Two-term mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, Randall Woodfin, will speak to the Alabama State University community on Friday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. in the Dunn-Oliver Acadome, as the university celebrates its founding, as well as those responsible for its founding.
The event is free and open to the public.
Woodfin, who earned an undergraduate degree from Morehouse College and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law, touts a philosophy of “putting people first.”
Since becoming mayor in 2017, the revitalization of Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods is his top priority. He also focused on enhancing education for young people, fostering a climate of economic opportunity for all residents and leveraging public-private partnerships to make the city the best version of Birmingham it can be.
His vision to create new education and career opportunities for students led to the Birmingham Promise, a public-private partnership that provides apprenticeships and tuition assistance to cover college costs for Birmingham high school graduates. Woodfin led a regional effort to invest in the renovation and expansion of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.
Students from Birmingham who attend the university shared their opinions regarding Woodfin’s invitation to speak for Founders’ Day.
Some students are happy Woodfin is coming to speak, while other students question why he was selected to speak.
Mykhi Johnson, a junior majoring in communications, was thrilled.
“I think Woodfin is a good choice because the contributions he made for the community is good, so I feel like ASU should hear him speak,” she said.
Jordan Johnson, a junior majoring in social work, was also happy with Woodfin’s selection.
“I feel great about it,” she said. “I feel like Mr. Woodfin is an amazing asset to Birmingham, Alabama. I love how he reaches out to millennials, and he hears us. I believe he is well deserving of every opportunity he receives.”
Kamil Goodman, a senior majoring in early childhood education, spoke highly of Woodfin and recognized him for the “Birmingham Promise Scholarship Program.”
“As a Birmingham Promise student, I think this is an awesome opportunity for the mayor to share some of his leadership experiences and motivational lessons with my peers,” he said. “As a student from the city of Birmingham, I’m proud to have a mayor who advocates for me and is hands-on with my university. I’m also grateful for the ‘Birmingham Promise Scholarship Program,’ as I approach my senior year at Alabama State University.”
On the other hand, some students questioned why he was chosen to speak.
Qualisha King, a sophomore forensic biology major, was one who felt like the speaker should be an alumnus.
“I feel like it would be better if he graduated from here (the university), but he is not an alumnus, so I feel like an alumnus should speak,” King said. “Students from all over the world go to ASU, and many people may not know him if they are not from Birmingham. I feel like many students may not have anything in common with him because he is not an alumnus. I think for a speaker, the students should have something in common with Woodfin.”
This will be Woodfin’s second appearance at the university as he spoke to the student body in 2018.