The history of the Columbia Chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College distinguishably depicts the history of a people, country (community) and an institution. The Chapter was organized in Columbia, MD on September 20, 1975 by Ora Sterling Anderson (King) along with nine other local area alumnae who paid their dues and pledged to commit themselves in dedicated service to this newly established Chapter. The Chapter was chartered in May of 1976 with a membership of ten alumnae. The first officers elected were: Ora Sterling Anderson, President; Dorothy Robinson Tucker, Vice President; Harriet Prichett, Secretary; Barbara Green Bray, Treasurer, and Mary Kidd Gardner, Recruitment Liaison. The other charter members included Shirlene Evans, Gloria Currington Johnson, Harriet Miller, Sylvia Beverly Stanford, and Betty Stevens Walker. Presently seven of the original ten founders are still in the area and six are fully active in the Chapter.

Once established, the goals and objectives of the Chapter were to become very visible in the local community through a very active recruitment campaign, fostering sisterhood among alumnae, development of leaders for the chapter, regional, and national levels of NAASC, and implementation of activities to secure scholarship funds for prospective Spelman students. The initial fund raising activity was a cabaret held on June 6, 1976 to provide scholarship money and seed money to host the Northeast Regional Conference on October 30, 1976.

The first annual $500 scholarship was awarded in August of 1980. Successful fund raising activities have continued to aid the efforts to increase the scholarship funding. Alumnae have raised scholarship funds by hosting events such as the Columbia City Fair concession, alumna Varnette Honeywood's cards and prints sales, National Council of Negro Women Cookbook sales, Morehouse Glee Club concerts, Spelman College Glee Club concert and the Spelman College Jazz Ensemble concerts.

Sisterhood is continually being fostered and leaders are continually recognized with awards like our Alumna of the Year. Spelman has recognized some of our Chapter members' professional accomplishments with the Alumnae Achievement Awards. Past recipients are Betty Stevens Walker in Business/Law/Govt (2000) and Ora Sterling King in Education (2001). In the past chapter members have held key NAASC positions such as the National President (Dr. Ora Sterling King and Marian Rucker-Shamu), President-Elect (Deidra Fryer), various Regional positions, many former Chapter officers and distinguished professionals.

The past thirty years have proven quite successful for this Chapter in meeting and exceeding the initial goals and objectives established by the founders. To this date, over $50,000 in scholarships and book awards have been awarded to Columbia, MD area Spelman students. The Chapter supports Spelman through the Eli Lilly Empowerment Fund, community service and contributing to the annual giving campaign. In addition, significant numbers of young ladies have been recruited to Spelman through this Chapter.  The Chapter has also produced many of the NAASC leadership - many Presidents and Regional Delegates are from and a part of the Columbia Chapter.