JSUNAA will host its Black Tie Scholarship, Recognition Gala on Friday, Oct. 14

October 10, 2016

Black Tie Gala Logo

Jackson State University National Alumni Association (JSUNAA) will hold its biennial Black Tie Scholarship and Recognition Gala at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at the Jackson Convention Center.

Stephanie Nellons-Paige and her husband, Rod Paige, will chair JSUNAA's gala.
Stephanie Nellons-Paige and her husband, Dr. Rod Paige, will chair JSUNAA’s gala.

Honorary chairs are Dr. Rod Paige, former U.S. Secretary of Education (2001-2005), and wife Stephanie Nellons-Paige, vice president for USA Funds’ National Engagement. More than 600 guests are expected to come together to realize the theme “Enriching Lives through a Legacy of Giving.”

The Black Tie Gala is JSUNAA’s major fundraiser. It serves as a platform to recognize the generosity and achievements of individuals who have made their mark on the university and on the community. Proceeds from the gala are used for student scholarships.

Dr. Rose Austin, gala general chair, said the event falls on the weekend of one of the university’s biggest games – Jackson State University Tigers vs. Southern University Jaguars on Saturday, Oct. 15. “We are expecting a sell-out for both events,” Austin said.

This year’s honorees include:

  • BUSINESS – Jean Jacobs, director of supplier diversity for Entergy. Jacobs is responsible for increasing the participation among minority vendors.
  • COMMUNITY SERVICES – Community Engagement and Empowerment Network (CEEN), a collaborative partnership of 21 service organizations in the metro-Jackson area with a focus on mentorship for girls and boys.
  • EDUCATION – Principal Dionne Woody, the Jackson Public Schools’ 2016 Administrator of the Year.
  • GOVERNMENT/PUBLIC SERVICE – State Democratic Sen. Hillman Frazier, representing the 27th District of Mississippi since 1993.
  • MEDIA – Alice Thomas-Tisdale, owner and publisher of the Jackson Advocate, an African-American weekly newspaper in Jackson.
  • MISSISSIPPI LINK – African-American newspaper that focuses on the concerns of its community and readers.
  • RELIGION/THEOLOGY – Dr. Jerry Young, president of the National Baptist Convention and pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson.
  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) – Dr. Alfred Martin, CEO of Environmental Management Plus Inc., a consulting and contracting firm in Jackson.

Gala tickets are $125. For more information, contact Austin at 713-502-9188.