Celebrating Black Excellence Gala showcases UI minority students' talent

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

This year’s Celebrating Black Excellence Gala was held on April 14, hosted by the Society of Black Graduate & Professional Students (BGAPS), the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), and the Pi Kappa chapter of Zeta Phi Sorority, Inc.

The gala, held to showcase outstanding talent and innovation of minority students on campus, included inner, dancing, and fellowship. It featured students and community member awards, special talent performances, and a keynote address by Dr. Bryan K. Hotchkins, who spoke on “Deconstructing the Role of Being Woke in an Era of Anti-Blackness.”

Black Brilliance Award Recipients:

Visionary Award
Ashley Frazier
Roseina Britton
Anthony Gair

Civic Change Agent
Gabrielle Miller
DaVida Anderson

Social Humanitarian
Thapelo Ncube
Rondine Allen

Trailblazer Award
Victoria Parker
Taimyr Strachan
Bernard Short

Mental Health Advocacy
Dr. Simone Young

#BlackGirlMagic
Barbara Okeke
Gabrielle Miller

#BlackMaleMagic
Anthony Gair
Matthew Bruce

The University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers about 70 majors across the humanities; fine, performing and literary arts; natural and mathematical sciences; social and behavioral sciences; and communication disciplines. About 15,000 undergraduate and nearly 2,000 graduate students study each year in the college’s 37 departments, led by faculty at the forefront of teaching and research in their disciplines. The college teaches all Iowa undergraduates through the college's general education program, CLAS CORE. About 80 percent of all Iowa undergraduates begin their academic journey in CLAS. The college confers about 60 percent of the university's bachelor's degrees each academic year.