By Alexandria Leatherberry
The Truth Reporter
At the 33rd Annual Martin Luther King Scholarship Breakfast, on January 18, the men of Alpha Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. awarded scholarships to six high school seniors and one student at the University of Toledo.
The young men are selected each year for their academic achievement, community involvement and leadership. Calvin Burney Jr., DMin, has chaired the event for five years as he looks forward to “bringing the community together to fund young scholars.” This year’s event brought together over $30,000 in scholarship awards.
This year’s event also featured three panelists, Alfred Baker, Judge Myron Duhart and Thomas Winston to discuss achieving activism through the power of work. The conversation, led by Kristian Brown of Channel13abc, opened the door to insight with each panelist sharing keys to reaching their success.
“If you don’t do the work it will tell on you” said Baker, a trustee of the University of Toledo and former vice president of human resources for Owens-Illinois.
“I remember crying about the amount of work and sacrifices you have to make,” stated Judge Duhart of the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals. The mind over matter perseverance was shared amongst the panelists which they agreeably learned from those before them.
Thomas Winston, CEO and president of Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, encouraged listeners to “find the mentor that has the experience, that is accessible and committed with integrity,” and to teach an aspiring leader the best way to do it so they can in turn do it better.
The seven scholarship awardees included Meikhi Bailey, Langston Baker, LeVon Graham Jr., T’Mon Hall Jr., Jahaun Knix, Jalen Tamer and Ward Emmanuel Barnett. Barnett received the first renewable scholarship offered by Alpha Xi Lambda Chapter in honor of late member Joseph O. Sansbury.
The fraternity had raised $16,000 to award to the young students but they were met with another honor before the end of the ceremony as each scholarship award was increased thanks to a donation dedicated by the three panelists of $15,000. In total the scholarship breakfast raised over $30,000 this year to continue the legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
