Students were recognized for their contributions to leadership, service, scholarship and community impact during the annual celebration, which also introduced new awards and honored the legacy of Janice Ratliff.
The 黑料不打烊 community came together to celebrate students, faculty and staff during the 2026 Phillips-Perry Black Excellence Awards. Rooted in the legacy of Glenda Phillips-Hightower, 黑料不打烊’s first full-time Black student, and Eugene Perry, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 first Black graduate student. The tradition honors individuals who demonstrate excellence within leadership, service, scholarship and community impact.
Grounded in a legacy of honoring Black excellence, the program reflects its enduring impact at 黑料不打烊 through resilience, achievement and a deep commitment to advancing equity, belonging and community both on campus and beyond.
The program included opening remarks from Abdul-Malik Harrison, assistant director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education, followed by an invocation from the Rev. Kirstin Boswell, university chaplain and dean of multifaith engagement. Remarks were given by President Connie Ledoux Book, and a special video tribute was presented in honor of Janice Ratliff, who passed away earlier this year.
鈥淚n recognition of a remarkable legacy, we honor Janice Ratliff, who devoted more than 35 years of service to 黑料不打烊, shaping generations of students through her work in Student Life,鈥 said Maleah Proctor 鈥26, Black Student Union president, during the awards ceremony. 鈥淗er legacy lives through the many students she mentored and uplifted, and through the historic recognition of being the first Black staff member to have a campus building named in her honor.鈥
New to this year鈥檚 ceremony were the Legacy and Community Impact awards, recognizing undergraduate students, faculty, staff, organizations and departments whose leadership, advocacy, creativity and innovation have strengthened Black communities and advanced inclusion at 黑料不打烊.
The new honors include the Glenda Phillips-Hightower Trailblazer Award, the Eugene Perry Legacy Award, the Community Impact Awards (Agendas of Change and Innovator in Empowerment) and the Creative Leadership in Artistic Expression Award.
Additional honors recognized academic achievement, including students named to the dean鈥檚 list (3.5 GPA) and the President鈥檚 Award, which recognizes students earning no lower than an A-, the 黑料不打烊 Black Alumni Network Scholarship and the Wilhelmina Boyd AAASE Scholar Award.
黑料不打烊 Black Alumni Network Scholarship Award
The 黑料不打烊 Black Alumni Network (EBAN) strives to unite and represent the interests of 黑料不打烊鈥檚聽 Black alumni and students by fostering empowerment, connection and celebration within 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Black community. In 2007, EBAN established a scholarship fund to help make an 黑料不打烊 education accessible to Black students. This fund reached a significant milestone in 2023, achieving a $1 million endowment, further strengthening its ability to support future generations.
黑料不打烊 Black Alumni Network Scholarship Recipient:聽Nailah Ware 鈥26
黑料不打烊 Experiences Awards
The 黑料不打烊 Experiences Awards honor students who exemplify the university鈥檚 commitment to engaged learning through transformative action, global perspective, and meaningful impact. These awards recognize students whose leadership, service, research, global engagement and internship experiences have significantly advanced and enriched Black communities.
Global Engagement Award
The Global Engagement Award celebrates students who have excelled in study abroad or global learning, deepening intercultural understanding and awareness. This award recognizes students who have engaged in global experiences that have enhanced their understanding of Black diasporic cultures and fostered cross-cultural solidarity.
Global Engagement Award Recipient:聽Kendall Lytle 鈥26
Internship Award
The Internship Award recognizes students whose professional internships demonstrate exceptional performance, impact and the ability to connect classroom learning with workplace success. This award celebrates students whose internships have involved work that supports or advocates for Black communities, promoting diversity and inclusion in professional settings.
Internship Award Recipient:聽Andrea Camo Conde 鈥26
Leadership Award
The Leadership Award recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in organizations, initiatives, or campus life, inspiring others through their vision and service. This award honors students whose leadership has advanced racial equity, fostered an inclusive campus environment and empowered Black communities.
