Outstanding Elon students, along with distinguished faculty and staff, were recognized for their achievements and contributions to Elon on April 27.
Outstanding students along with distinguished faculty and staff members were recognized April 27 at the 26th annual Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards.
The ceremony included opening remarks from President Connie Ledoux Book, who was introduced by SGA Executive President Kenneth Brown Jr. '19, who recently concluded his service as SGA executive president.
Several Elon black alumni were among those presenting awards, including Aliana C. Harrison '08, Shana Winstead '03, Alonzo Cee '18, Meggan Thompson '08. Dwayne Ijames '06 was joined by several members of the Elon Black Alumni Network (EBAN) in presenting a scholarship to Raleigh Tre's Jones. The ceremony concluded with a charge to the students by Bridgette Agbozo '19 and a vocal performance by Tres McMichael '19.
"For me, Black excellence is a concept that I practice on a weekly, daily and hourly basis," Agbozo said in her closing remarks. "It goes beyond academic accolades and self-care days. It reminds me of who I am and where I come from. It grounds me in my values, relationships, nature and sense of spirituality. It helps me prioritize my peace."
Established in 1993, the mission of the Black Excellence Awards Banquet is to recognize, celebrate and affirm the presence of Black students at Elon University. Approved by the Elon University Board of Trustees, the annual Black Excellence Awards Banquet was named on April 22, 2006, to honor former Elon students Glenda Phillips Hightower, the first Black student to attend Elon (in 1963), and Eugene Perry, the first Black student to graduate from Elon (in 1969).
Honored students, faculty and staff at this year's ceremony included the following:
Elon Experiences Awards
Excellence in Internships Award – Mariah Posey
Excellence in Leadership Award – Eric Cunningham
Excellence in Service & Civic Engagement Award – Thomas Armooh
Excellence in Study Abroad/Study USA Award – Marta Djalleta, Jasmine Hodges, Jazmine Langley, Erika Swinney
Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award – Bridgette Agbozo
Academic Excellence Awards
Male Student-Athlete – Tyler Campbell, football
Female Student-Athlete – Nyah Spearman, women's soccer
Elon Black Alumni Network Scholarship
Raleigh Tre's Jones
African & African-American Studies at Elon Award
Bridgette Agbozo
Wilhelmina Boyd Community Service Award
Jessica Carew
Janice Ratliff Community Service Award
Stacy Outlaw
Phoenix Award (GPA 3.8 – 4.0)
Gabrielle Elyse Beamon
Jazmin A. Campbell
Anissa Marie Cooper
Trinity Dominique Dixon
Marta L. Djalleta
Samantha R. Dominguez
Kiristen Leigh Draughn
Maya Dale Eaglin
Petra-Marie Beryl Edwards
Mikayla Lynnette Ford
Jasmine Maralysa Jones
Dana M. Knowles
Eukela Little
La'shaundranique Love Marshall
Taylor Noelle McFadden
Rebecca Claire Oliver
Sydney Simmons
Nyah Vernell Spearman
Tyja Isabelle Traore
Chandler Alexis Vaughan
Christine Anne Wanda
Briston Mackenzie Whitt
Jordan Lorease Simone Williams
Gold Award (GPA 3.5-3.79)
Lauryn Christina Adams
Bridgette L. Agbozo
Angy Nicoll Aguilar
Jaelyn Toni Alexander
Deztinee Adiyah Allen
Joycelyn Bentley
Mikaela D. Benton
Ashley R. Billie
Michaela Nellie Bramwell
Judah I. Brown
Patrick Douglas Brundidge
Haley Michelle Burton
Samantha Joy Cabbell
Tyler Campbell
A'Shaela Velada-Grace Chaires
Heeba Chergui
Haley Marie Cole
Rebecca M. Collins
Eric Lewis Cunningham
Tkeya Davy
David Mack Duncan
Quentin Van Duncan
Briana Charia Edwards
Brianna Faith Elder
Destin Donyell Flloyd
Dinora Fransheka Flores
Samira Alexandra Foster
Katelyn Rebekah Fowler
Ciani M. Foy
Destiny Mone Frett
Ethan Lawrence Gabriel
Scottlyn Grace Goodman
Christin Lenoir Hackney
Michelle Lindsey Harlan
Audrey Ellise Harris
Jasmine Hodges
