The Saint Augustine’s University (分) Falcons alumni base consists of about 11,000 alums worldwide and regularly win honors and accolades. 一个例子是达勒姆黑人事务委员会的第89届年度创始人日宴会, 8月举行. 北卡罗来纳州达勒姆市17岁.

More than 600 attended the prestigious event at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel. The keynote speaker was Representative James E. 克莱伯恩, 他是来自南卡罗来纳州的民主党国会议员，也是国会中最有影响力的成员之一. 然而, two Durham residents with ties to 分—alumna Minnie Forte-Brown, ’72, 和前教授. Bruce Bridges—received much of the spotlight.

Ms. Forte-Brown graduated from Saint Augustine’s College (now University) in 1972. Dr. Bridges taught at 分 in the 1980s, in what was then known as the Department of 历史 and Government.

达勒姆黑人事务委员会成立于1935年，其使命是“促进黑人在民权领域的福利”, 文化, 经济, 教育, 健康, 住房, 政治, 青年, and religious and human affairs.” The group stated in its program that Ms. Forte-Brown和Dr. 布里奇斯的“服务生活体现了委员会的创始愿景”.”

节目中提到了她的故事. Forte-Brown：“作为达勒姆公立学校董事会16年的成员和达勒姆儿童倡议的发起人, Ms. Forte-Brown has worked tirelessly to improve access to education. 她对这项使命的无私奉献令人钦佩，并将在我们的社区留下持久的印记.”

关于博士. Bridges, the Committee stated: “Dr. Bruce Bridges has also been a pillar in the Durham community throughout his life. A Durham Native and North Carolina Central University alumnus, Dr. Bridges is an esteemed history professor at NCCU and Saint Augustine’s College. 一位杰出的作家, 杰出的演说家, 和杰出的教授, he has made it his life’s mission to make change through his words, touching the hearts of countless people globally.”

Ms. Forte-Brown is a retired communications specialist and master teacher, 曾在北卡罗莱纳中央大学英语和大众传播系任教. 她因卓越的教学和社区服务获得了无数奖项，并经常在当地和全州范围内发表演讲.

A Durham native who grew up in segregated schools, Ms. Forte-Brown是全国公认的公立学校倡导和教育委员会领导. Her extensive resume includes president of the NC School Boards Association, National School Boards Association officers, and the Council of Urban Boards of Education, as well as university professor and other management roles.

Ms. Forte-Brown于2004年当选为达勒姆公立学校教育委员会成员, 副, 到2020年担任主席. During her career, she taught at NC Central University.

她在全州范围内的经历包括贝弗·珀杜州长被任命为全国妇女地位委员会成员和全国妇女地位委员会帮派咨询工作组成员. SNC是东达勒姆儿童倡议（现为达勒姆儿童倡议）的联合创始人，也是无家可归者服务咨询委员会的前任主席.

In 2021, 达勒姆公立学校教育委员会一致投票决定重新命名达勒姆县教育委员会的员工发展中心以纪念她.

Ms. Forte-Brown majored in speech and English at Saint Augustine’s. Her career goal was to be a speech pathologist; however, that major did not exist at Saint Augustine’s, so she had to take many of her courses at Shaw University.

She credits Saint Augustine’s crucial role in her personal and professional development. “Saint Augustine’s was great,” she said. “I still have close friends from there. I grew up at Saint Augustine’s. 圣奥古斯丁培养了我.”

Ms. Forte-Brown said that the university’s small size was important. She recalls that she was weak in science, but teachers took a personal interest in her and helped her succeed. “I shouldn’t have been good in science, but I had a nun as a biology teacher – I don’t remember her name, but she was an excellent teacher. 我在科学上突飞猛进.”

Ms. Forte-Brown also recalls that the university chaplain – whose name she does remember, 克莱德·比蒂神父——在她和其他学生度过人生转折时期时，是他们的锚. “We got into so many good discussions,” she said.

她说她从圣奥古斯丁学院学到了她备受尊敬的教学风格：“这正是我在圣奥古斯丁学院接受教学的方式……这将是一个挑战。, but it doesn’t have to be painful.”

