I don't call it a faculty vote. In fact, I'm very sympathetic to the faculty's concern.

I understand completely the need for them to see in great detail what the college has done to make sure that they stay safe.

We thought that the best way to protect our community was to have students, faculty, and staff vaccinated.

The businesses of Black women are some of the most underfunded and undercapitalized businesses.

The Black Economic Alliance approached us and said, Spelman and Morehouse should launch a center for Black Entrepreneurship.

It's a start-up for us.

I think that's been one of the benefits of the pandemic.

We've been forced to revise, to revision, to invent, to try something new.

That's Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell, president of Spelman College, the all-women's HBCU in Atlanta.

As this school year began, the Spelman faculty threatened the last minute boycott over COVID uncertainty.

Dr. Campbell was able to quickly diffuse the situation, averting any crisis.

I'm Bob Safian, former editor of Fast Company, founder of the Flux Group and host of Master's of Scale Rapid Response.

I wanted to talk with Mary because since the pandemic hit, she has shown an extraordinary capacity for staying calm amid uncertainty and finding opportunity within it.

Mary was a guest on this show last summer after George Floyd's killing royal the country's social fabric and as schools tried fitfully to reopen.

It could have been a season of setbacks, but instead, despite the disruptions, she's held the Spelman community together,

while activating new partners and resources to enhance the college.

From record fundraising to rising US news ratings for Spelman, Dr. Campbell has demonstrated how consistent leadership builds confidence and resilience.

Schools aren't often thought of as startups, but each school year is effectively a new beginning.

The lesson she's been teaching is that you can both lean on your strengths and build new ones.

An effective rapid response isn't just about urgency in the moment, it's about creating a legacy that endures.

We'll start the show in a moment.

Afterward from our premier brand partner, Capital One Business.

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