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Black Excellence Recognized at Gala

by Joe Barker on 02/28/2023

02/28/2023

Members of the Saint Louis University community gathered Friday, Feb. 24, in the Center for Global Citizenship for the first Black History Month gala. 

Richard B. Marks, Jr., Ed.D. assistant vice president in the Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement, shares an embrace with an attendee of the Black History Month gala. The event, held Friday, Feb. 24, was designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements and success of Black faculty, staff and students at SLU. Photo by Luke Yamnitz.

Richard B. Marks Jr., Ed.D., assistant vice president in the Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement, hugs an attendee of the Black History Month gala. The event, held Friday, Feb. 24, was designed to recognize and celebrate the achievements and success of Black faculty, staff and students at SLU. Photo by Luke Yamnitz.

The event, dubbed A Night of Black Excellence, recognized and celebrated the achievements and success of Black faculty, staff, and students within the SLU community. The event was hosted by the Cross Cultural Center for Global Citizenship.

A total of five awards were given out to 12 different people at the gala event. 

Emerging Leaders

Three Emerging Leaders awards were handed out. The awards were given to rising undergraduate students for demonstrating exceptional leadership ability and contributions on campus. 

Outstanding Graduate

Five students were recognized with Outstanding Graduate awards. Those undergraduate or graduate students exemplified “excellence, leadership, service, and character throughout their time at Saint Louis University.” All the students are members of the Class of 2023. 

Dr. Jonathan C. Smith Faculty/Staff Appreciation Award

The Dr. Jonathan C. Smith Faculty/Staff Appreciation Award, named after SLU’s late inaugural vice president for diversity and community engagement, was given to members of the SLU community who were judged to have shown “tremendous dedication and commitment to supporting the Black community at Saint Louis University while facilitating major social change on campus and within the St. Louis community.” 

Black and Bold

The Black and Bold award was given to a member of the SLU community who “has lived their truth without limits to their Blackness at this institution and, through their actions, has encouraged others to be their truest selves as well.”

Mkeka Award

The Mkeka Award award recognizes long-term faculty/staff members of SLU for “their service on campus and for paving the way for the rest of the Black community to thrive at SLU.”