The Black Advisory Committee

Dr. Sandy Shugart

Valencia College, President

Marion Campbell

Black Advisory Committee, Chair

Greetings from the Chair

Marion Campbell

Over the past 35 years, the Black Advisory Committee of Valencia college has achieved success through the relevance of our mission and through the strength of our networks, but most importantly, through the energy and passion of our committee members. I call upon that same passion and dedication today, because the work before us is critical not just to Valencia College but to our communities across the world.

Our success in the past was achieved through the inherent energy and dynamism of Dr. Sandy Shugart and the Valencia College students, faculty and staff. Our success in the future depends on the same. We cannot fulfill the destiny of this committee without harnessing the talents and abilities of each of our members. So I encourage us all to be serious as we move forward this year. Those who have come before have brought us to this point; now it is upon us all to continue the legacy.

We must do more than quote the Mission; we must model it and live it!

Membership

Community Members

Delores BatsonMarva CarterReginald McGill

Vernard BatsonSteve Currie, lllDr. Denise Mose

Dr. Felicia BoydKevin GastonShanti Persaud

Vicki BrooksChester GloverDarryl Smith, Esq.

Leona BurnsStephen GrahamEric Smith

Joe CaldwellArthur JarvisMargie Wells

Marion CampbellMonica MayDr. E. Laverne Williams

Valencia College Representatives

Dr. Amy BosleyKevin RushingDr. Sandy Shugart

Dr. Mike BosleyBarbara ShellDeborah Xavier

Charles DavisLisa Shrestha

*Member Emertus

  • Established in 1970
  • Initiated Incentive Awards Program in 1976
  • Purchased dental kits for African American students in the Dental Hygiene Program
  • Sponsored the African American Heritage Scholarship Banquet Notable Speakers were:
  • Allen Page, State Supreme Court Justice
  • Bernie Casey, Actor
  • Lerone Bennett, Ebony Magazine
  • George Frazier, Author
  • Glenda Hood, Mayor
  • Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet/Author
  • Merlie Evers Williams, NAACP
  • Established the African American Heritage Scholarship, an endowment managed by the Valencia College Foundation
  • Hosted a reception honoring African American Administrators, Faculty, and Staff of Valencia College

The Annual Incentive Awards Program

  • The Incentive Awards program has been the signal event for the BAC since 1976. Yearly, the award is granted to 10 students from among those nominated by BAC members, faculty and staff of Valencia. Our Incentive Awards is granted without respect to race, color or creed, nor financial aid
  • Beginning in 2005, the award amounts doubled from $150 to $300. In 2014, students were awarded $400.00 each. Since 1976, more than $75,000 in scholarship money has been awarded to over 300 Valencia students
  • We are pleased that the overwhelming majority of our Incentive Award recipients have not only graduated from Valencia but have gone on to further their post-secondary education earning masters, doctorate and juris doctorate degrees and are employed as teachers, business persons, lawyers, administrators and journalists
  • In addition to the financial contributions of the BAC members, Valencia’s administrators and staff have given graciously and we are appreciative of their support

African American Heritage

Scholarship Program

  • Established and supports the African American Scholarship Program to provide additional assistance to African American students seeking to attend college
  • Hosts galas to underwrite the scholarship awards
  • Partnered with the Valencia Foundation to establish an endowed fund to manage the scholarship
  • The amounts vary based upon the funding balances of the endowment. However, 50 students have been awarded this scholarship over the past five years
  • The overwhelming majority of our scholarship recipients have graduated from Valencia College. Our plans are to expand the number of recipients and to provide more support once they have graduated from Valencia College
  • In addition to community support, Valencia Faculty, Staff, and Administrators contribute annually to this endowment

Community Involvement & Minority Business Development

  • Co-hosted Brown v. Board of Education Panel Discussion in May 2004
  • Hosted its first Job Fair in November 2004
  • Supports activities and projects to increase the number of minority staff and students
  • Co-sponsored Juneteenth Celebration—”An Evening with Zora” at the Wells’ Built Museum in June 2005
  • Represented the College at various functions, such as: The RAFMAN Banquet and Program; Festival of Trees; West Orange County Chamber of Commerce Black History Dinner; NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet; The Boy Scouts of America; YMCA Black Achievers’ Awards Gala; Orange County Black History Month Celebration; Arthur “Pappy” Kennedy Prayer Breakfast; Zora Neale Hurston Festival; and the United Negro College Fund
  • Supports Valencia’s outreach services and programs in the public schools to encourage minorities to enroll in college
  • Serves as a community liaison for minority business development and receives quarterly reports on minority vendor awards
  • Increased dollars spent with minority suppliers from $1.8 million in April 2003 to $3.1 million in November 2004

Achieve the Dream Initiative

  • Supports College’s efforts to improve the performance of minority students via a grant from the Lumina Foundation, entitled “Achieve the Dream”
  • Hosted a community focus group in March 2005
  • Co-sponsored a planning retreat for Achieve the Dream—Community Conversations event in December 2005
  • Co-sponsored the Community Conversations event with Public Agenda in April 2006. More than 200 people attended this event
  • Served as moderators and recorders for the Community Conversations event

To Help Brighten the Lives of our Students, Please Make Contributions to:

Valencia Foundation / Black Advisory Committee

Click on Make a Donation Give Now & select Eula P. Jenkins

or

mail check to:

Valencia College

Deborah Xavier DO-21

P. O. Box 3028

Orlando, FL 32802

For additional information:

Contact Deborah Xavier:

407-582-8054

Thank You!