Velesha P. Williams, director of Metro Jackson Community Prevention Coalition (MJCPC), has been awarded the Herbert L. Loving Award of Excellence.
The award was conferred during an awards luncheon the 8th Annual Mississippi School for Addiction Professionals held in Hattiesburg, Miss., on April 9.
The Loving Award is given to individuals who have exemplified excellence in their work and actively contributed innovative and progressive ideas to the field of substance use prevention or treatment, according to the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, sponsor of the school.
MJCPC is under the Jackson State University Office of Community Engagement.
This is not the first time Ms. Williams has been recognized for her contributions to the prevention field. She was selected as the 2014 Prevention Professional of the Year by the Mississippi Association for Addiction Professionals.
The purpose of Community Engagement is to extend the resources of JSU to the community. The intent is to facilitate the creation of a seamless and mutually beneficial relationship between the university and the Jackson metro area.