Emory Report homepage   >   Current issue front page

September 13, 2004
Cain, Franck are next to tell their stories

By eric rangus

The upcoming Telling Our Stories event features a pair of Emory women who first came to the Univer-sity as students and, rather than take their careers elsewhere, stayed to grow with their alma mater.

“I think one of the things we’ll talk about is how we happened to come to Emory and how we stayed so long—what about Emory made it ‘the place,’” said University Archivist Ginger Cain, ’77C, ’82G, one of the two soon-to-be storytellers. She will be joined by Alicia Franck, ’88T, senior associate vice president for University development.

The sixth annual Telling Our Stories will be held Tuesday, Sept. 14, in Miller-Ward Alumni House. Advance tickets are no longer available, but anyone without a ticket interested in attending can contact the Center for Women, which sponsors the event, at 404-727-2000.

The evening will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by a three-course meal at 6:30 p.m., before Cain and Franck take center stage. Actually, the setup is a bit cozier than that. Cain and Franck will be seated in armchairs, making the event much warmer than a standard podium-speaker affair.

Convergence and divergence will be themes of the evening. One thing the two have in common is that they have defined their own jobs. After holding nearly every position in Special Collections, Cain was named the first University archivist in 1997. Franck returned to Emory in 1991, became the first director of regional programs in 1993, and for the last seven years has overseen the alumni relations and development operations for a variety of entities including three of Emory’s professional schools, Oxford College, the Carlos Museum and the Office of the Provost.

“So much of what we do is about sharing other people’s stories, so the idea of telling our own is an interesting concept,” said Cain. “My job, for instance, is to ensure that rare materials get saved so that others can tell the stories.”

“I listen to other people’s stories and help them craft their own legacy,” Franck said.
One place where the two differ is in their paths to success. While Cain has remained in a university atmosphere, Franck has moved around more, even working in politics in the 1980s as special assistant to then-Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker. Franck also noted her job is externally focused, while Cain’s is internal.

“It was overwhelming and humbling,” said Franck of the invitation to speak at the event. “After that, you get a little bit of stage fright.”

Telling Our Stories was conceived by the Center for Women as a way for women from all parts of campus to come together and connect, as well as give them an opportunity to hear first-person viewpoints on modern women’s history.

While the event focuses on women’s lives and history, it’s not restricted to it. Men are encouraged to attend—just two came to the first event in 1999, which featured then-Provost Rebecca Chopp and Johnnetta Cole, former Presidential Distinguished Professor of Anthropology, Women’s Studies and African American Studies, but male attendance has risen every year since.

“This is not only good; it is important,” said Center for Women Director Ali Crown.

TOP