On Tuesday May 25th, the Upsilon Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., in partnership with the 1925 Alpha Men of Jacksonville Foundation and the Jacksonville Kids Hope Alliance, recognized thirteen Duval County Public School seniors at its annual Dr. Ezekiel W. Bryant High School Scholarship program. The program was held at Florida State College at Jacksonville, North Campus, in the Dr. Zeke Bryant auditorium, and honored graduating seniors from six different local area high schools, with Christopher Sneed as Emcee, and chaired by Brian Foster. Each of these young men maintained a 3.5 or higher GPA during their senior year, with several young men achieving GPAs above 4.0.
Under the leadership and organization of Clarence Wilkerson, the Upsilon Lambda Chapter Director of Education, $10,000 dollars in scholarships was divided among the awardees.
A distinguished panel of local professionals delivered words of encouragement and wisdom.
Marcus Isom, Esq., expressed to the young men the adversity he faced following graduation.
“I had to make the conscious decision to take advantage of every opportunity.” said Isom. “The best advice I can give you is to network, seek out mentors, and never lose sight of your goals.“
Dr. Joshua Adams, financial forensics specialist, shared his personal journey.
“I come from humble beginnings, but where you begin does not determine where you finish. Always trust in yourself and lean on family and your village for support.”
“As you start your journey, keep in mind that along the way there will be times when people will come along and try to distract you from your plans,” said Christopher Sneed.
“Even the eagles have to deal with crows pecking at them from time to time. But keep in mind… as the eagle soars higher, the crows eventually lose their steam and fall to the wayside. You will face adversity but continue to soar.”
The High School Recognition program is named in honor of Dr. Ezekiel W. Bryant, the first African American provost/president of a campus in the Florida community college system, and a dearly departed member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Upsilon Lambda Chapter.
For more info visit:
Be the first to comment