First Year Impressions

Karen Hayes grew up in Greensboro, N.C., in a community where her family was the only African American family. She attended UNC-Chapel Hill for one semester, then entered Guilford College, graduating with a degree in psychology. She completed her PhD in 1984 and, after several years teaching in other institutions, returned to Guilford College as a professor in the psychology department.

Hayes continued

I did [live on campus] for one year, because I wanted really to get that one year experience. And I did participate in—at that time it was called Brothers and Sisters in Blackness, BASIB—and I—we took—We had two weeks for fall break and spring break and so we could take off-campus seminars. Something kind of like the J-term is going to be, but not as long. And so I would go with particular groups. I went with a group led by Jim McMillan, who was a black faculty

member, to New York to do the art museum tour which was really fascinating. And then I went with a person who was with—I guess the office that Aaron Fetrow is in now—Bill, I can’t remember his last name. But—and also Frank Keegan led it with him, to South—to cities that had black mayors.” p.10