Sister Circle organizes panel discussion in conjunction with Women’s History Month

Alfred University student organization Sister Circle is hosting a virtual panel discussion, “Women with a Purpose,” on Tuesday, March 23, from 6-7:30 p.m.

The online event, offered via Zoom, features alumnae Chagmion Antoine ’04, award-winning journalist, produce, and actor; and Ruth Scott ’97 HD, CEO and founder of Scott Associates Consulting Inc., and former Rochester, NY, City Council president. The panel discussion will highlight Antoine’s and Scott’s professional journeys as women of color in their respective fields.

Sister Circle is a student-run organization built to cultivate a positive environment for all women of color, through communication, volunteerism, and leadership. The group organized Tuesday’s panel discussion as part of Women’s History Month, which is being observed throughout March.

Antoine earned a B.F.A. degree (minor in communication studies) from Alfred University in 2004. As a broadcast journalist, she is best known for her work with CBS News, where she was a reporter, anchor, and producer from 2005-09. When she was hired by CBS at age 23—debuting as part of the news team for the Logo Channel, the first ever 24-hour network focusing on the LGBTQ community, including lifestyle news and entertainment programming—she made history as the first LGBTQ female, and first LGBTQ person of color, to be featured on a national news broadcast.

She has starred in television shows like Person of Interest, VEEP, Madame Secretary, and House of Cards. Since 2016, she has been an actor/performer, voiceover talent, reporter and host with SAG-AFTRA. A resident of New York City, she formed her own production company, Native Speak Media, in 2010.

Scott is a Life Trustee at Alfred University, having served on the Board of Trustees from 1991 until 2006. She earned a BA degree in sociology from Albion College in 1956 and a master’s degree in counseling administration and reading from Kent State University in 1963. Scott was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Alfred University in 1997.

In 1977, Scott was appointed to the Rochester City Council, becoming the first-ever African American woman to hold a council seat in Rochester. She would go on to be reelected three times, and in 1986 became Rochester’s first-ever African American city council president. Scott served on Rochester City Council until 1989, when she founded Scott Associates in Rochester. The firm provides consulting services to educational institutions, corporations, businesses and governmental units in the areas of inter-cultural communications, economic and personnel development and total quality management.

The Zoom link for accessing Tuesday’s panel discussion can be found on AU Connect, the Sister Circle Instagram bio @ au.sistercircle, or by emailing.