SPA Academic Welcome

Join Dean Vicky Wilkins, faculty, and staff of AU's School of Public Affairs as we welcome all new students to the university. A great opportunity to get advice and learn about opportunities within SPA!

SPECIAL GUEST

Samantha Paige Davis (SPA '12), Founder of Black Swan Academy

Samantha Paige Davis is the Founder & Executive Director of the Black Swan Academy (BSA). She is an advocate, trainer, organizer, and unyielding optimist. She believes that everyone has the innate ability to succeed, but they must be given the opportunity to do so. When she was just 25, Samantha founded BSA, to create a pipeline of black youth civic leaders. In 2019, Samantha started the Sam & Tamara Davis Family Scholarship Fund with her siblings to support graduating high school seniors in her hometown, Pittsburgh who have a parent with a mental or physical disability and/or who were raised in a single adult household. She currently serves on the Black Women & Girls Advocacy Taskforce and the Self Development of People national committee of Presbyterian Church USA.

She is the former field engagement manager for YWCA USA, where she has developed a new state-level advocacy initiative, a nationwide get out the vote effort and mobilized over 200 associations to do racial and gender justice work. Samantha has her Master in Public Policy from American University (class of 2012) and was president of SPA's graduate student council. Her work has been recognized by American University, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington, and the National Urban League.

Twitter Handles: @samanthapaigeme | @BlackSwanAcad