May 8, 2025
CAU will contribute $10,000 to the scholarship for students studying education.
Clark Atlanta University will establish a scholarship in honor of an alumna who lost her life in a shooting in California.
The Atlanta HBCU will launch the scholarship in memory of Dr. Cameisha Clark, who died three days after the May 2 shootout. Deemed a “triple panther,” Clark obtained her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the University, receiving the latter in higher education leadership.
“Dr. Cameisha Clark exemplified the Panther spirit. She lived with purpose, led with heart, and leaves behind a legacy that will continue to uplift and inspire the CAU Nation for generations to come,” CAU’s President Dr. George T. French, Jr. wrote in a statement obtained by WSB-TV.
Her academic achievement led her to multiple roles in higher education, including a previous position as a student advisor at CAU. Before her death, she worked at Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Inglewood, California. Upon her promotion to Dean of Student Affairs, CAU’s College of Education applauded her new role in an alumni spotlight.
However, tragedy struck at Spartan when a former security guard gunned down Clark and injured her assistant. Police later detained the suspect, identified as Jesse Figueroa, and arrested him on charges of murder and attempted murder. Figueroa also had prior violent convictions, with the officials considering the matter a “workplace violence-related incident.”
The tragic news impacted not only the Spartan College campus but also Clark’s HBCU community. The educator’s former cheerleading squad posted a statement from her family, as all mourned the loss.
“Her legacy is defined not by the manner of her death, but by the extraordinary way she lived,” shared the family on the post. “Her leadership, integrity, and deep sense of purpose helped shape the futures of countless students from the campus of Clark Atlanta University to Spartan College. She believed in the potential of others even when they could not yet see it in themselves. “
CAU will commit $10,000 to launch the upcoming scholarship for students studying education, continuing Clark’s legacy. The University also intends to hold a service to mourn her death.
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