Madison Braden Holmes
Dyamond J. Howell
Leila Anne-Rose Jackson
Kayla J. Jacobs
Kendra Chideya Johnson
Benjamin Benaud Jones
Milanne Jame' Jones
Caprice Kennedy
Kevin Anthony Lacey
Jazmine Shauntell Langley
Yasmeen I. Lee
Kayla Dianne Liles
Lucia Lozano Robledo
Charleen Martins Lopes
Jordyn Alexis McAtee
Jaria Marie McGhee
Tres Marquel McMichael
Caitlin Larae Mehta
Cameron A. Mullins
Stephanie Boatemaa Ntim
Brittany Isabel-Irene Nwadike
Mariatu Iyatunde Okonofua
Sophia A. Ortiz
Samantha Patricia Palacios
Arianne Elena Payne
Cassidy Micah Perry
Sarah Elizabeth Poselle
Nicolas Rios
Alexis Roberts
Lumiere C. Rostick
Kayla A. Sabre
Vanessa Amber Salama
Sha'leicia Moneya Simpson
Eliza Llana Singleton
Malaikia-Monique Antionette Sims-Winfrey
Alanna Helene Solomon-Dodson
Erika Nicole Swinney
Christopher B. Terry
Jewel Coriana Tillman
Naomy Palamanga Djoul Thiombiano
Emmanuel Eugene Tobe
Julian Valderrama
Jordan Alexandria Vaughn
Hannah Lynn Webster
Sidney Nicole Wilson
Kristopher Isiah Wooten
Maroon Award (GPA 3.2-3.49)
Alexa C. Baer
Jazmin Bender
Brianna Nicole Bennett
Ahsan Qadree Berry
Kenneth Lamarr Brown
Matthew Brown
Rachel Noelle Brown
Loren Grace Brunson
Sienna Alexyss Burris
Destiny Lavon Carter
Mason R. Chambers
Hannah Arin Cheyney
Lauryn Nicole Clarke
Victoria Sinnott Coleman
Justice Manzel Coltrane
Jeni Costa
Mylashia G. Cross
Joel Ryan Davis
Mikisha Davis
James Eugene Donnell
Noah Hannibal Dyson
Mikayla C. Edwards
Jaylan S. Evans
Gabrielle Nichole Ferguson
Oscar Ivan Flores-Montero
D'Nydia Franklin
Christopher George Garner
Matisse Abriell Gilmore
Natalie Charisse Green
Zoie Griffin
Charles Morrell Hannah
Aminata Akuanoni Harris
Maura Jasmine Inez Harris
Abdul-Malik Antonio Harrison
Shawna' Alleah Harris-Lenoir
Imani Henderson
Megan Hernandez-Greene
Isaiah Hill
Chantrisse Aj Howard
Jennifer Nicole Howard
Hannah Gwynette Hubbard
Olivia Claire Jacquier
Faith Elizabeth James
Jasmyn Rae Johnson
Janaya T. Jones
Alicia Mariann Jordan
Breia Joelle Kelley
Romello Knight
Avery Jordana Kutis
Kamal Sadiq Lado
Derrick L. Luster
Rayna Frances Mason
Michael Antreas Mesrobian
Holly Lynn Miranda
Charlotte Katherine Mitchell
Shontia Mitchell
Alexis Austin Moore
Zachary I. Morrison
Sarah Ann Mouton
Saadia Adina Munford
Olivia N. Murray
Sara Maya Nyawira Nderitu
Brie Lucienne Perpignan
Naomi Elizabeth Perry
Chandler Posey
Mariah M. Posey
Thomas A. Poteat
Alicia Monae Powell
Katherin A. Recio
Ashanti Rhode-Desauguste
Felicia Yvette Robinson
Aaliyah Adriana Rodgers
Sydnie Danielle Rogers
Perla Esmeralda Salazar-Rangel
Kira Nichelle Sedayao
Joshua Alexander Simmons
Arielle L. Smith-Watts
Raelyn Olivia Spears
Taylor Deneen Spruill
Joseph Tyler Stanley
Sienna Catherine Standfield
Briana Ruth Statesman
Ashley Paige Stuart
Jahmai Ronel Sylvestre
Gary Malcolm Summers
Araya C. Sykes
Sarah Kennedy Talley
Tuki Tayali
Courtney Jinean Thompson
Janay Danyale Tyson
Mackenzie T. Wilkes
Gabrielle Paige Wilson
Imonni L. Withers
Trinity Tyhir Yancey
Jordan Olivia Young
Rayven Teresa Young
Cullen Jacoby Zeno
The Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards Celebration is presented by Elon's Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education (CREDE). The planning committee included the following:
Brandon Bell (chair) – assistant director, CREDE
Barb Carlton – assistant director, Moseley Center
Amy Chilcutt – assistant director of academic-residential partnerships for dining engagement
Carolyn Ent – director of events, Office of the President
Anita Hodnett – assistant director, Counseling Services
Tyrone Jean – assistant dean of students and director, CREDE
Princess King – assistant director of college success, Elon Academy
Marilyn Slade – program assistant, CREDE
Deidra Smith – associate director, Alumni Engagement
Michael Williams – director of campus center operations and conferences