVice
President for Institutional Advancement ChuckVinson to support
development initiatives, includingAnnual Fund campaigns, and
tomanage theAdvancement ServicesDepartment.
“Chris has considerable experience leading groups of
volunteers andhigh-performing teams, whichwill benefit the
college greatly,” saidVinson. “She is a great addition to the
advancement team thatwe arebuildinghereon theHilltop.”
Prior to joiningBSC, Lambert served as director of communications and then senior director ofmember engagement
for the IHG (InterContinentalHotelsGroup)Owners Association, headquartered inAtlanta. Duringher four yearswith
the association, sheoversaw all strategicmarketing,mediaoutreach and engagement, and re-branding initiatives. She
was BSC’s director of communications from2008-10.
“I feel very lucky tohave theopportunity todowhat I love for aplace thatmeans somuch tome,” saidLambert. “Like
all of our alumni, I believe inBirmingham-Southern. My goal is to turn that belief into actionby increasing engagement
fromour alumniwith students—prospective and current—andwith eachother inour own communities. Themorewe
are together, sharing stories andmakingnewmemories, themorepride and supportwe’ll generate for BSC.”
Lambert receivedher bachelor’s degree, cum laude, inEnglish. She ismarried toChristopher Lambert ’88 andhas a
son anddaughter, Connor andEva, and a stepson, Colin, whowill be attendingBSC as a freshman this fall.
Lambert
Have
ideas?
Sendme
an email
(
clambert@
bsc.edu
).
I’d love tohave
suggestions
for events and
thoughts on
how alumni
can stay better
connected to
each other and
toBSC!
Alabama’s first black federal judge speaks
at BrownBag Luncheonon campus
BSC’s BlackAlumni AffinityGrouphosted its fifthBrownBag
Luncheon in February, featuringU.W. Clemon, Alabama’s first
black federal judge.
Clemon shared stories of his upbringing in aU.S. Steel town
justwest of Birmingham andhis participation as a foot soldier
in the city’s civil rightsmovement. Clemon and threeothers
were thefirst to integrate theBirminghamPublic Library; he also
played amajor role in theblackboycott of downtownbusinesses
that helped get the attentionof national civil rights leaders.
He talked aboutwanting to attendBSC for college—but the all-
white schoolwas out of reach.
“We’dpass by thismarvelous institution and I’d see StockhamHall andhear about a literature class, or I’dhear the
BSC choir on the radio,”Clemon said. “I desperatelywanted to go there, and I knewbetter than to apply.”
Instead, Clemon attendedMilesCollege andColumbia Law School and later became the chief judgeof Alabama’s
NorthernDistrict. Clemon talked about someof his landmark cases—including the employment discrimination suit
brought by Lily Ledbetter and another against his father’s employer, U.S. Steel—and about how important education is
for the country’s future. He is now a shareholder at theBirmingham lawfirmofWhiteArnold&DowdPC.
Thenext BrownBag Luncheon is tentatively scheduled for June 4. Look for updates on the speaker and confirmation
of thedate and time in communication fromAlumni Affairs aswell as on the alumniwebsite,
Clemon
