Family and friends of the late Rev. Dr. Isaiah Madison, a former Jackson State University associate professor of political science, bestowed a $25,000 scholarship gift on the College of Liberal Arts.
The gift, presented Wednesday, Sept. 9, during a ceremony in the Dollye M.E. Robinson Liberal Arts Building, will double to $50,000 after matching funds from Title III, said Anthony L. Holloman, JSU’s vice president for Institutional Advancement.
Acknowledging efforts to assist young people, Holloman said, “It’s an honor and privilege that we are able to accept this gift in honor of Rev. Dr. Madison. It’s reflective of the kind of life he lived and the work he performed. It will live on in perpetuity here. Jackson State has always provided assistance to the underserved. And, today, it is even more critical that we do so because the United States is No. 12 overall in degree completion, and President (Barack) Obama has a goal in 2020 for us to become No. 1 again.”
Furthermore, Holloman said, “The only way we can achieve the president’s goal is to educate more black and brown people, and underserved populations. So, it takes scholarships to make this happen.”
The gift will make a difference in the lives of young people, Dr. Mario J. Azevedo, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, concurred.
“Because our emphasis is taking care of students, scholarships and grants are important. This gift fits in with the objectives of this college by making sure that students receive assistance. This is very meaningful to the College of Liberal Arts.”
Aside from his work at JSU, Madison – who died March 1, 2012, at age 71 – was the lead attorney in the high-profile Ayers case, which aimed to achieve parity among Mississippi’s institutions of higher learning.
Former interim JSU President Dr. Leslie McLemore and political science professor Dr. Byron D’Andra Orey were credited for helping secure the donation.
Orey said, “For those who have given much, much (recognition) is deserved. In 1975, he filed the Ayers case. As a professor in our department, Dr. Madison was so encouraging and inspirational to me. When he left I felt that we should acknowledge him for doing so much for students and inspiring them to go to law school.”
Madison received his juris doctorate from Howard University, his master’s degree in political science from Atlanta University, and a master’s degree in theology from the International Theological Center, also in Atlanta.