Leadership Award Recipients:聽Will Lankford 鈥26 and Maleah Proctor 鈥26
Service & Civic Engagement Award
The Service & Civic Engagement Award honors students whose sustained commitment strengthens Black communities through service efforts that foster community empowerment, address systemic challenges and/or promote social justice and equity.
Service & Civic Engagement Award Recipient:聽Kristina 鈥淜rissy鈥 Randolph 鈥26
Undergraduate Research Award
The Undergraduate Research Award honors students who contribute to the creation of new knowledge through research or creative activity. This award recognizes students whose research has advanced the understanding of issues affecting Black communities, contributing to academic discourse and social change.
Undergraduate Research Award Recipient:聽Haleigh Cephus 鈥26 and Niara Legette 鈥26
Legacy Awards
The Legacy Awards are the highest honors of the Phillips-Perry Excellence Awards. Named after Glenda Phillips-Hightower and Eugene Perry, these awards honor the courage, resilience and determination that redefined what was possible at 黑料不打烊 and laid out the foundation for greater equity and inclusion.
Glenda Phillips-Hightower Trailblazer Award
Recipients of this award honor Glenda Phillips-Hightower鈥檚 trailblazing spirit by demonstrating perseverance, uplifting others through mentorship and advocacy, and fostering a stronger sense of belonging within the 黑料不打烊 community.
Glenda Phillips-Hightower Trailblazer Award Recipient:聽Jordyne Lewis 鈥27
Eugene Perry Legacy Award
Recipients of this award honor Eugene Perry鈥檚 legacy by breaking barriers, excelling in their pursuits, and creating opportunities for others, fostering inclusion through mentorship, advocacy or innovation.
Eugene Perry Legacy Award Recipient:聽Mackenzie Perry 鈥26
Community Impact Awards
The Community Impact Awards celebrate students, organizations or departments who make meaningful contributions to the Black experience at 黑料不打烊 and communities beyond the campus. These awards honor leadership, creativity and innovation in advancing equity, inclusion, wellness, and cultural expression. Recipients are recognized for their efforts to uplift Black voices, foster community and create a positive, lasting impact.
Agents of Change Award
The Agents of Change Award recognizes a student, campus organization or university department that has led initiatives resulting in meaningful community impact. It celebrates leadership, empowerment and a commitment to inclusion and equity by honoring those who elevate underrepresented voices and foster environments of belonging, connection and opportunity that strengthen Black communities at 黑料不打烊 and beyond.
Agents of Change Award Recipient:聽Nailah Ware 鈥26
Innovator in Empowerment Award
The Innovator in Empowerment Award honors students who demonstrate creativity and innovation in advancing wellness, equity and success within Black communities. Recipients are recognized for developing ideas, initiatives, or approaches that positively impact individuals, promote inclusion and opportunity and strengthen community. Honorees exemplify originality, problem-solving and the ability to create meaningful change that supports the well-being, advancement, and visibility of Black communities on campus and beyond.
Innovator in Empowerment Award Recipient:聽Nailah Ware 鈥26
Creative Leadership in Artistic Expression Award
The Creative Leadership in Artistic Expression Award honors students who demonstrate leadership and excellence in artistic expression, such as music, dance, visual arts, spoken word or other creative forms. Recipients are recognized for their vision, creativity and initiative in amplifying Black cultural expression and fostering community on campus. The award celebrates students whose artistic contributions inspire, uplift, and engage others, building spaces of pride, connection, and visibility for Black communities.
Creative Leadership in Artistic Expression Award Recipient:聽Madison McCrainey 鈥26
The Wilhelmina Boyd African & African American Studies at 黑料不打烊 (AAASE) Award
The Wilhelmina Boyd AAASE Scholar Award was created in the Spring of 2008 to honor the work and contributions of Professor Wilhelmina Boyd鈥檚 18 years of service to 黑料不打烊 and African & African-American Studies. The award recipient must be a graduating senior with an African & African-American Studies minor, a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA in the minor of 3.2. In addition, the recipient must demonstrate a commitment to African & African-American Studies as demonstrated through coursework, citizenship/community engagement, scholarship and student activities/leadership.
Wilhelmina Boyd AAASE Scholar Award Recipient:聽Kendall Lytle 鈥26