Fourteen members of the Northeastern Illinois University community and two organizations were honored during the 16th Annual Black Heritage Awards ceremony on Feb. 23 at the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies.
The Black Heritage Awards Ceremony program was developed and planned by members of the Black Heritage Committee that included staff, faculty and students. The Sankofa statues/awards that were presented to the recipients were crafted by Assistant Professor of Art Katie Duffy and her student, James Welch, at the request of the committee. The event was co-hosted by the Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs and the Black Heritage Committee. (View photos from the event.) This year’s honorees were:
Administrative Excellence
Sylvia Daniels
Alumni Excellence
Ella Whitehead
Community Service
Donne E. Trotter
Entertainer of Excellence
Damon Williams
Excellence in Media
Dometi Pongo
Faculty Excellence
Sharon Bethea
First-Year Student
Isaih Brown and James Searcy
GEAR UP Parent Award of Excellence
Patricia Butler
GEAR UP Student Award of Excellence
Rufus Burks and Sierra Johnson
Outstanding Student Organization
Black Caucus
Sigma Gamma Rho National Sorority Incorporated
Staff Excellence
Victoria Jones
Student Leadership
Zanetta Kubajak
Marina Whitehead
