Univ. of Tennessee Image Awards recognize students, staff

Source

The Fourth Annual African-American Image Awards honored outstanding African-American UT students and faculty Thursday.

This event was sponsored by Diva Opals, Phi Beta Sigma and the Student African-American Brotherhood.

The hosts for the event were Alexis Tidwell, senior in music; Georgette Robinson, sophomore in food sciences and technology; Raphael Onwuzurui, junior in biomedical engineering; and Anderson Olds, junior in business.

Winners for the student and organization awards included Patrick Morris, senior in finance, for Outstanding Male Leadership, Chanelle Price for Best Female Athlete, Brittney Reives, senior in food science and technology, for Outstanding Female Resident Assistant and the Mahogany Soul Café for Best Cultural Program.

Stanley McGrady, member of Phi Beta Sigma and senior in electrical engineering, was one of the main event planners for the awards show.

At the end of the event, his fellow students awarded him the Outstanding Contribution and Support for the African-American Image Awards. McGrady said the award was a complete surprise for him, and he was honored to receive the award.

Onwuzurui, Courageous, Clazz Mates, Neka Moten and Jessica Sessions performed in the awards show.

Dawo Rogers, senior in electrical engineering and member of Phi Beta Sigma, said the exciting part of planning this event was rehearsing with the hosts.

“Every year there are special personalities that come out of the group as a whole,” he said. “This year they all happened to all be exceptionally talented.”

Onwuzurui said he was extremely nervous before hosting the show and was glad that the show turned out to be a success.

Rogers said the event should be looked at as more than just as an award show.

“This is a celebration of our achievements,” he said.

Other students echoed this sentiment.

“It’s important because this event highlights those in the African-American community that go above and beyond the average student,” Ashley Scott, senior in psychology, said. “They should be recognized for the hard work.”

Demetrius Richmond, assistant director of Minority Student Affairs, received the Jocelyn Milton Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award. This award gives special tribute to the late Jocelyn Milton, former associate director of Minority Student Affairs.

Another prominent award given to a faculty member was the Lifetime Achievement Award. Maxine Thompson Davis, dean of students, received a standing ovation when she went on stage to accept this award.

Davis encouraged students to excel and do their best.

“You must seek academic excellence when you are at the university,” she said. “Continue to lift each other up.”

J.J. Brown, assistant dean of students, presented her with the award.

Both Quiteka Moten, senior, and Jamil Price, senior in journalism and electronic media, received the Collegiate Achievement Award.

Rogers said he would consider the event more successful if more students participated in the program.

“I want students to strive to be a part of the program,” Rogers said. “This is a celebration of what we do well.”

Popularity: 1% [?]