Lisa Haygood: Think Clark

Clark Atlanta University. Class of 1990. A second generation “Clarkite,” Haygood was recruited for an internship by an old family friend.

A lot of recruiters or alumni will come back and recruit for their companies, and they do it in conjunction with homecoming. So I signed up for several interviews. My interviewer had on a suit and a button that said “Think Clark.”

I said my mom went to Clark. He said what’s her name, and I said “Patricia Joyce Hughes Haygood.” He looked up and said “Joyce Hughes? That’s your mom?” So I’m thinking OK, he must know my mom. He says get her on the phone. Call your mom right now. That was my girlfriend in school. I was like “yuck.”

I called her and gave him the phone. They talked and he ended up coming to my house that night. He met my dad and mom and they talked. My dad was cool about it . ... So I ended up getting the job in Washington, D.C., and this gentleman took care of me.

I kept in touch with him through the years. This past summer I called him to let him know my mom passed in April. And you know he was pretty sad about it.

Because I started out at Clark College, before it become Clark Atlanta, they gave you an option of what you wanted on your diploma. I chose “Clark College.” I wondered why are you asking me that? I came when it was Clark. So don’t ask me. Clark College. Clark College, yes. And it matches my mom.

‘Because I started out at Clark College, before it became Clark Atlanta, they gave you an option of what you wanted on your diploma. I chose “Clark College.” I wondered why are you asking me that? I came when it was Clark. So don’t ask me. Clark College. Clark College, yes. And it matches my mom.’

WILLIAM THWEATT / WILLIAM.THWEATT@COXINC.COM Lisa Haygood is featured in HBCU Journeys, a series of podcasts from HBCU graduates about their lives on and off campus and how school impacted their lives.

Lisa Haygood’s mother Patricia and Arthur Williams at his 1961 graduation from Clark College. Patricia and Arthur were a couple in college and Lisa reintroduced them by chance.