“Most Gettysburg students at the time came from small white communities, and there were many instances when students told you that you were the first Black person they had a chance to talk to or befriend,” Walker Davis said. According to Walker Davis, however, the biggest learning experience for students was through their daily interactions. These educational events included visits from African American Blues singers, writers Alex Haley and Nikki Giovanni, and political activist Dick Gregory, as well as art shows and film festivals. It aimed to mentor Black youth in the greater Gettysburg community, advance recruitment for other academically talented Black students, and provide programming and events open to the entire community. The BSU was not the first student organization dedicated to the issues of Black students, but its impact has been the most transformative, casting a wide-ranging mission. It was the glue that bound us together and gave many of us the leverage we needed to succeed in the Gettysburg College environment.” What we created in doing so was a platform for transition. “There were so few Black people that we came together, looking for the comfort of familiarity and the comfort of academic and emotional support, and a bridge to connect with the broader College community. Like Glover, she was one of the driving forces behind the BSU and a leader across campus, serving as the vice president of the Student Union Board and also captaining the cheerleading squad. It’s like a magnetic force,” explained Cheryl Walker Davis ’75, who currently serves on the Alumni Board of Directors. “Coming together with people that look like you in an environment like Gettysburg is a natural inclination. “Principles around authenticity, trust, and stewardship, the confidence that my opinions mattered, the knowledge that my actions had impact, and a desire to leave a place better than I found it-those were lessons that I learned and values that I formed on campus as a member of the BSU.” Enduring Bonds “I didn’t realize I was developing them at the time, but that’s exactly where I learned some very valuable principles that I use every day,” Datcher said. Now celebrating its 50th year, the BSU has provided pivotal experiences in helping cultivate a “culture of openness” across campus, said BSU’s most recent president, Britney Brunache ’22-and the College community has witnessed its lasting legacy.Īs a member of the Board of Trustees and CEO of Jay-Z’s The Parent Company, Troy Datcher ’90 often reflects on the skillset he gained during his time at Gettysburg, as a member of the BSU, and how those values have shaped his life since. Since then, each generation of BSU members has built upon what Glover and his classmates started, creating a community of understanding that continues to expand resources for students of color. Uniting together, Glover and a handful of students did what Gettysburg College students do best: they saw a need and they filled it, founding a student-led Afro-American Society that became known as the Black Student Union (BSU) in 1972. He was the College’s 12th Black graduate- Dr. But, most importantly, he became a voice for fellow Black students. When Buddy Glover ’71 came to Gettysburg College through the Upward Bound program, which actively sought to help underrepresented students pursue higher education, he became a voice for the student body to encourage belonging and inclusion on campus.
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