In a room full of her fellow students donning caps and gowns, Deanna Yancey crossed the stage to receive her Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering. For every student at the graduation, their crossing of the stage represented a grand accomplishment. It is the culmination of years of hard work, hours spent in Crosland or Price Gilbert, gallons of caffeinated beverages and long nights spent researching. However, for Deanna Yancey, it meant so much more.
Instead of receiving her diploma from the Dean of Students, Yancey was handed her diploma by her grandfather, Ronald Yancey. Ronald Yancey is an Institute alum unlike any other — the first Black graduate from the Institute. The Technique sat down with Deanna Yancey to discuss her family legacy and what it means to her.
“My family’s and grandfather’s connection to the school is being a trailblazer there at Georgia Tech, kind of opening the doors for not only himself but other Black students, and making it possible to show like, yes, like we can also graduate from a prestigious university and actually getting hard fields,” Yancey said.
Ronald Yancey graduated from the Institute in 1965, starting a legacy for Black students at the Institute. Deanna decided to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps for her graduate education.
Despite having a proud connection to engineering, not many people in the Yancey family followed in Ronald’s path. Deanna is one of the only members of her family to continue the family legacy of becoming an engineer.
“It was nice because I was one of the only people who became an engineer after him. So it was like, Oh, we have a lot to talk about, but now even more to talk about when we see each other. So then it kind of grew some bonding, and then going into Georgia Tech, that was icing on the cake,” Yancey said.
Deanna uncovered her interest in STEM at an early age, growing up bonding with her father and grandfather over a love of creation and building.
“I started off by building PCs with my dad because every time he would kind of build his own PC, I would sit there and work with him. And then in high school, I took a few classes that I thought would be kind of more interesting in the computer realm,” Yancey said.
Students know that getting a degree at the Institute can have its highs and lows. College is incredibly difficult, and it can be easy to get discouraged. Deanna Yancey had times like those during her graduate education, but when things got tough, she thought about how it must have been for her grandfather.
“Imagine it being harder also dealing with discrimination at the same time and worrying about your safety. We don’t face that as much now. I mean, not to say it’s completely gone, but it’s, it’s a different realm. So I think it’s kind of like motivation for a lot of us because if he can do it literally against all odds, then I should be able to do it too,” Yancey said.
During her long nights in the CULC, she was able to visit her grandfather — or at least a statue of him. “The First Graduate, a statue depicting Ronald Yancey in his earlier years, sits on the CULC’s steps. Installed in 2019, the statue sits on the stairs next to students getting in some last-minute studying for their midterms and students conversing answers after midterms.
“It’s a little weird because I used to see statues of other people. Obviously, you know there’s history there, but then it’s just like, ‘Oh.’ You don’t actually know that person. But then to walk by, you’re like, ‘No, I actually know this person.’ That’s weird,” Yancey said.
While it can be easy for students to not give the statue much attention, it is simply impossible for Deanna to walk right by it without taking notice.
“It’s funny because it’s just like, oh, kind of this is how people see him. I get to see him also in a different light of also being my grandfather, not just only this trailblazer. So it’s pretty cool. I love it. I love going by there. You see pictures all the time,” Yancey said.
Yancey is boldly proud of her family’s legacy and how her grandfather has inspired not only students at the Institute but at colleges across the country. Yancey wants her grandfather’s legacy to be remembered and believes that his impact is more important now than ever.
“I know, especially with the times we’re going through now, just making sure that you stick through it. Knowledge is honestly power, and no one can take that education away from you,” Yancey said.