“It’s in my hands and in your hands to make this nation of ours truly a living democracy.”

Those words were just one of the many insights and inspirations shared by Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole during her visit to Central Texas earlier this week. Dell welcomed Dr. Cole to our headquarters in Round Rock, Texas in recognition of Black History Month.

Dr. Cole is the president of Bennett College for Women and president emeritus for Spelman College—the only two historically black colleges serving women in the United States. She has been many things in her distinguished career: an anthropologist, a teacher, a college administrator, human rights advocate and author. It is a career that has spanned spans over three decades and inspired thousands.

Most recently, she founded the Johnnetta B. Cole Diversity and Inclusion Institute. She serves on the boards of Coca-Cola Enterprises, of Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe and on the Board of Directors of Merck & Co., Inc. From 2004 to 2006, she was the first African American to serve as Chair of the Board of United Way of America and is on the board.

In this video, Dr. Cole shares her thoughts on keys to success for women of color in corporate America, about skills young students need to compete in the 21^st century, and Black History Month.