The Jackson State University Honors Convocation is the crown jewel of Honors Week and on Thursday it rewarded in the words of President Carolyn W. Meyers the “shining examples” of academic excellence.
Hundreds cheered as the top echelon of the university’s various colleges were awarded and applauded at the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center.
Meyers welcomed the crowd of excited students, telling them that academics is the business of JSU and that those recognized this day were “shining examples” of excellence in their educational pursuit and of their training at the hands of faculty and staff.
Specially recognized were top seniors of each college, winning Academic Affairs Outstanding Student Achievement Awards:
College of Business: Amanda M. Habenschuss
College of Education and Human Development: Deddriona D. Waller
College of Liberal Arts: Candace Chambers
College of Public Service: Kerri Mitchell
College of Science, Engineering and Technology: Harold Owens
Outstanding Athlete Award: Amy Nicole Lara
Taking up Meyers’ theme, keynote speaker Trent Walker, a Brandon native, Jackson attorney and 1991 graduate of JSU, said that those being honored are “the talented tenth,” a phrase that W.E.B. Du Bois made famous, composed of the leadership class of African Americans.
A fact that many may not know, he added, is that the phrase actually originated with the American Baptist Home Mission Society that founded JSU in 1877. So, here, with this group, the expression was a homecoming, of sorts — including for him.
“I am a product of the what was the Honors Division, now the Honors College,” he said.
Walker admitted that he was not a promising candidate for honors when he entered the university more than two decades ago. He said that he was a C-plus student, but he was determined to succeed and through hard work earned his place in JSU’s W.E.B. Du Bois Honors College.
Walker said it was an honor to speak to the students and spoke about life and its pitfalls, offering advice that Meyers afterwards said she wished she had heard when she was their age.
Among the nuggets of wisdom he gave:
— “You have to believe in something,” whatever spiritual faith that might be, adding that his is Christianity and it guides his life.
— “Be passionate about someone or something,” he said, adding that passion builds a life worth living, whether it’s in a personal relationship, a career or a calling.
— Resolve to leave each situation you encounter better than you found it.
— Plan everything, remembering the adage that “those who fail to plan plan to fail.”
“If you don’t listen to anything else I say,” he emphasized: Keep finances straight and watch out for debt.
— Don’t be afraid to fail — “If you haven’t failed at anything, you haven’t tried anything.”
— Be politically active, take an interest in politics, because “from politics flows money.”
— Choose your friends carefully; it’s said that “you are the average of the five people you hang around with.”
— And, family, faith and friends are the bedrocks of your life, so don’t let little things take over.
Meyers said that JSU has 34 chapters of honor societies ranging from general to specific coursework. She called out each and the members and faculty advisors stood.
Honors students from each of the colleges were named and they filed on to the stage, being congratulated by the deans and Dr. Loria Brown Gordon, associate dean of the Honors College.
Students were praised by Dr. James C. Renick, provost and senior vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, and by SGA President Keonte Turner and Miss Jackson State University Anissa C. Butler.
The crowd was entertained by a student jazz combo, led by Brass Instructor Johnny Hubbard, and the JSU Tiger Battalion presented the colors.
For more information about the W.E.B. Du Bois Honors College, call 601-979-2107 or write honorscollege@jsums.edu or see: https://www.jsums.edu/honorscollege/