Dr. Bridges is a native of Durham, NC. He and his six siblings lived in the McDougald Terrace community. As an elementary student at Burton School, 他经常去学校图书馆和附近的斯坦福沃伦分馆. There, he developed an early love for reading, which is still with him today.

He attended the all-African American J.H. Whitted Junior High School, but due to integration, Dr. Bridges went to Durham High School, where he graduated. As a participant in the Operation Breakthrough student job program, he received an interview with Howard Fuller. 这次面试不仅让我得到了斯卡伯勒幼儿园的一个维修职位, but it was also a “conscience-raising” meeting for Bruce Bridges. 他经常讨论富勒如何让他接触到美国制度中资本主义和种族主义的矛盾. The meeting inspired him to join the boycott against the Durham Merchants Association. He regularly attended sessions with the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, The United Organization for Community Improvement, and the Sunday night weekly solidarity meeting. Dr. 在大多数周日晚间节目中，布里奇斯都会朗读一首关于非裔美国人经历的原创诗歌.

Dr. Bridges had no intention to continue in the arena of education. Benjamin Ruffin changed all of that. 布里奇斯讲述了当鲁芬问他高中毕业后要做什么时，鲁芬是多么愤怒和失望. Bridges said, “I am going to find a job.鲁芬从UOCI办公室的桌子后面跳了起来，对布里奇斯说，他一生都在工作. He then suggested to Bridges to “enroll at North Carolina Central University.“作为一名NCCU学生，布里奇斯继续活跃在校园和达勒姆社区. He consumed the works of Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown, Angela Davis, and other Black revolutionaries. 在中大读书时，李博士. Bridges was invited to the local Muslim Mosque. 在听了以利亚·穆罕默德的教导后，他组织同学们去参观清真寺. 众所周知，他建议兄弟会和姐妹会让他们的成员参加清真寺，作为他们入会的一部分. Dr. 布里奇斯因向许多学生介绍当地的34号清真寺而赢得了前往芝加哥亲自聆听伊利亚·穆罕默德演讲的免费旅行.

He received a graduate scholarship to the University of Cincinnati. Upon his return he became a faculty member at NCCU. 他的许多学生都被他在课堂上学到的知识所鼓舞，他们敦促他为达勒姆社区创建一个系列讲座. The lecture series was created and became known as The Cultural Awareness Seminar. Lectures were conducted by Bridges every Thursday night in the student union of NCCU. 这些课程被设计为只在夏季进行，而空间在学生会可用. Due to the growing interest Bridges moved the Cultural Awareness Seminar to St. Joseph AME church on Fayetteville Street. 一些研讨班的学生认为，他们学到的知识是非常必要的，应该让达勒姆社区的更多的人听到. 这些学生主动联系了WDUR广播电台，并将周四晚上的课程作为常规节目的一部分.

Dr. 布里奇斯做过讲座, conducted workshops and seminars on several college campuses, across America and the Caribbean. 民间组织、家庭团聚、甚至最高安全级别的监狱都邀请他发表演讲. While on the faculty at Saint Augustine’s College, 北卡罗莱纳州立大学校长邀请他将自己的知识和能力带到校园. 他成为第一个在北卡罗莱纳州立大学教授非裔美国人研究的人，并在其非洲研究课程和校园黑人文化中心的发展中发挥了重要作用.

Dr. 布里奇斯说，他来到圣奥古斯丁是因为他和NNC中心的管理人员在教学方法上存在分歧. Dr. Bridges said NC became passionate about using his lessons in a meaningful way.

“我总是称赞圣奥古斯丁，因为我就是在那里开始按照我想要的方式做事的,他说. “They let me teach courses centered on our people.”

他在圣奥古斯丁教授的课程中有《推荐全球十大博彩公司排行榜》.

“扭转不幸人群的困境——这一直是我关注的焦点，”他解释说. “如果你不能帮助任何人，那么拥有所有这些知识和学位又有什么用呢？?”

Dr. Bridges is also an entrepreneur; among his accomplishments is opening the first African American bookstore in Durham County.