Published 9:40 am Tuesday, December 24, 2024
By Faith Callens
Earlier this month, Selma University hosted its Christmas Scholarship Gala, celebrating academic achievement, community engagement while giving support to the University’s Young Adult Communal Living Scholarship Program (YACLC).
The elegant event was also geared towards the recognition of those within the community who have also been a shining light in the city.
“It is the first time since I have been at Selma University that we’ve had a Christmas College Gala,” said Selma University President Stanford Angion. “The gala came about as a way to raise money for our young adult program and in doing so, we thought it would be a great opportunity to celebrate the academic achievement and the giving of those people who have participated. So, we decided to honor those within the community who had excelled in our community locally while also celebrating those who are giving.”
Angion said several business organizations participated in the event and purchased tables to be a part of the event and said they had several honorees who were just elated to be thought of and chosen for various awards.
“It turned out as a great way to celebrate two things, celebrate those leaders who are already doing great things in the community and raise funds to help other people to become like them.”
The 2024 Gala honorees of the event were Dr. Tonya Chestnut, Reverend Stevenson Tullis, Mr. Willie Smiley, Mrs. Jacqueline Smith, Mr. George Rhodes, Ms. Chelsey Wilson and Mrs. Cynthia Perkins.
The first honoree to receive an award and also recognition during the event was Dr. Tonya Chestnut for her outstanding service as an educator, receiving the Excellence in Education Award.
The award honors those who inspire students, advance learning opportunities and set a standard for excellence in teaching and education leadership.
Speaking of education leadership, the second honoree to receive an award and recognition was Rev. Stevenson Tullis, who has exemplified significant, enduring contributions to the Selma University Community over the course of his career and because of that, he received the University Lifetime Achievement Award.
“The Lifetime Achievement Award was an award that looked at a person’s total body of work, especially those who were connected to Selma University and so Dean Tullis served at SU as an instructor in some capacity for over 38 years and he also served and has continued to serve in positions as a minister, pastor of the local church here within the area,” Angion said. “He’s served in the United States Military and so, he’s just served in many capacities. So, his overall body of work has been one of faithful service to others.”
The third honoree of the evening that was awarded and recognized was Mr. Willie Smiley for his dedicated efforts in the community and because of that, he was awarded the Trailblazer award.
“Mr. Smiley, he’s the current owner of First Avenue Cleaners and Mr. Smiley is a great example of starting with humble beginnings and working his way up to becoming a very successful business owner and he started many years ago, back at Selma University as a student, who received his degree here and soon after, started a cleaners business and he has been in that business now for a long time.”
Like Mr. Smiley, the fourth honoree of the evening was Mrs. Jacqueline Smith, who has made a significant contribution to the city as well from an entrepreneur standpoint and an active citizen of the community who makes her presence known through giving back, which has led to her receiving the Rising Star award from the University.
“Smith is someone who is currently doing extremely well as a business owner and is a very active participant in her community,” Angion said. “She serves various positions in the community and at her church on various boards and at the same time, she finds a way to give back to the community. We think that moving forward, she is going to do something much more impactful than what she already has and so, she’s one who we have to keep our eye on as being a rising star.”
The fifth honoree of the evening who was awarded and recognized was Mr. George Rhodes for being an outstanding collaborator and supporter for the community, especially Selma University.
Because of his diligent efforts, it has led to the University awarding him with the Community Partner Award.
“Mr. Rhodes also credits a lot of time to serving in the military and then serving the community in other capacities. He actually one of our top donors at the University and he does that because that is his way of helping to foster growth and opportunity and positive change in society.”
Speaking of positive change, Ms. Chelsey Wilson was awarded The Student of the Year by the University for her school wide efforts, exemplifying academic excellence, leadership and her commitment to making a difference in the world.
“Mrs. Wilson, is very committed to her study at Selma University. She came on last year as a freshman and she just became very involved. She’s now the lead of our chapel and she leads music ministry alongside her efforts of being an SGA president. She is just an overall student that exemplifies excellence.
Angion said Wilson is an A-student and a model student for the University.
The last honoree of the evening that was awarded and recognized was Mrs. Cynthia Perkins, wife of Mayor James Perkins. Jr. for showing exceptional commitment to serving humanity through acts of kindness, advocacy, and philanthropy, which led to her receiving the Humanitarian of the Year Award.
“Mrs. Perkins, is a very kind, advocating philanthropic individual who gives a lot of time, effort and makes impact in a lot of ways in the lives of other people in the world and locally in her community and she was chosen unanimously.”
Angion said all of the honorees like Perkins was chosen unanimously, and he said the whole take away of the event was for those involved to look at the event as inspiration, in which can help them look at the success that was shown at the event, the success that others in the community have made and then to inspire others to give and lastly, to help those who are in need while trying to rise to be great, outstanding services in society.
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