Banquet Awards

Presidential      Humanitarian     Leadership      Membership      Scholarship      Book Scholarship

The Annual Awards Recognition Banquet serves as a culmination of Black Graduate Association (BGA) programming for the academic year, affording the organization an opportunity to highlight individual student successes. While many of the BGA programs and events bring students together and allow for an interchange of ideas and experiences, few provide an extended period dedicated solely to sharing accomplishments and honoring achievement. In addition to providing students the opportunity to fellowship and interact with the Purdue community, the Awards Banquet serves as an opportunity for the larger community and industry to share in our celebration of excellence. This process is particularly important because many students enter the job market shortly after the Banquet.

Each year, the Banquet presents students with awards for excellence in the areas of humanitarianism, scholarship, leadership, and membership. In 2003, the BGA presented the first scholarships to undergraduates for their academic accomplishments-since then six graduating seniors have been recognized. The Distinguished Service Award was established in 2004 to honor the contributions of faculty and community leaders dedicated to the ideals of the organization. The success of the banquet in recent years has surpassed all expectations and has been a superb opportunity to recognize students for their distinguished accomplishments.

Because of the overwhelming interest in helping to celebrate the success of current graduate students, attendance at the 2006 awards banquet exceeded 230 people. Attendees included Provost Mason, representatives from several Purdue academic schools, corporate sponsors, community members and students. More than 25 black graduate students were recognized for receiving their Master's or Ph.D. degree. Each year, a program booklet is distributed which highlights sponsorship, award recipients, organizational accomplishments, and advertisements.

As we prepare for the 8th Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet, we do so with a renewed dedication to honoring the accomplishments of our fellow students. Demonstrated by our theme, we also acknowledge the contributions of previous generations as we endeavor to create a living legacy. This year promises to be one of the most successful banquets ever. We would like to express our gratitude for the continued support of the Black Graduate Association.

Chair of Committee...................Jamelle Williams