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More than 300 guests registered for ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ’s annual African American Alumni and Friends Luncheon hosted by the ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ Black Alumni Association (SBAA). Friends, classmates and professors gathered April 24 to reunite, reminisce and celebrate their times at ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ.

The ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ Black Alumni Association is an official extension of the ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ Alumni Association, established to strengthen the legacy of educational attainment and excellence of ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ black students. The SBAA provides scholarship assistance, career mentoring and cultural advocacy through alumni volunteer involvement, philanthropy and social enterprise, according to Isaac Cooper, SBAA president.

SBAA board member Corey Green ’02 spoke about his experience at ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ and how the support of the alumni association helped him build a stronger community and come to truly appreciate his ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ education. 

“The strength of ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ is in full diversity of the alumni base,” Green said.

He challenged the audience to take advantage of the Black Alumni Association’s platform by giving back to the university through time, talent, treasures and testimony.

“I think we’ve all benefited in some way from going to ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ; but what are we going to do with it?” said Green.  

Following Green’s address, Melanie Pippen of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. presented the Tiffany Nicole Conaway Minority Scholarship to two-time winner, Joshua Washington. Washington is a sophomore sports medicine major from Meridianville, Alabama.

The scholarship is given annually to a minority student at ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ who demonstrates academic excellence, strong campus involvement and outstanding volunteerism. 

The program also featured a campus update from ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ President Andrew Westmoreland and an address by Denise Gregory, director of ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ’s Office of Diversity and Intercultural Initiatives.

Bailey Fuqua is a journalism and mass communication major and a news and feature writer in the Office of Marketing and Communication.