easy thing to do to be a part of the school and be a part of something that has given our country and our people something that’s extraordinarily important, and that’s education.” “The best recruiters and advocates are alumni because they share experiences, benefits and what’s attractive about Talladega,” said Miller. She added that it is, in fact, the responsibility of alumni to do so, in addition to investing financially in the well being of the college. “Rockell is one of the glowing stories from the school,” said Miller. “He makes a huge difference in the financial community and continues to see benefits in giving back, coming home, and bringing new family.” The importance of education was instilled by Merkerson’s late mother, Ann Merkerson, who experienced education disparity as a child. She waited for the school bus to pick her up from her home for an entire week before realizing there was no junior high school for her to go to because she was Black. “She didn’t tell us this until she was in her 60s, but in her 60s she got her GED, and in her 70s, she attended a four-year program to learn American Sign Language,” said Merkerson. “If she could have been with me this past commencement, she would have been so filled with pride. I’m at a point in my life where I’m thinking about what do I do to have some kind of impact, a lasting legacy. Not all of us have the opportunity to go to school, so here is my way of saying let’s make sure the students–at least at Talladega– will be able to continue to make the school proud. ”
to tell that story. Epatha’s gift is a great movement in telling the school and others that it’s worthy of investment.” Talladega is the Missing Piece of the Puzzle for Merkerson Merkerson is a proud graduate of Wayne State University, a predominately white institution located in her home state of Michigan. She said she received an excellent education that opened doors for her successful acting career, but always knew something was missing. “I was the only Black student in my graduating class,” said Merkerson, 73. “There were others on campus, but I was the only one in my class. Mind you, it was a small class, but it was Detroit. My experience was very different.” Merkerson’s good friend Metcalf knew this and couldn’t wait to expose her to Talladega’s community. He has been invited
to speak on several occasions, including last year’s annual Black History Month Convocation. “I asked Epatha if she would fly with me from New York to Birmingham to introduce me because I knew that once Epatha was to arrive on my alma mater’s campus, she would immediately see what she missed from her own college experience and be adopted by our community,” said Metcalf who celebrated his 40th class reunion during the 2025 commencement. The Role of Alumni in Supporting Talladega, HBCUs “Epatha and I go back to 2003, and she knows that I love Talladega College. I’ve shared my experiences about being mentored–and humbled–by Attorney Margaret Bush Wilson, former Talladega trustee and the first Black woman to chair the NAACP in my quest to be a lawyer and how my Talladega
network allowed me to meet and ultimately clerk for Judge U.W. Clemon, the first Black federal judge in Alabama. The list of experiences, connections and memories are endless and I am where I am today because of Talladega.” Metcalf is vice president and chief counsel for Prudential Financial’s Center for Next Generational Growth. A native son to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, he made it to “the big city” of Manhattan, New York, said Miller who was his classmate whIle at Talladega. A working attorney, Metcalf credits his Talladega experience for his launch to the Fortune 500 company that Fortune Magazine named this year one of the World’s Most Admired Companies. “Because of Rockell, Talladega became the place,” said Merkerson, who refers to Metcalf as her little brother. “It was an
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